Future Classic Women Awards – Lola Marchenko, Oboe Student From Ukraine 200622

Hello and welcome to Future Classic Women Awards with me, Stefania Passamonte, on Women's Radio Station, the program where we search for the most amazing new female artists on the classical panorama. Today on Future Classic Women Awards, we'll be talking to happy mom, Ukrainian student Lola Marchenko. Good morning, Lola. Good morning, Stefania. I mean, is that— do you prefer, I think, me to call you Lola and not Lolita, am I right? Yes, okay, it's short name. Yeah. We can say both. I think they're both beautiful names. So, and Lola, where are you from exactly? Exactly, I'm from Ukraine, from Kropyvnytskyi city. It's the center of Ukraine. Wonderful. And you just arrived to UK through the wonderful scheme of the Home for Ukraine, and you transferred from your Ukrainian university to the London Performing Academy of Music. Um, where were you? I've been studied in Lviv National Music Academy. And so how, how was it, if I can ask you, you know, to, to be thrown out of your normal life by, by this war? Um, it, it's hard to talk about it, but it was a long road for me from Lviv to London, especially. And because since the beginning of the war, I have been volunteering, helping at the railway station in Lviv. And I see all this awful things. And we settled refugees in our students' hostel in Lviv. And of course I didn't study and could not concentrate and focus on my studies and on my oboe lessons. My parents are in another city, it's Kropyvnytskyi, so I was in Lviv, my parents in Kropyvnytskyi, and my grandfather is fighting in the Ukrainian army. Wow. And I don't know where is he just now. Yes. And they all wanted with all their heart that I was safe and I could sleep well and that I had plans for the future. Because when we were in Ukraine, uh, we didn't think that we can think about plans for the future because you don't know what will happen tomorrow. And I even left to the sound of an air sirens and cried a lot. And I text you, Stefania. You remember it, I think. Yes. And on the border with Poland, I burst into tears again when I saw their volunteers, and it reminded me of my work at the railway station. I helped other people as well, and now they helping me. And this world is full of good people. And I was very lucky to get a response from you and LP Mom to my letter one time. Yeah, well, you know, if we could, we would be there, you know, helping everyone physically. Unfortunately, we cannot be there. There are very brave people that they traveled all the way from the UK to go to Ukraine to volunteer and help as well. And I think everyone Everyone in the world is very near the Ukrainian people because no one should be ever threatened to their freedom and to have a life. So, you know, what we're doing is really the minimum that we can do in our possibilities, you know, with the opportunities that we have. And we are very glad that you managed to arrive here safe. And you are in a wonderful home with someone that is taking care of you, and she's a very, very wonderful lady. So, and it's thanks to so many other UK sponsors that they have been understanding. It's just I keep talking about many things to your government, to your country, and to you, Stefania, to my host, to all things that will be in my life in the future. But you know, I was very touched when we met for the first time and we were talking about the future exams and recordings, and we're gonna make an album, and you were like, you know, up until yesterday I didn't know if I would have a tomorrow, and now suddenly we're talking about years ahead, isn't it? But, you know, the first things that we want to do, we want to listen to you actually performing. So we're going to play the Sibelius, this one of Tuonela that is on a poem, is a tone poem by John Sibelius. So it's you playing the oboe. Do you know when you made this recording? It's recording, it's English Horn, and I'm playing with our Kropivnitsky Orchestra of Musical College. Fantastic. Let's listen then to Laura Marchenko playing Sibelius' Swan of Tuonela. Wonderful. And this was the Swan of Tuonela, a poem by Finnish composer Jean Sibelius, performed by Lola Marchenko. Lola, beautiful piece. How was to perform with your hometown orchestra? Thank you. It was incredible experience. It's because you're staying before the orchestra and all people are seeing and looking at you. It's a little bit scared, but it's wonderful when you finished your playing. And feel this energy, feel this applause, and it's cool. Yeah, it is indeed fantastic. Well, you know, I just had a concert in Modena at the Pavarotti Theatre. That is the place where I was born and grew up, and I was performing with some old friends