FROM WAR-TORN KHARKIV TO THE UBC CONCERT STAGE: AN INTERVIEW WITH UKRAINIAN PIANIST ANNA SAGALOVA
Wartime has always been exceptionally cruel to artists and musicians. One painfully recalls the mass exodus of Jewish musicians and conductors from Germany, Austria and Hungary in the threatening years leading up to World War II, settling mainly in London and New York. Then, there was the flight of Czech musicians in the Soviet-induced Prague Spring invasion of 1968, one of the most notable being Karel Ančerl who fled to become the conductor of the Toronto Symphony. In virtually all cases, the musician’s decision to leave was precipitate. The perception of impending threat sprung up almost instantaneously, where the only response became ‘It’s time to leave. Now!’ Families, careers, and familiar life comforts were torn apart in days. And now, as we reach the first anniversary of the Ukraine war, we have the same thing.
Anna Sagalova is a concert pianist who successfully arrived in Vancouver with her son last June after a spine-chilling journey to flee the war in Ukraine. She is a distinguished artist: an Associate Professor at Kharkiv National University of Arts and awarded the title of Honored Artist of Ukraine for her achievements and contributions. She had a busy concert schedule before the war began, and dozens of students. That number has now dwindled to three, which she can only teach over Zoom. Fortunately, she has recently found new students in Vancouver, and was able to make her debut in the UBC School of Music's Wednesday Noon Hour concert series in November 2022. She has committed herself to playing Ukrainian classical programs to raise funds in support of her university. The pianist subsequently appeared in Toronto in January 2023, and will contribute to a ‘Ukraine with love’ concert series in Vancouver in late February, where she will perform works by Mendelssohn and composers Victor Kosenko and Dmitri Bortnyansky.
We had the great privilege to meet Anna and ask about her struggles to escape the war, the Ukrainian composers she played at the UBC concert, her performing preferences, and her initial reactions to being in Canada.
1. IT MAY BE PAINFUL TO TALK ABOUT, BUT PERHAPS YOU COULD GIVE US SOME FEELING ABOUT THE CIRCUMSTANCES YOU FACED IN LEAVING KHARKIV?
When everything started, the first week, we were in shock. At first, nobody could understand what was going on. On the evening of the first day, we had to move to the basement because of relentless artillery bombardment. Air raids started the next day. Planes were constantly flying above us, and there were explosions everywhere. It felt like you are in an open field, planes are flying directly above, aiming at you, and it is a miracle they missed. We could not leave the basement. I was in shock and could not eat or sleep. After a week, my husband decided we needed to leave and found a way to get our son and me out. It was impossible to get on a train at the Kharkiv railroad station. We found a bus to take us to Lviv, and it took us three days to get there. We were driving in the open with explosions around us, and I was in a panic until we crossed from the Kharkiv Oblast into Sumy. I have always thought of myself as strong, but then I felt paralyzed. Nonetheless, we were convinced the war would be over soon – we were told 2-3 weeks – but then it became clear that it would drag on. We could not stay in Lviv for long without any money or income, and my friends convinced me to come to Canada. My husband and mother had to stay in Ukraine, which is the hardest thing for me now – I can overcome everything else.
2. IS THE KHARKIV NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF ARTS ACTUALLY ABLE TO FUNCTION AT THIS POINT? WHAT HAVE OTHER FACULTY MEMBERS DONE?
The university continues to operate. One of the two buildings remains closed to save on costs, and only the administration uses it currently: all faculty teach online. Many schools, universities, hospitals and shopping centers have been targeted intentionally. Our buildings have also been damaged after a missile exploded only 50 meters from the university. There are broken windows and frames, and cracks in the walls. Kharkiv has been bombed again recently. It is not as intensive as before – the Russian army is running low on missiles – but it is still very dangerous. Many of my colleagues have left, but many stayed in Kharkiv and continue to work and perform. There are actual “underground” concerts that take place in the basement, along with conferences and meetings. The university recently even held a music competition for children with over 70 participants.
3. THE PIECES BY UKRAINIAN COMPOSERS PLAYED AT YOUR UBC CONCERT MUST REFLECT SOME OF YOUR IMMEDIATE RESPONSES TO THIS DIRE SITUATION.
