Valentyn Silvestrov (born 1937) is one of Ukraine's most renowned and esteemed composers. His immediate and nostalgia-infused music has touched the hearts of many listeners across borders. Silvestrov began seriously engaging with music only at the age of 15, studying for years through private lessons. He later studied piano at the Kyiv Music School (1955–1958), followed by the Kyiv Conservatory (1958–1964), where he was mentored in composition by Borys Lyatoshynsky.

​

In the 1960s, Silvestrov became a member of the creative group Kyiv Avant-Garde, whose mindset and active engagement helped open a new chapter in Ukrainian music history, focusing on fresher stylistic trends and composition techniques (dodecaphony, aleatoric music, and sonorism, among others). Silvestrov's interest in innovations waned from the 1970s onwards, evolving into a musical thinking that approached postmodernism and became increasingly simplified. The composer himself describes his style as “metamusic”, an essential and significant part of which involves a return to the musical styles of previous eras.

​

Silvestrov's extensive body of work includes nine symphonies, works for piano and orchestra, chamber orchestra, three string quartets, a piano quintet, piano sonatas, chamber music, and vocal music. However, his 5th Symphony (1982), for which he received the Ukrainian State Prize, is often considered his most notable work. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Silvestrov also began composing sacred works, deeply influenced by the sound world of Orthodox liturgical music.

​

Today's program focuses on Silvestrov's chamber works created in this century. The piece Pastorales (2020), consisting of nine interconnected pieces, hints at the idea of a terrestrial paradise that needs to be restored and is dedicated to Beethoven and his 6th Symphony. With Hommage à J.S.B. (2009), Silvestrov pays tribute to Johann Sebastian Bach, reinterpreting seemingly familiar elements and sensitively listening to melodic fragments and harmonies.

​

The extensive musical reflection Melodies of Moments consists of 22 pieces in seven cycles for violin and piano. The third cycle is dedicated to the memory of Helle Mustonen and comprises three tender lullaby-like parts. The sixth cycle, 25.10.1893 ... in memoriam P.I.Tch., reflects on Tchaikovsky's melodic talent and the mystery of the birth of melody. Silvestrov has been deeply intrigued by the significance of musical codas, the strong impact of a coda or epilogue. This reflection is explored in the cycle Three Postludes, the third part of which is an elegiac contemplative miniature for cello and piano. The newest piece in the program, Pastorales (2023), lasting nearly 20 minutes, features extreme simplicity in sharp contrast to the increasingly complex nature of surrounding reality.

Silvestrov worked as a freelance composer in Kyiv until the spring of 2022, when he emigrated to Germany to escape the Russian invasion.

Myroslava Kotorovych is a distinguished violinist and educator whose active engagement as both a soloist and chamber musician stands out in Ukraine and internationally. Born in Kyiv to a family of renowned musicians — violinist Bohodar Kotorovych and harpist Natalia Kmet — she was inspired by their strong example to study at the Mykola Lysenko Kyiv Special Music School and later at the National Music Academy of Ukraine.

Kotorovych's professional journey took a significant leap through her collaboration with the chamber orchestra Kremerata Baltica, led by the legendary conductor and violinist Gidon Kremer. She often refers to this period as her “practical European conservatory,” emphasizing the invaluable experiences gained on numerous European stages. In parallel with Kremerata Baltica, Myroslava Kotorovych also dedicated twelve years to the Ukrainian national ensemble Kyiv Soloists. Wishing to share her rich performance experience and support young talented musicians in their studies, Kotorovych founded the creative workshop-chamber ensemble ARTEHATTA in 2013.

Kotorovych has further honed her skills in masterclasses with renowned interpreters Marina Yashvili, Ruggiero Ricci, and Thomas Zehetmair. A notable competition achievement was winning the Grand Prix at the International Competition “Autumn Golden” (Khmelnytskyi, 1993). In recognition of her significant musical contributions, Myroslava Kotorovych was awarded the title of Honored Artist of Ukraine (2019).

Since 2001, she has been teaching in the violin department at the Ukrainian National Tchaikovsky Academy of Music and is also highly valued as a jury member for both international and national competitions.

Alexey Botvinov is a versatile pianist, musical innovator, and organiser. Known as one of Ukraine's most distinguished pianists, Botvinov is also a celebrated interpreter of Rachmaninoff's piano music. Additionally, he holds the unofficial record for performing Johann Sebastian Bach's “Goldberg Variations”, a cornerstone of piano repertoire over 300 times. Botvinov is the founder and artistic director of “Odessa Classics”, one of Eastern Europe's leading music festivals.

Alexey Botvinov was born into a family of musicians in Odessa. He studied piano at the Odessa Conservatory and later at the Moscow Conservatory under the guidance of Professor Gornostayeva. Botvinov has won numerous awards at various competitions, including the Rachmaninoff Competition in Moscow (1983), the Bach Competition in Leipzig (1988), and the Clara Schumann Competition in Düsseldorf (1994). His solo concerts at major events such as the Chopin Festival in Poland and the Zurich Festival in Switzerland have garnered significant audience acclaim and praise from the international press. From 2009 to 2010, Botvinov served as the artistic director of the Odessa National Opera Theatre, during which time two exceptional productions were staged: Puccini's Turandot, directed by Christian von Goetz, and the ballet Nureyev Forever, with Botvinov performing the piano solo.

Alexey Botvinov continuously explores new ways to introduce classical music to audiences. He has presented several innovative concert projects that expand the traditional piano recital format with elements of drama or multimedia. In collaboration with percussionist Burhan Ocal, he created the unique program Piano and Drums, where masterpieces of piano music are interwoven with oriental rhythms. Projects like Piano Light Show and 4 Elements combine music and visual effects into an exciting multimedia mystery.

In 2021, Alexey Botvinov and violinist Daniel Hope recorded an album of Alfred Schnittke's violin and piano music for Deutsche Grammophon. Following the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, they released a recording as part of the charity project Music for Ukraine. This album brought Ukrainian classical music to the top of classical music charts in many countries for the first time. In September 2022, Botvinov and Hope released a new recording featuring the music of Valentyn Silvestrov.