World-class Artist Conveys Message of Peace through Music

Courtesy of DMZ Open International Music Festival

Ukrainian pianist Roman Fediurko collaborated with Korean classical musicians at the DMZ Open International Music Festival in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province. The festival, organized by the Gyeonggi Provincial Government and the Gyeonggi Tourism Organization, aims to promote peace and featured a concert held at a former ammunition storage of Camp Greaves, located two kilometers from the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in Paju, Gyeonggi Province.

Fediurko, a 19-year-old pianist based in Graz, Austria since 2021, performed Scarlatti’s Sonata in B minor, K. 27, Chopin’s Ballade No. 3 in A flat major, and Hofmann’s “Kaleidoscope” from Charakterskizzen Op. 40. The concert took place at a site significant for its historical connection to the Korean War, serving as a base for the U.S. Second Infantry Division for around 50 years. 

▲ Courtesy of DMZ Open International Music Festival

The pianist expressed gratitude for the unique experience of performing at the demilitarized zone and emphasized the intertwining narratives of the past and present, particularly the Korean War and its ongoing repercussions. Fediurko, who won first place at the International Competition for Young Pianists in Memory of Vladimir Horowitz in Geneva, sees his musical career as an opportunity to represent his war-torn homeland and share its cultural heritage with the world.

During the eight-day festival, Fediurko performed on two other stages, including the opening night with the Gyeonggi Philharmonic. He highlighted the tragic impact of the war in Ukraine on the country's cultural heritage, emphasizing the importance of presenting Ukrainian music and art to global audiences. The pianist plans to incorporate Ukrainian composers in his solo recitals as a means of sharing the largely unknown treasures of his country's musical legacy.

Sayart.net 

Kang In sig, insig6622@naver.com