In search of a Piano

It is not everyday that I have the possibility to talk with a world class pianist but that happened last week. Her name is Ethella Chupryk, a winner of many different piano competitions, including The Lysenko Competition in L'viv, The Rachmaninov Competition in Moscow, and she was in Kyiv to both check out studio's and the pianos available for recording some classical music.

Like every musician she has her preferences about what type of piano she would like to play on. While I don't know a great deal about pianos, with the exception that I can name about half a dozen brand names; firms like Baldwin, Bechstein, Boston, Estonia, Kimball, Steinway and Yamaha, Ethella Chupryk's choice of all of these is Steinway, and this she made clear as a guest on Rostyslav Styn's Skhidna Liha radio program this past Friday on Radio Continent.

However, there is not a single Steinway in a studio in Kyiv, the main locations are the Philharmonic and the Opera and in fact there aren't very many Steinway's in the entire country. Probably less than a dozen, a fairly reliable source has told me.

So with all the oligarchs in this country who purportedly support the arts, why don't even the different conservatories in Ukraine have Steinway's? They can all drive around in super expensive cars, but really when it comes down to it, its all show and no action.

If the listener's of contemporary music have no idea of what is going on in the music world, then it seems that those who are interested in classical don't seem to care at all about the development in Ukraine's talent.

I recall reading in the latest issue of a Ukainian trade magazine Pro Sound & Light that no one here is interested in investing in the recording of classical music in Ukraine because National Radio of Ukraine has such an archive of classical music there is no need be recording any more classical music. What an absurd statement! I've tried finding the magazine online but the site doesn't seem to be loading as I am writing this. Hopefully, I will be able to include a more complete citation to this comment in the near future.

In any case with such attitudes of professionals in this country, it is no surprise why the industry as where it is.

Music, life, discussion and FUN

That is what listeners of Kyiv's Radio Continent 94.2 FM are in for every Friday during their drive home, wrapping up things at work or simply just listening to a station that was once a bastion of free news prior to being shut down on March 3, 2004 when it was broadcast on the 100.9 frequency.

Prior to Ukraine's Independence Day celebration in 2006 I received an e-mail from an old friend Serhiy Sholokh who said his radio station was to start broadcasting again on Independence Day. He was right... They came out but under a completely different format.

Early this spring I finally saw Serhiy once again at a press conference at UNIAN, after a journalist friend had told me that Serhiy was looking for me. A lot of time had passed since he fled Ukraine back in February of 2004. We discussed what he was doing with his station, and I started to tell him some of my plans for my business. As a result, this Friday July 6, after many months of planning and discussions our very own show called Skhidna liha will be airing at 17:15 [Kyiv time] on Radio Continent as well as via their multimedia server. The show will be rebroadcast on Saturday mornings at 11:15 for those who missed the original broadcast. If the musical intro doesn't wake listener's up, I am not sure what will.

I think anyone in Kyiv who manages to listen to the show will clearly understand that our approach is nothing like the approach to radio that many of the FM stations in Kyiv have. Hosted by my business partner Rostyslav Shtyn, and his side kick William Patrickovych, I am sure that anyone who listens, and likes good music will enjoy this program. If you do listen, and enjoy it, let your friends know.

Just like the title of this entry suggests, the program is all about Music, Life, Discussion and FUN. Tune in!