NEW YORK, NY, January 31, 2023—Fast-rising Ukrainian concert pianist and 2022 Honens Prize Laureate, Illia Ovcharenko performs at Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall on February 26 at 7:30 pm. Lauded as “technically flawless and impeccably musical” (International Piano), Ovcharenko performs a deeply personal program featuring works by Ukrainian composers Valentin Silvestrov and Levko Revutsky, alongside classics including two Scarlatti Keyboard Sonatas, Liszt’s legendary Piano Sonata in B minor, and Chopin’s triumphant “Heroic” Polonaise.
Ovcharenko embodies Honens’ ideal of a “Complete Artist” with his technical mastery, perseverance against adversity, and an understanding of musical text that is intellectual and emotional. Ovcharenko developed this special Carnegie Hall program of “Contrasts and Connections” with three parts in mind: current times, memories and reflections, and hope for the future. Ovcharenko comments, “Especially at this moment, it is important to me that I represent my culture and tell my story through the music and places that shaped who I am. I will open with a portrait of this past year: a prayer, followed by a monumental struggle, ending quietly in uncertainty, colored by ashes left behind. The second half of the concert features works by Levko Revutsky and Valentin Silvestrov, born respectively in Chernihiv and Kyiv, the two cities I consider hometowns. My musical and cultural heritage was formed in these cities, a line of influence paralleled by their own personal connection to each other, as Revutsky was one of Silvestrov’s teachers.” The recital concludes on a note of optimism with Chopin’s “Heroic” Polonaise composed during the times of European Revolutions and later perceived as an inspiration for the people who fought for their rights.
The Honens International Piano Competition takes place every three years in Calgary, Canada, and is considered one of the world’s most prestigious events of its kind. With an initial $5 million bequest from music-lover Esther Honens in 1991, the Competition started with the mission to provide a platform for exceptional pianists and to discover the next “Complete Artist.” By this definition, competitors undergo solo, chamber, concerto, and interview rounds. The Honens Prize Laureate is awarded $100,000 (CAD) and Honens’ Artist Development Program, which provides artistic and career guidance and support, including debut recitals in some of the world’s leading concert houses, concert opportunities with leading orchestras, professional management, residencies, and recordings. In addition to the competition, Honens holds an annual festival, which is one of Canada’s premier classical music events.
As part of the 2022 Laureate Prize, Honens presents Ovcharenko in the world’s most remarkable classical music venues in countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, and Canada including Carnegie Hall and Wigmore Hall. This recital is presented with the generous support of the Azrieli Foundation.