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 female artists on the classical panorama. Today on Future Classic Women Awards, we have another special, um, episode dedicated to the LP MAM Ukrainian students. Um, we have two wonderful musicians. One is Julia Gumenyuk, who is an accordionist and conductor, and Ulyana Sharina, who is a viola and violin player. Good morning, Julia and Ulyana. Good morning. Good morning. So Julia and Ulyana, they are not yet in the UK. Ulyana has been a student of LPMAM since last year, and she's also a student of the Tchaikovsky Conservatory Kyiv. And Ulyana, where are you now? I'm in Germany, Munich. So you managed to escape from Ukraine, I think, fairly at the beginning of the, of the war, did you? Yes, it was in the beginning of March. Beginning of March. And we found a fantastic lady here in London that is going to host you and your mother. Your mother is also a piano teacher. So she's gonna be able to work as a piano teacher and an accompanist as well. How is your, you know, how did you manage to go to Germany and how are you planning to come over to London? I managed to come to Germany because I have relatives here, my grandma. So at first we came to Poland. To Kraków. They were our friends, so we lived with them at first, and then we came to Munich, and now we are here. Wonderful. And, and we've done all the application both with you and Julia. Julia as well, you are still in Ukraine? Yes, I'm at home with my family now. And you are in Snedkov? Is that pronounced like that? No, no, no, no, no, it's Skadov. Sorry, sorry, Skadov. Yes. So, um, Ulyana, instead you— Julia, you were a student of the Kharkiv University. Yeah, and this year I will finish the bachelor degree. Yeah, so how— where were you when the war started? I was at home. So you know that my city is near the Crimea, and then the Russian army came. We, uh, the first time, and now we stay in occupation. They blocked all the roads, so I'm just staying at home with my mom and brother and waiting, uh, for the end of this war to come to London and just continue my study and to create music and all this stuff. Yeah, absolutely. Um, we, we had other students from the Kharkiv University. Some were stuck there when the war started, so it was quite a, uh, an adventure to manage to escape from, um, Kharkiv because it was under the bombing and the university got destroyed. What were you, you know, what were you feeling when you were watching the news and hearing what was happening in the city where luckily you were not? You know, it's like then your world, then your life in Kharkiv was broke, and you just sit and cry and don't understand how it can happen. And you see all these streets, all these buildings, uh, and you walked before across them, and it's awful, it's awful, it's terrible. And I called all my friends, all my professors, and also to Today we also meet at the Skype also, or Zoom, and talk about all this stuff. And today is also very big bombs, yeah, to Kharkiv, Russians. So it's awful. I don't know how to explain my feelings. It's like a very black feelings. And black, bad feelings like this. It is, it is indeed, um, absolutely, you know, unpredictable as well. I remember I was supposed to be in Kiev right before, two days before the war started, um, and no one was expecting this to happen at all and also to go on for so long. Um, I mean, it's, it's already a long time. So you've been home for a long time. Do you have your instrument with you? Can you practice at home? How do you spend your day? Um, you know, at home we all always have many, uh, my homework, you know, like in garden or at home. So, um, but also my— I tell— told you that my brother also play accordion, and we have accordion, but it's not a professional accordion. I, I can play, you know, like some small, some small compositions, like Vars or something like that, but not Bach, not Semyonov, not big composers. So that's why. Yeah, yeah, I understand. And Ulyana, you told me just before our interview on the radio, you were actually having a lesson with your teacher from the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Kyiv. So the lessons continue almost normally via Zoom or Skype? Yeah, it continues via Zoom. So actually only the teacher turns on the video and students are without videos and without audio even, and we write something. And also when the teacher asks something, we also answer. I mean, who knows? So that answers. Somehow, you know, we, we had the pandemic right before the war, and we were all online as well, having remote lessons. You, Ulyana, were having lessons with our LPMA professors through a special platform called Syntanous, where you could actually play the instrument and play together. Um, so it's sort of like being back in the lockdown somehow. So were you in a way prepared, um, to continue to have the lessons online, or it has a completely different meaning because it's not of the pandemic but because it's of the war? Yes, of course it's another feeling. And while it was pandemic, um, it was easier to be in Zoom. But now when you understand that your country, um, has a war and people are dying, and anyway you still need to continue