Every summer concerts are held in a park near Maryinsky Palace to honor the memory of Volodymyr Symonenko, and these musical evenings are now an established tradition in Kyiv.
On June 25-26, thousands of Kyivans and guests of the capital attended concerts by Ukrainian and Austrian jazzmen. This year marks the 25th anniversary of jazz education in Ukraine, marking the beginning of jazz education in this country. The first “variety performance” faculty at the Music College opened in Odesa in 1980 and then in other music colleges, including the one named after GliПre, which is marking the fifth anniversary of its Higher Faculty of Jazz. Once again the GliПre Music College was the main organizer of the festival of Kyiv summer musical soirОes. Among the performers were its professors, students, and young people who are enrolled in Kyiv’s music schools, whose professional aspirations are associated with the college’s jazz faculty.
Musicians from the Austrian city of Graz, the Karlheinz Miklin Trio, were the guest stars.The first concert was by a Gli П re ensemble directed by Veronika Tormakhova. The group performed several arrangements of Ukrainian and Georgian songs. The young musicians were followed by a trio led by “Merited Artiste of Ukraine” Enver Izmailov (guitar). The audience loved Enver’s several solo pieces. Then his daughter, singer Lenie Izmailova, appeared on stage with her very high, supple, yet deep soprano, together with master percussionist Rustem Bari. The girl’s singing is sophisticated and charming. Her jazz improvisations are organically combined with a keen appreciation of the folk roots of her native Crimean Tatar music. The tone of the trio’s performance is warm and confidential; whatever Maestro Izmailov performs, be it a solo folk number, an arrangement of a Ukrainian song, or a well-known American jazz hit, his intonation is easily identifiable, because Izmailov’s style is rooted in Crimean Tatar melodies and rhythms. His music is carefully calculated, using the latest developments in modern musical technologies, trendy techniques, but it also reflects his particular style. Izmailov has a lot of concert experience. He communicates well with the audience, quickly winning its confidence and delight, always keeping it under his creative control. It’s no small feat to put on a performance after this master.
Before the Austrian trio came on stage, a small mainstream piece was performed by Serhiy Davydov, a pianist from Kharkiv. He played simply and very professionally. The audience was curious about the foreign guests, among them Graz Music University Professor Karlheinz Miklin (soprano and alto sax, flute), who is also president of the International Association of Schools of Jazz (IASJ) and the winner of several annual Best Austrian Musician titles; Ewald Oberleutnant (double bass), and Karlheinz Miklin, Jr. (drums). This group has made its name in Europe, appearing in jazz festivals in Italy, Slovakia, Spain, UK, Turkey, Cuba, and Brazil. The Austrian musicians played in Maryinsky Park with their heads, not their hearts. Serhiy Davydov returned on stage after their mainstream program and was joined by Aleksandr Rukomoynikov (tenor sax). A quintet formed and put on a jam session with four standards.
The next day the open-air stage hosted only musicians affiliated with the Gli П re Music College, along with potential pros: several students from Art School No. 2 performed a John Coltrane tune and two pieces written by the group’s leader M. Dmytruk, a promising alto saxophonist. Among the other performers were B. Humeniuk (tenor sax); A. Rozumny (piano); R. Morhiyev (bass guitar), and S. Yandiuk (drums). They proved to be a good team and capable soloists, attracting the attention of not only jazz buffs (some people left when a light rain started), but also our young people, who stayed to watch the Austrian musicians’ performance, all of whom also teach jazz at the Music University of Graz and music schools in other countries.
Viktor Basiuk’s Little Band Academia of the Children’s Art Academy in Kyiv’s Obolon district, a regular participant in the Symonenko festivals, put on a typically great performance. The young musicians’ mastery and professionalism is increasing with every year.
Volodymyr Solianyk’s trio, composed of the pianist, Andrey Arnautov on double bass and Aleksey Fantayev on drums, was expressive, well orchestrated, professional, and showed good techniques. The festival ended with Gli П re’s big band conducted by Oleksandr Shapoval. They say that the image of an orchestra is defined by its conductor. Shapoval is an experienced musician whose style is marked by elegance and quiet confidence.