from the conservatoire from when we were studying, and they really felt you know, the feeling of going— of being back home. And, um, I, I thought of you actually, thinking, you know, when you will be able to go back home and perform again, um, it will be even more special. Um, but in this case, this was, um, way before the war. Um, it's still a big feeling, isn't it, coming from Lviv and then going back home and performing with— were your friends in the orchestra? Uh, in Lviv? No, in, um, in Kropyvnytskyi. Yes, yes, yes, the center. Yeah, so it becomes a sort of a family, isn't it, growing up and studying music together? Something that, um, you have the passion in common. Do you, do you have this feeling with your, uh, classmates? Yes, I have. And yes, I would love to come back in Ukraine and see all my friends, but But a lot of my friends left, and we are just waiting to end of the war to play our music in our musical college, like in Kropyvnytskyi and in conservatory in Lviv. And we're just waiting. It's all that we are supposed to do. Absolutely. Now I want to ask you, I mean, how did you know— when did you know that you would like to become a professional oboe player? Oh, it's a long story, but listen. That's what we're here for. So I have been playing the oboe since I was 11 years old. Before that, like all children in musical schools, I played on a recorder. Yes. And I choose the oboe because of my wonderful first teacher, Ketyana Bilenko, and I love her so much. And the oboe is one of the most difficult wind instruments. Yes, you know, I think. And it takes a lot of patience and strength to play it. And I graduated from Kropyvnytskyi Musical College in oboe, and then I entered the Lviv National Academy of Music. And in Lviv, I have already started playing in different orchestras, going on concert tours. I was in Spain with Chernihiv Symphony Orchestra, and I playing with our orchestras in Lviv Academy, Lviv Music Academy. It's symphony and wind orchestra, different types. And the war a little changed my plans. So now I'm here with a great professor, Tom Bloomfield, and I'm sure I can learn even more here. And so thank you again, Stefania, for this opportunity. Yeah, you're very welcome. Um, it was quite funny that you were impressed about the fact that Tom is so young. First of all, I have to say that everyone that lives here in London, I think it's the UK weather or whatever, we all look younger than what we are. At the same time, Tom Blomfield is an amazing um, oboist. He is the first oboist of the Philharmonic Orchestra, and, um, and also is a professor at the Royal Academy at the same time. And, uh, yeah. And, um, so, um, how was your first lesson with him? Uh, my first lesson was really wonderful. He's a really good teacher, and I'm not looking for his age. He knows much more about oboe-specific playing and about orchestras solos. Yeah, and it's really wonderful. And also, we are very pleased to announce, you know, that we have the partnership of the London Performing Academy of Music with the amazing Holy Sepulchre, is the National Musician Church. So that's where we're gonna have regular concerts with our students in support of the scholarship for the Ukrainian refugees. And so you're all very welcome to come and join us on Thursday evenings at 5 to hear our students performing, and that includes Lola Marchenko. Lola, another question. I mean, the oboe, you know, it's such a special instrument. As you said, it's the most difficult instrument. I remember when I was little, there was always this picking and joking between the flutist and the oboe, because they both get amazing solos in the orchestra. But the flute would be— so the oboist would tease the flutist, saying, "Chip, chip, chip, chip, chip," to be the bird of the orchestra. And the flutist would be teasing the oboist, being the duck. Right? Yes, yes. It's classic. Yeah. It's still there. I think, I mean, we have Peter and the Wolf. Yeah, this joke is always in the orchestra. Yeah. Yeah. The children will know by watching Peter and the Wolf, and there is this amazing— That. Yeah, by Disney. And of course, the music is by Prokofiev. But I think that goes from the very beginning of the invention of this instrument. So how did you choose the oboe and not going, for example, to the flute? Because the recorder, if you want, is the grandfather of the modern concert flute. Yeah, it's all because of my first teacher, because he— or is she— she studied— yes, it's she, Tatiana. Yes, and she is studying recorder and then an oboe class. Yeah. But I have another variants to play on flute, on a clarinet, or something, sax maybe. But Tatiana Blenker is just open with me a whole world of oboe pieces, concertos. Yes, and she just