studying, it's another feeling. And some stuff um, it doesn't go to your mind, uh, like very clearly because you read news and you think of it all time. So yeah, yeah, absolutely. Um, do you have— did you see via Zoom, even if you don't have the camera on, did you see many of your friends from the Kyiv Conservatory, or some are missing? Some are missing, but anyways, there are my friends, so I can know that they are all right. That's wonderful. And you, Julia, do you still have some lessons online, or it's all interrupted with Kharkiv professors? Yes, of course. We had lesson from 1st of April in Zoom. So every day, yeah, we have lessons, but not so much because maybe 1 or 2 lessons. And today we must to be— we were in lesson by musical literature, music literature. Literature. Yes, literature. Yeah, but our teacher told that she can't, so we are free today. And also we talked with our— with my friends from conservatory. We texted to each other and have contact with our professors. So yeah. So that's good. I mean, in a way you get— you don't lose contact with them. You told me some of your friends managed to escape Ukraine and they decided not to play music anymore. Uh, yes, but I think it's not, uh, um, it's not because of the war. It's because they want only to continue to start another way another level of their life. I don't know, maybe because they feel a little sad about music in Ukraine, because we have very cool university and cool professors, but we can't, you know, how to say, to work and create music for 100%. Yes, you know, to, to do something, uh, not normal. We must do play, uh, something, something in conservatory, do the same and work in school, and that's all. But we want to create, we want to, uh, meeting with another musicians from another country to do something crazy. So That's very sad that you can't do it in Ukraine sometimes. Well, you know, I hope that this war will finish soon and that somehow peace will be restored and there will be opportunities. I've been in Kyiv and in Ukraine a few times, and it's a fantastic country and fantastic people and musicians in particular. And, um, And, and I had actually Ukrainian friends here, uh, when I was studying at Royal Academy of Music. So, um, you know, it's, uh, it's something that, um, will, will continue. It cannot happen right now, but will happen again for sure. And the most important thing is that, um, you are, uh, you are go— you're gonna be the future, and you're gonna bring your stories and your music again, you know, to, to make Ukraine big again. Um, now with the first piece we're gonna listen to today, uh, it's gonna be you, Julia, performing with the accordion. Um, so you are also, you know, at the Kharkiv University, you're studying accordion with the head of the Department of Folk Instruments. So that is Professor Snekov and Professor Ekman, am I right? Yeah, yeah. And so, and also you play the dulcimer and the piano, and you study orchestra and conducting. So it's a lot of things. Tell me a little bit, how did you decide to make the accordion your main instrument and then to do everything else that you're doing? Uh, about accordion, it's a big secret for me because I didn't, uh, remember how it starts. Uh, just maybe, yeah, uh, at, uh, then I was 7, uh, in school. I was at, uh, maybe 2 years in school, or I didn't, I didn't remember. And my And my— in our class there was an aunt of my, like, friend who— and she played bayan. It's like the same instrument. No, not the same, like the same. And she started in— she was pretty She studied in Donetsk Conservatory and she wanted to have students in school and she told my mom that, wow, you have a so energetic, energetic girl, I want to take her to school. And mama say, okay, okay, you take her. And I started to learn accordion and piano. After 7 years in music school, I wanted to go to college, and I finished here's a musical college in Kherson region. And in college, I played in folk orchestra, and my conductor, he said he was a very cool man, Kiseel Viktor Ivanovich, and he told me that, Julia, You will play dulcimer. Dulcimer, maybe someone don't know because then I was at school, I didn't know what is it. So it's like a national folk instrument in Ukrainian. It's like a big wooden trapeze with many strings and you must to how to play. You must beat the strings with wooden sticks like drumsticks, but dulcimer sticks. Yes, so it's very cool. And after that, uh, and also in college we learned, we learned conducting, and we create the notes for orchestra and all these things. And now I'm studying in Kharkiv University. That's all. Wonderful. Well, the first piece we're gonna listen to today, it's, um, a piece called— it's a song called "Sky One in a Canoe," am I right? Is that— that's the kind of the translation I got from the title. Let's listen to it first and then you tell me about this piece. Wow, and this was a song, One Man in the Canoe, am I right? Uh, yeah, it was the COVID of this group. Whose group is that? Is that a Ukrainian group? Uh, yeah, it's Ukrainian group, very famous, and I was in their concert in Kherson, so I like them very much, and they write very cool songs with great texts. So that's why I