Odessa Philharmonic concert at D.C.'s Kennedy Center marks tragic anniversary (05/05/96)

Odessa Philharmonic concert at D.C.'s Kennedy Center marks tragic anniversary

by Khristina Lew

WASHINGTON - The Odessa Philharmonic Orchestra, under the baton of American conductor Hobart Earle, made its Washington debut in a concert commemorating the 10th anniversary of the Chornobyl nuclear disaster at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on April 28.

Presented by the Washington Performing Arts Society, the two-hour concert showcased both solemn and tranquil orchestral works by Ukrainian, American and Austrian composers, with the exception of Myroslav Skoryk's rousing "Carpathian Concerto."

The presence of Mykola Kolessa, composer of one of the selections performed by the orchestra, in the auditorium added a poignant air to the historic performance. Following the able execution of his "Orchards Blooming in the Carpathians," the 92-year-old maestro ascended the stage, embracing Mr. Earle and greeting the concertmasters. He received a standing ovation.

Under Mr. Earle's musical direction, the Odessa Philharmonic has expanded its repertoire, blending classic works with lesser-known Ukrainian compositions. In 1995 the orchestra released a compact disc of previously unrecorded Ukrainian works by Kolessa and Skoryk on the ASV label.

The Kennedy Center performance began with Charles Ives' haunting "The Unanswered Question" (1906), during which a quartet of flutes and a sole trumpet in the upper tiers of the concert hall answered the full orchestra on the stage.

Kostiantyn Dankevych's symphonic poem "Taras Shevchenko" (1939) followed, and the first half of the performance concluded with the sonorous Adagio from Gustav Mahler's 10th Symphony.

The second half of the concert began with "Orchards Blooming in the Carpathians" (1950) and culminated with the "Carpathian Concerto" (1972). Aaron Copland's "Appalachian Spring" (1944) provided a soothing counterbalance to the colorful concerto, and concluded the program.

Following a standing ovation, Mr. Earle returned to the stage for an encore: Mykola Lysenko's lively "Overture to Taras Bulba," a Washington premiere. The conductor acknowledged that while the concert was presented to commemorate the solemn occasion of the 10th anniversary of Chornobyl, he wanted to end on a positive note. "Chornobyl is very real to us... We have a challenge to make the world better for future generations, so we'd like to end on an up note," he said.

Sponsor's reception

Following the concert, Ukraine's ambassador to the United States, Dr. Yuri Shcherbak, hosted a private reception for the performance's sponsors, representatives of the U.S. government and members of the Washington Performing Arts Society at the Watergate Hotel.

Laryssa Chopivsky, member of the WPAS board of directors and the driving force behind the Odessa Philharmonic's Washington debut, noted that the orchestra's performance was "both a solemn and uplifting testament to what can be achieved when talents of the East and West are combined," and praised Mr. Earle for his "Western know-how and Yankee ingenuity in acquainting people around the world with Ukraine and Ukrainians."

She also expressed her gratitude to Hillary Rodham Clinton for serving as honorary chair of Chornobyl Challenge '96 and thanked Melanne Verveer, the Ukrainian American deputy chief of staff to the first lady, for representing Mrs. Clinton at the concert.

The ebullient Mr. Earle said he was pleased that the Odessa Philharmonic could serve not only as Ukraine's cultural ambassadors, but its environmental ambassadors as well, and thanked the Ukrainian government for sponsoring the orchestra's airfare to the United States.

Ambassador Shcherbak, acknowledging that he would forsake protocol, first greeted "the music, which has brought us the spirit of Ukraine," and then Mr. Earle, "a Ukrainian Yankee and an Odessa cowboy," Ms. Chopivsky, Ms. Verveer, Ambassador at Large for the NIS James Collins and Victoria Resnick of the National Security Council.

The ambassador noted that the 10th anniversary of Chornobyl marked a day of introspection and mourning, and thanked the U.S. government for its continued support of Ukraine in ameliorating the consequences of the disaster.

He then relayed a personal epiphany that occurred during a vigil at the Chornobyl tree in Lafayette Park on April 25. Lafayette Park has many green trees, he said, and among them stands the Chornobyl tree, which was planted five years ago. "The tree is dry and stands as a symbol of the fires of Chornobyl, but as we prayed, I noticed that the tree, indeed, had a few green leaves. I realized that life is everlasting, that Ukraine was, is and will be - and that we can meet that challenge."

The Odessa Philharmonic's 1996 tour included performances in Toronto, Princeton, N.J., Philadelphia and at the United Nations, and was sponsored by Eli Lilly and Co., Holt Enterprises, INOVA Health System, Odessa Foods International Inc., Republic National Bank of New York and Chornobyl Challenge '96.

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