talking with me all the time about how wonderful sound oboe has. And I said, yes, yes. I was 11 and I Yes, it's wonderful. So I want to play the oboe. Well, talking of which, then let's listen to the beautiful Oboe Concerto, the first movement, by Richard Strauss, performed by Lola Marchenko. And this was Strauss' Oboe Concerto performed by Lola Marchenko. Do you know, Lola, that this concerto has the inscription— it's called Oboe Concerto 1945, suggested by an American soldier. Did you know about this? Maybe I know about this. Well, I'm gonna tell the audience because it's very interesting. So, um, Richard Strauss was in Germany when the war finished and the American soldiers arrived, and they were taking villas to make them for, uh, you know, headquarters. And Richard Strauss opposed to taking his villa And he was like in his 80s, um, and the, the, the general who was there recognized him as the great composer, and he put enough limit on his villa so no one would take away his property. But then, um, people started, you know, to go and visit the soldiers, the American soldiers. In particular, it was a 24-year-old intelligence officer, John Delancey, who was, uh, in his civilian life, he was the Prince principal oboist of the Pittsburgh Orchestra. And so he started having conversation with Richard Strauss and asked him, well, you know, you're so good at writing for oboe, have you ever considered writing a concerto? And, uh, and so Richard Strauss composed the concerto dedicated to him. So if it wasn't for the war, uh, and for an American soldier, we wouldn't have this amazing, uh, oboe concerto. So what a wonderful story. And to be honest, I have never heard of this. Forgive me, Richard Strauss. Now you know. And when you perform these, I mean, what is amazing is that we're still talking about war in 2022. Um, and again, with all the horror that comes from it, um, we also need to look at the beautiful things that comes out of it. So for example, the people, you know, giving all they have to help, and this beautiful music coming out from, uh, from that time, from that time, and you being able to perform it and being with us today in the UK, starting a new life and, uh, and having a very bright future in front of you. Yes, music is eternal, you know. Yeah, absolutely. Music and a heart and everything, you know, if But if we were just thinking about playing music, there wouldn't be any of these, of these, I'm pretty sure. So tell me a little bit, do you have anyone else in the family that plays an instrument? Oh no, no, only me. So how did they take the fact that you chose to have a career in music instead of another job, for example? It's because when I was I was 5 years old, um, I, I'm into dances and to music. And then my mom said that please choose only one, yeah, one thing that you must do. And I said that in a dance class I liked the teacher, like she's playing piano for us. And my mom said okay. Okay, so going to musical school, and, and then, um, I just thinking about, um, my musical career, um, I, I didn't, I didn't know because of what. Yeah, I, I think that I finished my, uh, school and then I'm going to university, uh, to be a lawyer. All right. Yes, like this. And then I have a lot of conversation with my teachers, with my friends that told me for my oboe career. And yeah, like, she's— you're playing the oboe, what? I go to the music career. And so, uh, so I'm here. Yes. And, um, I think it's cooler than being a simple lawyer or simple teacher. You've been an orchestra player, an oboe player. And it's cool. Well, you know, I think every job has their own purpose. And, uh, and, uh, for example, as you know, I have a degree in law as well. And, uh, um, but I always wanted to be a musician like you. And, but then I found out that, um, my degree in law became very useful when I founded my music, uh, my Classica record label, now this music conservatoire. And even, you know, preparing the letters and helping everyone applying for the UK visa to come over. So you never know, isn't it? There is something that we say in Italian, it says impara l'arte e mettila da parte. That translates, learn an art and keep it on a side. Now, of course, there is no rhyme saying it in English, but I don't know if you have anything similar in Ukraine. Ukrainian. But you never know, you know. And there is a reason, I believe, when you get to do so many other things that you might think that are completely unrelated, and then there will be a time when the, the relation will come out and you will find it useful. And I, I believe law, it's a fantastic thing to know. I think everyone should know, and that's why I put it as a compulsory course in our conservatoire. It's going to be music law, of course, sorry, related to the job of being a musician. Uh, but you know, it's very important when you know your rights and when you are able to defend yourself, or at least to know if someone is defending you in the right way. So you're still studying law, aren't you? Yes, and I'm currently studying to be a lawyer too. I know, it's fantastic. Yeah, how, how many years it is to, to do law in Ukraine? 