Violinist Solomiya Ivakhiv continues her musical journey (09/28/03)

Violinist Solomiya Ivakhiv continues her musical journey

EDITOR'S NOTE: The feature story below was written by one of our special correspondents, Olena W. Stercho, before her untimely death on September 2 at the age of 48. Ms. Stercho had written on a variety of topics for The Ukrainian Weekly: human rights, community affairs, sailing, the arts, etc. Her obituary was published in last week's issue (September 21).

by Olena W. Stercho

PHILADELPHIA - The new art film, "Together," depicts the fictional story of a fabulously talented young Chinese violinist and his migration from a small village in China to the stratospheric reaches of the world of Western classical music. Switch continents, change cultural emphases, and the story could be about violinist Solomiya Ivakhiv's journey from Lviv to Philadelphia.

Ms. Ivakhiv's journey reached a major milestone with her graduation on May 10 from Philadelphia's world-renowned Curtis Institute of Music. Her six-year course of studies at Curtis was capped this year by highest honors, including her selection as concertmaster of the institute's orchestra, under the supervision of conductor Otto-Werner Mueller. Ms. Ivakhiv was picked for this prestigious post through the school's highly competitive annual audition process.

In addition, Ms. Ivakhiv received the Charles Miller-Fritz Kreisler Award. Named after legendary violinist Fritz Kreisler, the award is periodically granted to a graduating Curtis student who has demonstrated exceptional merit and development in the course of his/her studies at the school.

Before the commencement ceremonies, Ms. Ivakhiv gave her graduation recital in Curtis' walnut-paneled Field Concert Hall. It was standing room only, packed with Curtis regulars who come on a weekly basis to hear young virtuosos perform, along with a large contingent from the Ukrainian American community.

The young violinist played as soloist in Mozart's Concerto No. 4 with the Curtis Chamber Orchestra, followed by a solo performance of Hindemith's Sonata No. 2. After the intermission in this full-length concert, Brahms Sonata No. 2 in A major for Violin and Piano, and Wieniawski's Fantasia "Faust" followed. For an encore, Ms. Ivakhiv played a melody by Ukrainian composer Myroslav Skoryk, accompanied by her friend and fellow sojourner, Christina Anum-Dorchuso.

Like Ms. Ivakhiv, Ms. Anum-Dorchuso, who hails from Odesa, was admitted to Curtis in 1997, and the two have been close friends and musical collaborators since. They first met in Ukraine in 1995, but neither was aware the other had been admitted to the Philadelphia school.

The Curtis Institute of Music was founded in 1924 by Mary Louise Curtis Bok, with the support of such luminaries as Leopold Stokowski, for the purpose of training exceptionally gifted young musicians for careers as performing artists on the highest professional level. As cellist Mstyslav Rostropovich put it, Curtis is "unique not only in the United States but also in the whole world," not only because of the caliber of musical training it offers, but because the school's endowment covers the entire tuition and some living expenses of those fortunate enough to gain admission. In addition, unlike New York's Juilliard, where thousands are taught, Curtis is a small institution with a highly selective admission process, comprising approximately 165 students and 86 faculty members.

Ms. Ivakhiv was born into a musical family in Lviv. Her music-making experiences with her pianist and choral conductor mother, Lesia, and brother, Yarema, quickly turned into formal studies at the Solomea Krushelnytska Specialized Musical School in Lviv and later at the Mykola Lysenko Lviv Academy. At the academy, Ms. Ivakhiv was the student of Yuriy Golda and Oresta Kohut Wankowych, who inspired her interest in chamber music.

Ms. Ivakhiv made her debut on the big stage as an 11-year-old violinist in Moscow's Diagilev Competition in 1991. Thereafter, she participated in numerous international competitions both in Ukraine and elsewhere. In 1993 she was awarded the First Degree Diploma at the international Kocian competition in the Czech Republic, topped by her taking second prize (while a student at Curtis) in the prestigious Prokofiev competition. Ms. Ivakhiv made her concert debut with the Lviv Philharmonic Orchestra in February 1993 and has been a frequent guest soloist with the Philharmonic since.

In 1997 Ms. Ivakhiv competed against 100 other talented young violinists from around the world to gain admission to Curtis. As a 17-year-old, she left her familiar surroundings in Lviv for the strange new world that awaited her in Philadelphia. There, in the Curtis tradition, she was taken under the tutelage of some of today's best chamber and orchestral violinists, many Curtis graduates themselves.

She was taught by Joseph Silverstein, a violin virtuoso, who was concertmaster of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, is the current musical director and conductor of the Utah Symphony and is a well-regarded chamber musician. She also studied with Rafael Durian, former concertmaster of the Cleveland Orchestra and of the New York Philharmonic. In addition, she was taught by Pamela Frank, who has performed as a soloist with some of the world's most prestigious orchestras, including the New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, Berlin Philharmonic and Vienna Symphony Orchestra. Ms. Frank has played with such noted artists as Peter Serkin and Yo-Yo Ma, and has numerous recordings on a number of labels, including London/Decca and Sony Classical. Finally, Ms. Ivakhiv studied with Ida Kavafian, a noted chamber musician and champion of contemporary music, who has collaborated with such musicians as Chick Corea.

In addition to individual studies, Ms. Ivakhiv, like all Curtis students, played regularly in the Curtis Symphony orchestra and in various chamber ensembles. As a member of the Orchestra and later as its concertmistress, Ms. Ivakhiv had the opportunity to perform on many of the world's famous stages, including at the Verbier Festival in Switzerland, at the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington (with then President Bill Clinton and First Lady Hillary Clinton present), and in a tour of 15 European cities under the baton of conductor Andre Previn with violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter as soloist.

And yes, Ms. Ivakhiv, as an orchestra member, made it to New York's Carnegie Hall in March and September of 2000. In addition, during 2000 and 2001, she was invited to participate in the prestigious music festivals at Tanglewood and Sarasota, and has played at festivals in Banff, Canada and Prussia Cove, England. Not only did these various performance opportunities provide a wealth of experience, but they gave Ms. Ivakhiv the chance to have fun and form close bonds with fellow students.

While pursuing her studies at Curtis, Ms. Ivakhiv stayed close to her Ukrainian roots, and forged bonds in the Ukrainian musical world as well. She performed for the Cultural Fund of The Washington Group in 2000 and in August of 2002 she performed in a series of concerts at the Grazhda in Jewett, N.Y. She also appeared at community functions in New York and Philadelphia and played at Soyuzivka. Ms. Ivakhiv placed and continues to place special importance on collaboration with other Ukrainian musicians.

Ms. Ivakhiv's journey through the high echelons of classical music has not just been full of joys, but many challenges. There were the finger-numbing hours upon hours of practice. And then there was the stiff competition from fellow students and performers at various musical venues. Finally, there was the separation from family and friends in Ukraine and the adjustments that had to be made to a new country and culture.

Ms. Ivakhiv's immediate plans include recitals in the Netherlands, France and England. And so, her journey will continue.

(Valuable background information for this article was provided by Orest Tsurkovskyi of Lviv.)

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