In Kyiv, a series of concerts devoted to the 90 anniversary of Arsen Kotliarevsky has begun

Arsen Mykolayovych Kotliarevsky, the founder of the Ukrainian organ music school, had not only been a mentor for a whole Pleiad of Ukrainian organists, but had also raised the domestic organ culture to a new level, contributing to the opening of new organ halls, organization of contests, and was a wonderful lecturer, performer, and musicologist. Owing to his inexhaustible energy, two organs were built in early 1970s at Kyiv Conservatory, and a House of Organ and Chamber Music was opened in 1980, and later on, concert halls with this marvelous instrument were established in other Ukrainian cities. In these January days Arsen Kotliarevsky would have celebrated his ninetieth birthday, but he did not live to this date by a little over five years.

In memory of their teacher, Arsen Koltliarevsky’s disciples arranged a major action, coterminous with his ninetieth anniversary. The author of this project, Chairperson of the Association of Organists and Organ-Makers Halyna Bulibenko says, “This program, which includes 80 concerts, will be conducted over a whole year in ten Ukrainian cities having organ halls. The first two concerts were held in Kyiv. The project became possible due to support from George Soros’s Renaissance Foundation, and one of its goals is to remind [the public] once again that Ukrainian organists do exist, live, and give concerts.