4 years, yeah. Bachelor, yes. So when I did my research, my master research, that was on the right of the musicians in the theater. So of course everything connected to the classical world, so included the record label, the recordings, live. Now there is so much more that has been written, but when I did it more than 20 years ago. Yes, very useful knowledge. Yeah, yeah, it was before we had Spotify and YouTube, all these. Yeah, so I think you're young. Sorry, it's just a joke. Yeah, indeed. I mean, technology goes, you know, forward too quickly, and then suddenly you find yourself, you know, talking about things you Actually, I can tell you something that's going to shock you. Um, I was 14, uh, when there were the first mobile phones, and I had the— a mobile phone that was closing itself. It was the Motorola StarTAC. Everyone was very proud of having the super technological— we didn't have pictures to be taken with the mobile phone yet. Oh, crazy. Crazy world. Crazy, crazy world. Yeah, well, you know, wait another 10 years, we might be all on Mars, you know. So what do you— but we're still doing the radio, and the station is a fantastic radio where we can talk about music and well-being and mental, uh, well-being of women and careers of women. So I'm gonna ask you another question, um, about, you know, being a woman musician, um, did you ever feel any difference between you and a male oboe student, for example? Have you ever been treated differently? Um, yes, because you're always in the men's team, uh, like this. And so when you're a woodwind player or just a wind player It's always the men in the orchestras, and I don't have any colleagues, women in the oboe playing. Oh, really? Yeah, it's strange, but I think maybe it's in Ukraine. But you had a woman teacher, though? Yes, but she is not playing any, uh, yes, she's, uh, yes, she's older and she has, um, her career in the '80s or '90s of the 20th century. Yeah, but it was a good role model, that's what I mean, you know, having a female professor instead of having a male professor. Sure, I agree with you. Yeah. Yeah, I mean, you know, there is a lot of talk about the, the pros and cons of being a woman, of having a career, for example, touring. Now you're too young. How old are you? 20. 20, yeah. Yeah. So you're very young, and I'm sure things will change, you know, are changing already. There is a lot that's been done to have more equal conditions in the orchestra, in, uh, in, in life, in any work career. Um, now I'm gonna ask you then, what was your most exciting, uh, performance, place to perform, or piece to perform? Oh, it's difficult question. I think that about place, it was in Madrid, Spain. Yeah, yeah. Yes, it was music from film Schindler's List. Maybe you hear about it. Yes, yes. And it have just a big solo of English horn with first violin. And there we have all people, a lot of people in our concert hall, and I just play in this piece. Me and first violin and silence, silence. And then I played very, very specific and very excellent, I know. Yeah. And then I stand up and all concert hall is— was for me. Yeah. Yeah. Wow. Wow, that's amazing. I love playing in orchestras. I'm talking about— I'm not a soloist, I want to play in orchestra. Well, there is— so, well, you never know. First of all, you're still young, so you might grow up and discover that is also beautiful being a soloist. For example, I remember my first chamber music experience was with The Winds, and I was playing Poulenc, the trio that is so beautiful. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And Poulenc is my favorite composer, so I think he's a genius of the— it's a French composer from the 20th century, and is not— I don't know why it's not as famous as Ravel or Debussy, because I think his music is as beautiful. And so much has been taken as well from John Williams or, you know, other composers for movies. Sometimes I hear, you know, his harmonies, his typical harmonies in John Williams' music. Um, but yeah, Schindler's List is one of the most touching music ever written. I don't know what is with that piece. I've been playing a few times with the violin, piano and violin, the theme, the main theme. And there is no time where I don't have a tear coming down. I mean, there is something to it. The same, same story. It just tracks you. And, um, uh, it's, well, you