tried to create this discovered. That's amazing. So you were playing the dulcimer in this song and singing? Uh, yeah. Amazing, really beautiful. I really liked it. Um, well, um, Uliana, how do you, um, how did you decide to play the viola and the violin? I mean, normally Like, did you want to play the viola as an instrument, or you started with the violin and then you decided, I don't know, that you liked more the viola, or how is it? Well, I started violin at 6 years because I wanted me to be a musician, and at first I did— I didn't like it, but later that I like it. Yes, and actually it wasn't my decision to start playing viola. It was my teacher. She told me that if I don't start playing viola, I cannot get to college and study with her. So I was 13 years old and I didn't know what viola, and I thought that it's just a bigger violin. But, um, when I start growing up, I understood that it's not violin, and, uh, it has more beautiful sound, uh, so I like it more than violin. But of course violin is also a very beautiful instrument, so I like Awesome. Very nice. Well, the piece that we're gonna, you know, we're gonna listen to is the Telemann, the Fantasy No. 3. How did you, you know, the sound of the viola, it's very specific. It's not a violin, it's in between, if you like, between the violin and the cello. So it has the nice deep tone. Of the cello, but at the same time can go high like a violin. But it's also a larger instrument. So you were just 13, you said, when you started to play the viola. Was it very strange to have to adapt your hand to larger position, for example? Yes, of course it was strange and difficult. And also I needed to play violin because I was in violin ensemble. So I changed them, and of course it was really strange, but then I stopped playing violin for some months and just viola I was playing. And did you have already in mind some great viola player that you would inspire you, that you would like to, you know, follow in their steps, or it was really new. For example, there is some very famous violinists that they, they actually play also the viola. Um, many, to be honest, many great soloists, virtuoso of the violin, they also then play the viola because it has this extra opportunities in terms of sound and and repertoire as well. So which one is your favorite violinist and what would you like to do in the future? Well, I like Maxim Rusanov. It's a Ukrainian violinist. And also there are— there is Michael Kurgin. It's a teacher of my teacher now in Kyiv. So I like also this violist because he's really great and one of the best violists and teachers and composers also. So I like this. Wonderful. Well, let's listen to your version of the Fantasy No. 3 by Telemann. Beautiful, this was Ulyana Sharina performing Telemann Fantasy No. 3. Uliana, you know, we heard before Julia, Julia Kuminuk, performing the dulcimer and also singing, and so adapting this traditional instrument to contemporary music. How do you feel about contemporary music, and do you like any other style of music or other instruments, for example? Yes, I like contemporary music, folk music, and I like really much guitar and also accordion a bit because— wow— and he plays accordion very good, so I like the sound of this instrument. It is a very difficult instrument. Uh, you know, I'm a pianist and I remember I had— my dad has an accordion at home and he plays all the He plays the violin, we have the viola, the cello, the accordion, guitars, piano. He plays everything. Um, and he always told me, you know, focus on one instrument, otherwise you will play many like I do but nothing at concert level like I do right now. And, um, uh, but the accordion, I, I did— I don't know how can you have the— do you play the one with the buttons only, or is the one also with the keyboard on one side? Julia, I play the accordion with keyboard, the keyboard, not the bottom accordion, but I can teach somebody to learn because I had students who learned only bottom accordion and I teach them. So it's not a problem because our left hand, our left keyboard, yeah, like in this system we have the same, same notes and the same, uh, transpose— transposition, I don't know how to— English. Yeah, yeah, no, that's good. Like in the right hand in bottom accordion. So it's not a big problem, but I can play professionally on it only maybe if I sit 10 hours or maybe one simple song I will play. Well, so what I was saying is it's just crazy, you know. I have to see the keyboard. I'm using both my hands on the piano keyboard and jumping up and down is, uh, um, 8 octaves, you know. It's, it's 82 keys. Well, the accordion is not— what is this, like 3 octaves, 2 octaves maybe on the keyboard? We have different sizes. Yeah, in professional accordion we have 4 octaves. Wow. Um, special things, it's like a register, I don't know. Yeah, register. Yeah, you can, yeah, uh, put in and we have another sound for octave, uh, how it's in English, uh to another octave. We have— yes, to play higher or lower octave. Higher. Yeah. Oh yeah, yeah. So it's simpler. And then you— composers trying to do, uh, the best for, um, people who play accordion, and they try to create notes and compose a composition in