Season 3 of a series of chamber concerts and contemporary/electronic experimental music. The aim of organising this series is to introduce the Dutch public to the hidden gems of Ukrainian music from the second half of the 20th century and to enter into the artistic context of Ukraine at that time.
Antonii Baryshevsky, the Ukrainian pianist and curator of this series, will perform the music.
Ihor Sukhorukov, a Ukrainian culture enthusiast, will help explore the music's context.
Experimental/ Electronic:
Ukrainian folk songs reimagined by an electroacoustic ensemble.
A true spring can only begin when the VESNYANKY—Ukrainian folk spring songs—are sung. Some chase away the lingering winter cold, while others welcome the sun, the birds, and the blossoming earth.
Maryana Golovchenko, voice
Vladyslav Petryk, clarinet
Anna Antipova, violin, electronics
Antonii Baryshevskyi, piano, synth
1st May 20.15 – CONTEMPORARY UKRAINIAN VIRTUOSITY IN A CONTEXT.
Violinist Orest Smovzh, based in Helsinki, presents an evening of bold and thought-provoking music that reimagines what solo violin playing can be in the 21st century. At the heart of the program are three newly-commissioned Ukrainian works—world premieres written in 2024—that stretch the boundaries of traditional virtuosity by embracing fragility, introspection, and theatricality.
These new caprices and études are placed in dialogue with works by European composers who similarly challenge the historical ideals of technical showmanship. The result is a concert that invites listeners to reconsider what it means to be virtuosic today—not only in terms of speed and dexterity, but also in expressive nuance, risk-taking, and emotional depth.
Throughout the performance, Smovzh offers insights and commentary, guiding the audience through the music’s ideas and contexts.
Highlights from the second edition of the (SPLEN)DOOR TO UKRAINE: A Guide to Ukrainian Music series.
Photo credits: Artem Sergeev