know, and let's say, what was, what is the most, uh, embarrassing moment that you can think of that happened going on stage, for example? Do you have any? We have people forgetting their shoes, so going on stage on their feet or chipping on the stairs. I'm just thinking about that I give people my music, my interpretation of music, and that's all. All my head is empty. Yes, when I'm going to the stage and I'm thinking about my feelings. Only my things, that I have opportunity to give people something great, something lovely and amazing, like my music, my interpretation of classical music. Yeah. Ah, lovely, lovely. So you're lucky, so nothing ever happened to you? Maybe. And not sharing. I'm not sure yet. Okay, well, while you're thinking about it, let's Let's listen to the last track of today. This is a Ukrainian piece called Capriccio by Shukailo. Am I right? Yes, you're right. Can you tell us anything about this piece? Uh, yep, it's piece, uh, built on Ukrainian themes, uh, like here you can listen it. And Shukailo is a great Ukrainian composer. It's woman also. Yeah, I didn't know that. Yes, Larissa Shukailo. Yep. And she write a lot of pieces for oboe and for piano. And just listen it. Yeah. All right, let's hear then Capriccio by Larissa Shukailo performed by Lola Marchenko. Wonderful! This was Capriccio by Larissa Shukailo, performed— Sorry, I want to add a little more about Capriccio. Please? Of course, that's— yes, you could hear a national Ukrainian taste in this music, like, um, and I immediately see our Ukrainian mountains, the Carpathians, before my eyes. Maybe you hear about it. And so it's magical and so much dear music for me. Thank you. It's absolutely beautiful. That was really really, really special. Well, I wanted to ask you actually, if you had to advise someone who never heard the oboe, what would you say it would be the nicest piece to listen to? Oh, I think that my favorite solo is Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. Yep. And Dvořák Ninth Symphony, the second part, it's all of English horn. You hear about it? Uh, yes. And maybe Scheherazade by Rimsky-Korsakov. Hmm, that's one of my favorite. Yeah, all time. Yeah, beautiful. And what would you say is the most virtuoso piece for oboe, the one that you, uh, you know, are planning to play one day, you know, when you would be amazingly good and everything? What's your ultimate goal? Oh, I think it's Mozart's Oboe Concerto because it's the most popular concerto for oboe and the most most in demand in lots of orchestra. Okay, now do you listen to any other style of music, or you just like to listen to classical music? Yes, I like lo-fi music. And lo-fi, what is lo-fi? Sorry if I ask you. It's like electronic relaxed music. I don't know. Yeah, like this. Yep, and some kind of soul or hip-hop, yes, and a lot of rock music, like old rock music. It's not a bam bam bam, it's Pink Floyd, yes, and Radiohead, like this. So, okay, I think all musicians are normal people that listen another music. Well, not necessarily. I do remember a few friends that they would be just— I would call them, you know, the super orthodox of the classical music, as there are many others like you and me that instead appreciate any good music. I mean, when music is good, it doesn't matter which style or which instrument. It's just when it's giving you emotion, isn't it? And making you feel something. That's when it is good music. And that could be any music. Yes, and I would recommend listening to some Ukrainian symphonic music. Yeah, yeah. In particular, it's the Second Heroic Symphony by Yevgeny Stankovich. It's so much beautiful. Yes, and the Third Symphony by Boris Lyatoshinsky. Is also good. And, uh, the quiet music for the string orchestra by Valentin Silvestrov. And about piano music, I think that my favorite is, uh, Kitsch Music, also by Valentin Silvestrov. Ah, beautiful. So it's a short list of my recommendations for you. Yeah. Ah, next time we're gonna listen to these then, that's for sure. Okay, I'll, I'll check it. And, um, I mean, we've been listening to some Skoryk music. First time I came to Ukraine, I came for the Horowitz competition. I performed at the Lisenko Column Theatre, and Compulsory was in one of the rounds. It was a Skoryk piece, and so I got to know Skoryk from there. And then we, we listened to him, you know, when he was performed by the Kyiv Orchestra. Wow. At the beginning. Yeah, I think he's another great composer. I mean, and what about being in the UK? Now you arrived in London. What have you done that is very special and that you were maybe dreaming to do when we told you that you could come to live in the UK? Oh, difficult question because I love Ukraine so much. But in UK, I feel safe. English is the