SplenDoor to Ukraine. A guide to Ukrainian music

Season 2 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.

Designs by Natella Shavadze

29th January, 20.15 – Liatoshynsky 130. Piano recital with lecture dedicated to the 130th anniversary of the great Ukrainian composer Boris Liatoshynsky. Splendor, Amsterdan, NL. More details here. #LiatoshynskySpace Antonii Baryshevskyi, piano

Ihor Sukhorukov, lecture

17th February 20.15 – ҐІЛЬДЕҐАРДА (Hildegard) a unique reimagining of Hildegard von Bingen's music. It combines the vocal sound production approaches of authentic Ukrainian folk singing with the modular synthesis techniques drawing from high mediaeval polyphony and monophony. This innovative approach, brought to life by Oleh Shpudeiko, known as Heinali, an electronic music composer reimagining Early music in modular synthesis, and Andriana-Yaroslava Saienko, a singer practising authentic Ukrainian vocal tradition, brings to the fore the paradoxical viscerality inherent to Hildegard's visionary writing. Splendor Amsterdam, NL.  More details here

Heinali, modular synthesizer

Andriana-Yaroslava Saienko, folk singer

8th March, 20:15 – LIMBO 

Splendor, Amsterdam, NL. Buy tickets.

LIMBO is heart-to-heart solo program by Viktoriia Vitrenko for voice and piano. With music from five song cycles by Ying Wang, Sven-Ingo Koch, Alla Zagaykevych, Maxim Shalygin and Agata Zubel.

Viktoriia Vitrenko, voice

23d March 20.15 – BABRYLON. Piano recital with music by A. Shmurak

Splendor, Amsterdan, NL. Buy tickets.

The project is fundamentally multi-genre: it includes field recordings, drone music, classical music, jazz, noise, and lo-fi folk. "Babylon" explores the magical and playful in urban space, where gigantic industrial landscapes alternate with intimate inner experiences.

Aleksei Shmurak, composer

Antonii Baryshevskyi, piano, synthesizer

Igor Sukhorukov, lecture

''TO ALL ALIVE''

"TO ALL ALIVE," a double-CD album featuring the complete piano works of composer Maxim Shalygin, performed by acclaimed Ukrainian pianist Antonii Baryshevskyi.

This album fulfills a long-cherished wish: a recording of the piano works that Shalygin composed between 2004 and 2024, many of which were written specifically for Baryshevskyi, who has been a profound source of inspiration for the composer. Spanning two decades, these works reflect a deep friendship, a shared creative journey, and mutual artistic development. They also stand as a testament to their tireless commitment to enriching the piano repertoire with groundbreaking new works.

One of Baryshevskyi’s remarkable qualities is his passion for contemporary music, alongside his extensive repertoire of classical works. For Baryshevskyi, the boundary between “classical” and “modern” is fluid, as every masterpiece of the past was once contemporary music. He believes that a performer’s role is to bring new compositions to life, translating them into sound and ensuring their place in the evolving musical canon. Baryshevskyi has performed Shalygin’s works since their student days at the Kyiv Conservatory. Despite Shalygin’s move to the Netherlands in 2010, the two maintained a close creative bond, and during this period, several solo pieces were written for Baryshevskyi.

CD presentation:

1st February 2025, Classical Now! Paleiskerk, The Hague, NL – More details here.

2nd March 2025,  Pianola Museum, Amsterdam, NL – More details here.

Digital release: Spring 2025, TBA.

Pre-order on Bandcamp.

Credits:

Recorded at: Haagspianohuis / May 11-13, 2024; Steppenwolf studio / November 25-27, 2024

Recorded by: Steppenwolf studio.

Recording producer and recording engineer: Slava Poprugin.

Executive producers: Antonii Baryshevskyi, Maxim Shalygin & Anya Reshetniak.

Liner notes: Anna Reshetniak.

Interviewer: Alexander Sushinsky.

Translation of interviews & editing: Paul van der Woerd

Photography: Christian Van Der Kooy

Design: Anastasiia Starko.

Booklet layout: Oleksiy Chekal

We are very grateful to the Société Gavigniès and Nederlands Letterenfonds for their generous financial support. Special thanks go to Anna Reshetniak, Alexander Sushynskyi and Slava Poprugin, Goethe-Institut and Classical NOW! HaagsPianoHuis for hosting us during recording.

SplenDoor to Ukraine.

This concert marks the final performance of 2024.

Ph.credit:  Lera Manzovitova

I am so happy that the year's last concert of 2024 was so successful. Bravo to my colleaques Oksana Mukosii  and Vladyslav Petryk !

It was also the fifth and final concert of our SplenDoor to Ukraine pilot season, which was one of the most important projects for me in 2024. I'd like to thank Ihor Sukhorukov, who helped make this happen. He's a lecturer and cultural enthusiast and the project's co-author. Thanks also to VATAHA, haarlem4ukraine and Classical Now for their media and organisational support!

My huge gratefulness to Splendor , that make it all actually possible, and the incredible people of Splendor who helped us with everything!

Stay tuned - we will announce new events very soon!