that way that we can do not use these registers and to play on this keyboard to have a very comfortable, comfortable transposition, this keyboard. So that's right. Oh wow, okay, wow, that's, that's, that's amazing. And then of course the button, to me, is like playing, uh, I don't know, like a puzzle, because you have all these— it's a lot of buttons, so And nobody know what is it. Yeah, it's only a key button and that's all. How to know which note? Yeah, but it's simpler than you— it's simpler. It's only one time you must to see how play the, uh, gamma, do major, and that's all, C major, and that's all. And then you will play all the compositions. I see, I see. So you play on the accordion. I don't have a recording of you playing a classical piece on the accordion, but you did say you could play Bach on the accordion, right? Of course, and Mozart and Shostakovich and all, and Scarlatti. I love Scarlatti. I love to play. Yeah, well, you know, I I have videos from— I don't know there, but I also have it. Well, we will record more videos when you're here and you have again a concert instrument with you. That we're really looking forward to it. Funny, funny enough, you know, Bach and Scarlatti, the Baroque period, was absolutely normal to compose for a keyboard instrument, not specific. So you could play the same piece at the organ or at the harpsichord or at the spinetta. And, uh, and so you can play it as well now with the accordion because it's a keyboard instrument. When do you know when the accordion was invented? Oh, it's a big history. First of all, uh, accordion was invented by a Russian legend, Bayan. It was— oh yeah, yeah, person. And they started to— I must translate all my Ukrainian texts about this history, and then I will tell you. But first of all, it was a bottom accordion, not keyboard accordion. And after several, several years they invite keyboard accordion. And at the end of the 20th century, keyboard accordion, people tell that it's very bad instrument. It's like an instrument of the devil, and it's not a folk instrument. And in, um, Serbian— so, so Our government tell that we can't play accordion. Yeah, and then after several years, maybe 10 to 20, I don't know, accordion started to— the accordion started to play, and now it's a very popular instrument. And also the folk instrument in Italy, I know, in Spain. And yes, so yeah, international folk instrument it is indeed. I mean, in France you got the musette accordion, isn't it? So that is typical French. So it's a smaller accordion, and, um, the virtuosity that comes out of those instruments, it's incredible. And also I can think about the Gypsy music made with the accordion, as it is with the violin. So there is also dulcimer, because dulcimer is also the Gypsy, um, or was the Gypsy instrument. Did you know that? No, I didn't know that. That's amazing. Yeah. Okay, well, let's listen to the new performing with the dulcimer. Um, let me see. Which piece is this? Amazing. This was, uh, Piazzolla, Meditango, performed by Giulia Gumeniuk in trio. Um, Giulia, I, I'm such a big fan of Piazzolla. He's one of my favorite, um, composers. He studied, um, in Paris, and he was dreaming to become a great classical composer. There is a Fantastic documentary I recommend everyone to watch, done few years before he died, really telling about the origin of his style of composing and, um, the incredible, um, teacher that was also teachers of many other famous composers who told him, you know, you need to find your own language. And this is Somehow a folk piece, the tango folk form that he transposed to a completely different level, to very virtuoso classical music. Very beautiful. Yeah, yeah, I love it so much. Uh, Ulyana, have you ever played anything by Piazzolla? Yeah, I also love Piazzolla very much, and I played— there is a piece called Café. It was written in 1930. It's for violin and guitar, and I played it with a guitarist, but it wasn't recorded, unfortunately. But it's a beautiful piece. Yeah, beautiful. Well, probably we will ask you to perform that again with one of our students, for example, with Marina, who is a wonderful guitarist who's gonna be in London very soon, um, from the Kharkiv University. Do you know her by any chance? Where are you from, Ulyana? Actually, you're not from Kharkiv, are you? Uh, yes, I'm from Dnipro. Dnipro. Ah, yes, Dnipro. Yes. Did you know Marina Vozmirova? No, no, no. She was at the Kharkiv University, and, uh, yes, she's waiting to come over to the UK as well, and she was host of the London. She was hosted at the women's radio station a few episodes before, just at the beginning really of the war. Yeah. And, um, yeah, so what I'd ask you to, you know, what I would like to ask you now is how did you feel about, uh, the process of coming to the UK, uh, you know, the host that I was able to introduce you, thanks to BPI and the Musicians' Union and the Ivor's Academy, who kindly retweeted and shared my blog about our way to try to get you over here to finish your studies at LPMAM, as LPMAM is a partner of the Tchaikovsky Conservatory and the Kyiv University. So Many are asking, you know, how long is gonna take. You both of you already did your