Children Playing And Sketching Jazz

Kyiv is seething with passions, as is the rest of Ukraine. Although children should not be aloof from grownups’ interests, they are most happy with their own little joys, thanks to adults who protect their fragile world. The children’s jazz festival Atlant-M was recently held at the 44 Art Club for the second time. Children found themselves immersed in a festive music atmosphere complete with presents and prizes, true creativeness and brilliant examples to be emulated. Credit for this is due both to the organizers and participants. Once again the experienced Oleksiy Kohan was at the helm of the festival, assisted by Yulia Kazharska representing the sponsor. They were joined by a new art director, the unquestionably talented jazz pianist Natalia Lebedeva and her group, the popular Kyiv jazz group Night Groove, which accompanied all the solo contestants. They introduced a group of excellent little swingers to the 44 Art Club.

The program consisted of numbers performed by young participants and adult guest stars, including Tetiana Boyeva from Odesa and guitarist Enver Izmailov, Merited Artist of Ukraine. A drawing contest called “Children Sketching Jazz” also took place. In keeping with tradition, the endearing children’s orchestras, Brass Band and Dixieland, opened the festival. I would like to single out numbers by the Kyiv singers Oksana Balandiuk, Sashko Horitko, and Yulia Holovan; Natalka Otsabrik from Odesa; guitarists Zhenya Vyshnevsky, Dima Kovalenko, and Taras Kolomatsky; pianists Olha Hulei and Phil Anderson; saxophonists Hryhory Parshyn from Kryvy Rih, and Yevhen Bondarenko from Kyiv. Among the pint-sized participants were children competing for the second time, as well as some promising performers making their debut.

The Little Band Academia from the children’s Academy of Art, located in Kyiv’s residential district of Obolon, gave the most impressive performance, sounding its usual mature and professional self. Some of the soloists, like Viktor Pavelko (baritone sax) displayed amazing improvisational skills. We have fantastically dedicated and very professional teachers, including Viktor and Iryna Basiuk, the founders and art directors of this excellent group. But the overall picture of this sphere of music education remains alarming. Although the efforts being undertaken at the Jazz Department in the Art School #2 are yielding modest results, the marquee and image of School #34 is rather feeble. That was why 10-year-old pianist Ivan Kokhlov from Minsk (Belarus) won the audience’s heart. This truly gifted performer and boogie-woogie improviser has learned the main thing; he feels at home at the piano and the audience knows this instantly. This was especially true during his second appearance onstage, even though he still lacks an ideal technique.

His numerous rivals from Kyiv memorized their pieces; none of them seemed to have any idea about playing by ear or improvising. Of course, teaching children improvisation takes a professor who is skilled in this technique. This is a long-standing problem, and so far there is no solution in sight. No one is really dealing with the methods for teaching jazz in Kyiv’s music schools. It’s not just a question of teachers’ meager pay or the culture department’s procedural policy, but also the personal qualities of people who are working with children in the sphere of jazz. Here experiences can be shared, not only with colleagues in Rostov or Moscow, but also at home, in Odesa and Pivdenne. This much was obvious from the results of last year’s Utyosov Festival in Pivdenne. But this requires renouncing Kyivan smugness and turning to others for help.