most important. And I have friends here, they lived here about 2 years or something. He's not musician. So yes, UK is a wonderful country with wonderful people. I don't know everyone. If I'm asking for help, everyone can answer me. And this That's lovely. Yes, the first thing, uh, that I'll be scared about your underground. It was horrible. Is it too complicated? I, I, you know, I was bringing other students from Ukraine and they were impressed how many lines we have in London, while in Kiev you only have— or in Kharkiv. Yes, yes, yesterday I, um, read about your underground history. Yes, and it's 400 kilometers, uh, like long. Yeah. Yes. And now we made it bigger with the Elizabeth Line. Elizabeth Line. Yeah, yeah. Where you— I mean, it's quite a great timing to be here for the, um, Queen Jubilee, and it was such an incredible occasion for the whole country to celebrate. Did you see celebration in your street? Oh, unfortunately, I'm— I was going to my tour concert to Leipzig with your Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine. Ah, right, it's Sunday. Yes, and I was only on Thursday, Friday, and a bit of Saturday, and it, it was enough, really. It is enough to know more about your culture, about your queen, and it's monarchy. It's an amazing thing. That exists now. It is very special. So, um, have you been to see any attraction in London already, or do you have some in your list that you want to go see? Oh, I think that it's, um, Albert Hall. Oh yeah, Royal Albert Hall. The Proms are gonna start soon, and that's a fantastic venue to, to visit. Um, and they have concerts every day, so it's gonna be amazing. Yeah, I'm waiting for it. And so maybe it's a Royal Opera House as well. Yeah, that's another beautiful place. Yep. And London Eye. Did you go on the London Eye already? And no, I want to go. Okay, one of my to-do list. And you have so much beautiful places and I don't know how much time I will have to go everywhere. If all goes well, you're gonna stay with us for a few years, so the time that you finish to graduate and everything. So, and then with your professor, I'm sure you're gonna go and see the Philharmonia performing at the Royal Festival Hall. That's another wonderful place to go to. I mean, what is very special of London and the UK in general, but in London, is that there there is a lot of orchestras. They are first class in the world. And London Symphony Orchestra and London Radio Orchestra, of London Radio, and, you know, and the BBC Orchestra, yes, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Royal Opera House. Equator of all music world, I think. It is indeed. And you have so the most amazing concert hall, and now everything is open again, you know, after the pandemic. So So it's a big celebration, everyone is very happy to be together. And have you been in Trafalgar Square? Uh, no, no. Oh, you have to go. I don't have any time to go there, but I think I'll do it later. Yeah, you have to go. And what is fantastic, so you have concerts every day at every time. You have lunchtime concert, evening concert. You are gonna perform as well on the— on our concert series at the Holy Sepulchre of the National Musician Church in Farringdon. And, uh, yeah, and so there would be many concerts to go to, opera, musicals, and, um, and also museum. What is unbelievably fantastic of this country is that you can go to the museum for free. You can visit the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square, the British Museum, the Royal— the Albert— Victorian Albert Museum, the National History Museum, all for free. The Tate Gallery, um, and And you can go every day if you want to, you know. I remember the first time I was in London and I went to see the British Museum or the National Gallery and I could see this piece of art or history that I used to study in school and I would see them on the books and then now they were actually there and it's unbelievable. All right. Yeah, so I have a lot of plans here. Well, you're very, you know, we gave you some tips and I think you have a lot to see and I'm sure you're gonna have a lot of fun. So I would like to thank Lola Marchenko for the great chat and the beautiful music played today. You've been listening to Future Classic Women Awards on Women's Radio Station, live every day at 10 AM and 10 PM London time. And if you have any question that you would like to questions to ask our guests, please visit Future Classic Women Awards or email on presenters@womensradiostation.com and tweet us on @WomensRadioSTN. And if you would like to listen to it again or catch up on our previous programs, you can head to my presenter page, Stefania Passamonte, Future Classic Women Awards on womensradiostation.com. Thank you for listening.