Skoryk: Complete Violin Concertos, Vol. 2 Andrej Bielow, National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine & Volodymyr Sirenko

• Myroslav Skoryk (b. 1938):
• 1 Violin Concerto No. 5 14:55
• 2 Violin Concerto No. 6 14:56
• 3 Violin Concerto No. 7 15:03
• 4 Violin Concerto No. 8 "Allusion to Chopin" 17:25
• 5 Violin Concerto No. 9 14:17
• Total Runtime 01:16:36

Info for Skoryk: Complete Violin Concertos, Vol. 2

Myroslav Skoryk is one of Ukraine’s leading composers and teachers, with a portfolio of works that include opera, a symphonic transcription of Paganini’s Caprices, and a cycle of nine violin concertos written over a 45-year span (Volume 1 is on 8.574088). Concerto No. 5 utilises jazz elements and a vivid fugato, while Concerto No. 6 explores the use of sensual moods and provocative dance rhythms. Syncopation and lyricism suffuse Concerto No. 7, while No. 9 is both touching and dramatic. Concerto No. 8 offers a representation of events in Chopin’s life through quotations, in combination with Skoryk’s own distinctive musical voice.

"A pupil of Dmitry Kabalevsky, Myroslav Skoryk has become on of the Ukraine’s most prolific composers, and last March I welcomed his first four violin concertos. Now we are brought up to date with the five concertos written over the period 2004 to 2014. Born in 1938 he comes from a generation following on from Prokofiev, Kabalevsky and Shostakovich, his general style related to the days before atonality, and with an ability to reach a very wide audience. He has equally created a Skoryk sound that gives these one movement concertos an internal mood change that equate to conventional three movement scores. Certainly not aimed at those whose primary enjoyment comes from solo virtuosity, though in all five concertos the ‘finale’ requires considerable dexterity. The Fifth’s opening conversation between soloist and orchestra grasps attention, the work apparently ending in dancing gaiety until sadness overtakes it. Five years elapsed before the Sixth of 2009 where he uses his own version of folk music as a genesis, while it was more of the same in the Seventh. The major change comes in the Eighth where Skoryk uses themes from piano works by Chopin to mark the bicentenary of the Polish composer’s birth, and comes as the second of his 2011 concertos. It is his most extended and melodic concerto, dominated by a powerful Funeral March. Then, when 76 years old, his Seventh seems to be his valedictory score, full of sadness and pre-empting death, the violin singing a sorrowful song, moments of activity soon swept away. The performances come from one of the composer’s most persuasive champions, the violinist, Andrej Bielow, playing a magnificent 1745 Guadagnini instrument, and the National Symphony of the Ukraine, a very fine orchestra under their Music Director, Volodymyr Sirenko. The recording quality is very good in definition, balance and impact." (David’s Review Corner)

Andrej Bielow, violin
National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine
Volodymyr Sirenko, conductor

Andrej Bielow
As a soloist he collaborated with such renowned orchestras as the New Japan Philharmonic, Orchestra National de Radio France, NDR Radiophilharmonie, Sinfonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Amadeus Chamber Orchestra, Kiev Philharmonic and Münchner Kammerorchester under the baton of established conductors such as Kurt Masur, Yan Pascal Tortelier, Gianandrea Noseda, Miguel Gomez-Martinez, Christian Arming, Agnieszka Duzcmal, Junichi Hirokami und Christoph Poppen, Enrique Mazzola to name a few of them.

His repertoire includes over 30 concertos and all the major sonatas. He has recently performed the Shostakovich no. 1 in Lindau with SWD Philharmonie Konstanz and the Tschaikowsky at the Ryedale Festival with the orchestra of Opera North under Martin Andre. He gave his first successful London recital at Wigmore Hall in 2009 and performed Malcolm Arnold´s concerto for two violins at Cadogan Hall in October 2012.

He received his first violin lessons at the age of five and in 1993 attended the special music boarding school in Kiev. Having recognized his talent, Prof. Michael Kusnetsov took the eleven-year-old boy into his family and guided his further musical education. Already at an early age, Andrej started to perform at carefully selected concerts in Europe and USA.

At the age of 15, Andrej settled in Germany to study with Prof. Krzysztof Wegrzyn at the University of Music and Drama in Hannover. Further study followed with Gerard Poulet in Paris, Herman Krebbers, Ida Haendel, Ana Chumachenko and more recently Alfred Brendel.

Andrej Bielow won several major prizes at international competitions such as the Long-Thibaut Paris, ARD Munich, Hanover (Joachim), Citta di Brescia and others. Due to his extraordinary talent and musical qualities he was awarded various scholarships from the cultural institutions such as the Ukrainian Culture Foundation, Gundlach Foundation, Deutsche Stiftung Musikleben and Förderpreis of the Lower Saxony.

Andrej Bielow has devoted much of his career to chamber music, of which he is a passionate advocate. He has appeared at the following Festvals: Schleswig-Holstein, Klavierfestival Ruhr, Rheingau, Kuhmo, Young Euro Classic Berlin, Schubertiade Schwarzenberg, Ryedale, Macau and many others.

At the Kronberg Academy he performed with Gidon Kremer, Juri Bashmet and the Beaux Arts Trio. In 2011 he joined Kit Armstrong and Adrian Brendel to form a piano trio. Future projects include a complete cycle of Beethoven and Mozart violin sonatas with Kit Armstrong. He joined the Szymanowski Quartett as leader from 2005 until 2014. More recently he has recorded with the distinguished English pianist Christopher Glynn, with whom a new CD of sonatas written during the first World War will soon be released.

Since 2014 Andrej joined the violin faculty at the University of Arts in Graz and regularly gives masterclasses in Europe, Asia and USA. In 2005, together with jazz-guitarist Johan Weiss, he founded the „MBF“ Foundation (Musik braucht Freunde) which has provided financial support for over 130 needy students at the University of Music and Drama, Hanover. Since 2013, Andrej Bielow has become a regular visiting teacher delivering classes at the Royal Academy of Music in London'.

Andrej plays the violin "ex Flesch", built in 1745 by Lorenzo Guadagnini.

Booklet for Skoryk: Complete Violin Concertos, Vol. 2