Young Horowitz Contestants, or Bravo, Tomorrow
The Thursday before last the hall of the State Philharmonic was filled with enthusiastic cheers; spectators gave flowers and paid compliments to the musicians. In general, it was a sight rather typical for this building. What was less typical is that the performers could hardly be seen behind their presents and toys because of their young age. Fifty-four musicians aged under fourteen from Belarus, Israel, Poland, Russia, Finland, and Ukraine took part in the Fifth International Vladimir Horowitz Memorial Young Pianists’ Contest (group Horowitz Debut). The contest was held in four nominations. The jury was headed by Professor of the National Music Academy of Ukraine Valery Kozlov.
“My expectations proved true,” stressed Prof. Kozlov. “Those wanting to listen to genuine music and interesting performers who, in spite of their young age, not only play the piano but create music, enjoyed themselves. We are pleased that many young musicians came to the contest, demonstrating high levels of performance at the piano. Our panel of judges marked most interesting and original children with diplomas and special prizes.”
The laureate’s title was awarded to 29 contestants. They were marked with diplomas of six grades and presents: audio devices, toys, souvenirs, and candy. The youngest participant, six-year-old Anastasiya Holovan (Myrhorod), received the fourth grade diploma, nomination A, and was honored with the mission of opening the contestants’ concert. Nastia thoroughly performed a nice children’s play, Mickey Mouse by Schmitz. The little girl was serious and concentrated, but when she was handed a huge teddy bear almost her size, she could not conceal her delight anymore.
All the Debut diploma holders were good. The first grade laureates deserve special mention, demonstrating their virtuosity, artistry, and professionalism in spite of being so young. Fifth grader at the Lysenko Musical Boarding School, pupil of renowned Kyiv pedagogue Natalia Hrydneva, Kostiantyn Tyshko enchanted the audience with Grieg’s Poetic Tone Pictures. Still a child, he is already an interesting and original performer. Thirteen- year-old Anton Korshakov from Feodosiya appeared onstage sporting a white tail coat, like a little dandy, and brilliantly performed Filipenko’s Toccata. Professor at the Kyiv Children’s Academy of Arts Mariya Merzlikina made no secret of her pride in her wards: fourth-grader Viktoriya Demydenko and five-grader Antuanetta Mishchenko won in the nominations A and B.
“These girls are of very different temperaments,” says Prof. Merzlikina. “Vika is more active and energetic, she is a tomboy of a kind. Netta is romantic, artistic, and contemplative. But they are united by their love for music. In spite of their young age, the girls’ repertoire is quite wide. Before the Debut they took part in several piano contests. They know how to concentrate for the performance. I hope they will both become good pianists in the future.”
In the most complicated nomination, C, where contestants rendered a sonata, variation, or virtuoso play, laureates were ten-year-old Anastasiya Osoyanu from Donetsk and thirteen-year-old Yevgeny Galtsov (Belarus). Yevgeny lives in Minsk, studying in the seventh grade of Children’s Music School No. 1. He is winner of the Hrodno contest of young composers and Belarus, My Love festival. Nastia studies at the music department of the Donetsk College. Throughout the whole contest Albina Oryshchuk took care of her not only as her teacher but also as a second mother (the girl came to Kyiv unaccompanied by her parents). In Ms. Oryshchuk’s words, it is a pleasure to teach Nastia. She is clever, smart, and incredibly industrious. She likes to learn. One could call her a person of natural gifts, because the girl comes from a non-musical family. Nastia Osoyanu won the first prize at the International Young Pianists’ Contest in Sergei Prokofiev’s native city; she is also laureate of the New Names and Hope, Pride, Future contests.
The jury awarded special prizes to Viktor Krasovsky (Ukraine) for the best accompaniment and Maria Inkari (Finland) for performing Sibelius’s Waltz and Lysenko’s Elegy.
During the intermission the young musicians gave their first interviews behind the scenes. They made no secret of their pleasure, but every time photo and television cameras were focused on them they tried to make serious faces. Everybody said they wanted to become professional musicians and that their highest delight is playing fugues and scales. Listening to these revelations, their parents and teachers could not refrain from indulgent smiles. They stressed that children are always children. Sometimes, especially at the first stages of studying, one has to use game methods to attract their attention. However, most children are purposeful; they want to become professionals and exercise hard.
In the second part of the contest ten-year-old Olha Zadorozhniuk (Odesa), student of the Odesa Stoliarsky Secondary Musical School (Halyna Popova’s class), diploma winner in B, C, and D nominations, performed the second and third parts of Mozart’s Concerto No. 23 in A Major, accompanied by the Pop Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine conducted by Viktor Zdorenko. The winners’ concert was finished by seventh- grader of Kyiv’s Children’s Musical School No. 26 Mariya Kaluhina (pedagogue Tetiana Melnykova) playing Grieg’s Concerto in A Minor, part one.
Thus the Horowitz Debut contest has finished its work. Its main result is in that it introduced young musicians to the public, some of whom might become outstanding musicians in the future. The contest’s organizing committee promises that children who have proven their worth will not be buried in oblivion. They will watch closely their creative growth and invite them to take part in concerts and festivals. After all, these children are representatives of the new generation of twenty-first century musicians.