application and we're just in the process of waiting to hear from the Home Office if your application is successful and you can come over. Are you— what are you doing while you're waiting? Ah, Julia. No, it's the same. Yes, Ulyana. Yes. Well, now I'm just playing and also trying to study because I have my college lessons. And also with my sister, she's a pianist, we are preparing for the concert. It must be in the beginning of May and will be a benefit concert, so we really want to play it and we are getting ready for this. Wonderful. And you, Julia? Um, I just at home teach my brother. We learn new songs. I play accordion and song song also sing, uh, because it's, uh, make me more happy in this difficult time. And also we're trying to buy something in the markets because we don't have in the markets many food, much, so much food. And do some, uh, things at home and walk with my dog by our— in our home zone, you know. So that's all, I think. But I mean, do you see Russian, uh, militaries around, or you don't see anyone? Um, yes, at that time when I'm in the center of my city, I always see them. And maybe one week ago they came to my street because we— near my home there is a hotel and they wanted to live there. But maybe they didn't respect that place and they came to another hotel. But we were very scared because it was half past 9 PM, and they were with their, um, big machines with this, like in Ukraine, it's like Ural, Ural, Kamaz. It's very big machine, and it was very, very, very nice as well. Yeah, but so far they are behaving right with the people around your city? They, you know, they're being— I mean, the incredible thing is that you can talk to them because you can speak Russian. So, so are they being good at the moment, or you, or you're scared? I mean, from what we hear, I, I, I think you should stay home as much as you can. Of course, yes, I must stay home, but also I must buy something for my family also. You know, it's like an adventure because my mom runs to one market, I run to another market, and we try to buy something. And my brother, he's looks not like a 12-year-old boy, and he looks like a 22-year-old. Oh my gosh, young man. So we tell he that he must stay at home because the Russian army, Russian soldiers, uh, they took boys and men And they, how to say, uh, they, they took very, um, like people who was in government and people who was in war in Donbas. Now it's normal, but very, very like, um, you understand. It's a very strange feeling, uh, because in our city already not our, not our Ukrainian blue and yellow, uh, proper. Yeah, yes, yes. And now it's Russian, and it's, it's very, uh, it's not cozy, it's not good for us. And we don't have our mayor in city. But we stay optimistic and we believe in the best, and we hope that this war, uh, is finished soon. And that's all. Well, we, we pray too, you know, for this to finish as soon as possible. And, um, uh, we're doing what we can, and we hope that, you know, at least you will be allowed to leave the occupied zone, because at the moment you just cannot leave. So although we found a wonderful lady that is gonna host you in her home, and we're gonna find the instrument to continue performing and studying at, uh, Alpimam here in London, um, at the moment today there is no safe way for you to come out. So what I'm doing as well, I'm trying to find other students, male students, that they can— where you can be together and come out together. So in a way, you will be accompanied by people that— by other musicians and students that will come to London. So you can come here together. Um, so we will do what we can, and it's wonderful to be able to talk to you and to hear you performing, and, uh, you know and sharing your experience. And also, you know, Uliana, thank you so much for being with us today. We're going to listen to the last piece of today, that is Rola Concerto for Viola and Orchestra, Opus 3. And that's you, Uliana. Are you playing with your mother in this recording? No, it's my sister Anastasia. Aha, it's your sister. Fantastic. Well, let's listen to it. And, um, now. Beautiful! And this was Rola concert for violin orchestra, opus 3, performed by Ulyana Sharina and her sister. Um, thank you so much, um, Ulyana and Giulia, for the wonderful music played today, and above all for your stories, sharing your stories from Ukraine. And we are gonna hope, you know, the best future possible here in London as soon as your visa will be approved, uh, so that you can finish your studies at the London Performing Academy of Music. 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 would like to ask any questions to our guests or nomination for our Future Classic Women Awards, please email presenters@womensradiostation or tweet us @womensradiostn. And if you would like to listen to it again or catch up on our previous programs, you can head to my presenters page, Stefania Passamontes Future Classic Women Awards on womensradiostation.com. Juliana and Giulia, thank you so much for today. It was wonderful having with us, you know, with us today at the Women's Radio Station. Thank you for inviting. You're very welcome. Thank you, Ulyana and Julia, and thank you for listening.