“What`s On”. 2002. №34. 4-10 Oct.

Michelle Assia.

“Kyiv Music Fest”: A Musical United Nations

Austria, Sweden, Norway, Great Britain, the United States. No, this is not a list of UN Security Council members, just a few of the participating countries in this year’s very international “Kyiv Music Fest”, Ukraine's focal annual classical and contemporary music celebration. If you shrug at the word “classical”, well, don't; this year events had something for all tastes. Performances ranged from symphonic and choir concerts to Jazz and African American spirituals. For over a week the musical life of the capital turned unusually tense with a rally of non-stop concerts at different culture venues across the town. With up to six concerts a day and a total number of 300 works, attending concerts taking place at different venues! Among the foreign guests booked, the Americans received the warmest welcome from the audience. Among artists from the new world were the “Lumina” string Quartet, charming baritone Steven Salters and pianist Arthur Green, who did the heroic act of performing all the sonatas of Alexander Scriabin in a four-hour one-day concert, with just a one hour break! But of course the culminating note came with the three performances of Patricia Miller, world-known singer.

After postponing her scheduled appearance in Ukraine last year, she cheered up Kyivites with three recitals and a master class. The fest itself was dedicated to its founder and Ukrainian composer, Ivan Karabits who passed away at the beginning of this year. A series of concerts were held in his memory, where his son Kiril, himself a successful conductor, paid tribute to the great maestro. The new directors of the festival, composers M.Skoryk and M.Stepanenko, managed to hold up Karabits' traditions and add a touch of an international flavour, which is no doubt welcome by music lovers.