The festival will open in Moscow, on June 14, and will end in Kyiv, on June 26. It commemorates the 65th anniversary of the prominent Ukrainian composer, Ivan Karabyts (1945-2002) — the title is taken from Karabyts’ vocal-symphony poem to Ivan Franko’s lyrics. It is a Latin phrase that has several meanings or translations, among them “Reminder of life,” “Remember you live,” and “Remember that you have to live.” The organizers — the national academic music portal www.music-review.com.ua, Russian Science and Culture Center in Kyiv, www.forumklassika.ru, Gliere Institute of Music in Kyiv, and the National Music Academy — promise a panoramic view of this art and performing schools in both countries.
Among the participants in this large-scale creative project are the Lysenko Quartet, 20th-Century Music Ensemble (Moscow), noted pianists Yurii Kot and Artem Liakhovich, cellist Oleksandr Piriiev (Kyiv), and other leading musicians from both countries, winners of international competitions. They will perform Ukrainian and Russian classical and contemporary compositions by Sergei Rachmaninoff, Borys Liatoshynsky, Sergei Prokofiev, Pyotr Tchaikovsky, and Ivan Karabyts. There will be Russian and world music premieres. Ukrainian musicians will perform Karabyts’ 24 piano preludes in Moscow for the first time. There will be a world premiere of the composer’s unpublished works played by the Russian pianist, Nikolai Kozhin. Contemporary Ukrainian music will be represented in Moscow by Yevhen Stankovych, Valentyn Sylvestrov, Hennadii Liashenko, Karmela Tsepkolenko, Ihor Shcherbakov, and other composers. Concerts in Kyiv will introduce Moscow composers of the new generation, including rarely performed works by the Russian avant-garde pioneers Artur Lurie, Nikolai Roslavets, Ivan Vyshnegradsky, Aleksandr Mosolov (with a running commentary by Moscow Conservatory lecturer and composer Fyodor Sofronov).
Dr. Mariana Kopytsia-Karabyts, the composer’s widow and professor with the National Music Academy of Ukraine, will read the lecture “Ivan Karabyts: Personality, Creativity, Epoch” at the Ukrainian National Cultural Center in Moscow. The lecture will be illustrated with unique photos, audio and video footage.
“Ivan Karabyts was friends and closely collaborated with a number of Russian composers,” Mariana Kopytsia-Karabyts told The Day, “he appreciated their creativity and helped popularize their music in Ukraine. He had a trait seldom found in a composer: he could understand, grow fond of, and promote music written by colleagues. He was the founder of the world-known Kyiv Music Fest, International Competition for Young Pianists in Memory of Vladimir Horowitz. He restored Kyiv Summer Music Soirees. I am happy to see the younger generation of musicians of Ukraine follow in Karabyts’ tradition of combining personal creativity with active promotion of Ukrainian music, which needs this now as never before. I can see the genuine enthusiasm with which musicians prepare for their appearances on stage. For example, Tamara Khodakova will premiere Ivan Karabyts’ vocal cycle Mother to Borys Oliinyk’s lyrics in Moscow. I wish this festival will show a high standard and serve as an example for other such events commemorating Ukrainian composers, calling on one and all to support this initiative.”
Concerts in Moscow will be held on June 14-19. In Kyiv, Vivere Memento will last from June 20 until June 26, in the concert hall of the Art Development Relief Foundation (1/6 Frolivska St.)