Yes, that is definitely true. Vladimir Ptushkin was one of my teachers, and my husband studied composition with him. Ptushkin passed away when the war started. He had a heart condition and could not evacuate. His neighbourhood was heavily bombed, and he could not reach the hospital: that part of Kharkiv does not exist anymore. His death can be directly attributed to the war, and gave me the strongest reason to include his Ostinato in the program. This piece is very dear to me, and there is a personal history. Many years ago, I wanted to play Ostinato at a competition where unpublished music was not permitted. Vladimir Mikhailovich then officially published the piece so I could play it there.
Mark Karmynsky was the first composer I ever performed for. I was in the fifth grade, and it felt like a huge responsibility. He was an incredibly warm person and one of the "intelligentsia" in the word's true meaning. I went on to teach alongside his wife at the university. Including Karmynsky's music in the program felt very important. I love his Partita and teach it to many students. For me, the essence of D-minor in the final movement of this work perfectly reflects the ongoing tragedy in Ukraine. I actually wrote my doctoral thesis on the key of D-minor and performed the movement in my doctoral defence as one striking example.
I also worked closely with the agent of composer Myroslav Skoryk. I was the opening act of the last project he approved before his death, a grand showcase of Ukrainian symphonic music. It is important for me to continue playing his music, and I feel the support of his family: his son attended my Toronto concert. Playing Skoryk's Partita was very interesting, and his Melody has become an unofficial Ukrainian anthem.
Mykola Lysenko (1842-1912) was an obvious choice because he is the most well-known Ukrainian classical composer traditionally. He can be viewed as a bridge between the Western and Ukrainian cultures: Lysenko studied in Leipzig and was heavily influenced by Mendelssohn. Including Lysenko's Song without Words in this concert felt the most natural to me. I don't play much contemporary music, so I feel at ease with his tonality, phrasing, and articulation. When the war started, I could play only Lysenko. I could not play Chopin or Schumann, but Lysenko brought solace.
4. YOU ALSO PERFORMED A PIECE BY CANADIAN/UKRAINIAN COMPOSER ANNA PIDGORNA.
Yes, I enjoy collaborating with her, a young and successful composer. Her music is performed internationally, and she is very respectful and loving of Ukrainian music. Anna travelled across Ukraine collecting folk music. At the UBC concert, I liked performing her composition with the wonderful violist Marina Thibeault.
5. WE COULD HEAR SHOSTAKOVICH IN KARMYNSKY’S PARTITA. WOULD YOU AGREE?
There is a resemblance; they had similar approaches. Shostakovich would pick a popular Soviet melody and then start mocking it. There is no mocking in Karmynsky, but he used a somewhat similar approach – pick a pretty tune and then apply some dissonance to make it sound more modern and bring some absurdity. It is funny that when I was pregnant with my son, I was craving Shostakovich. Some women when pregnant crave pickles, but I craved Shostakovich. During the whole pregnancy, I was working on his C-minor sonata. When my son was five months old, I was asked to perform Shostakovich's second Piano Concerto. I had three weeks to learn it and lost my milk after. Shostakovich clearly went into my son’s earliest education.
6. YOU SEEM TO HAVE A VERY GREAT AFFINITY WITH LYSENKO AND MENDELSSOHN. IS THAT TRUE?
Yes, my calling card is Mendelssohn. Mendelssohn had a sense of proportion, which is very important to me. I feel good and comfortable with Chopin and Schumann too, but I am very demanding of myself when it comes to Beethoven and Schubert, and it is never good enough. It is like a sculpture where you must remove everything unnecessary until it is just right. Mendelssohn has a bigger range, and it is easier for me. One of my dreams would be a series of concerts that feature Mendelssohn’s complete Songs without Words, Lysenko’s Song without Words, mixed with other Ukrainian compositions.
7. WHAT ABOUT BACH?
I play Bach when I feel down; it helps to sort out my emotions and thoughts. Sviatoslav Richter said that Bach is hygiene for the mind. I can listen to Glenn Gould playing Bach non-stop. His timing and tonality are perfect for me, and his voicing is genius.
8. WHAT PIANISTS INFLUENCED YOUR INTERPRETATIONS IN YOUR EARLY YEARS?
I grew up listening to Kempff, Schnabel, Arrau, Michelangeli, and Gould. One of my life's biggest impressions was attending Leon Fleisher's masterclass (one of Schnabel's students) and seeing his respect and love for every note.
I have had the same teacher since I was 14, a student of Stanislav Neuhaus. She had a strong personality and heavily influenced me not only as a musician but also as a person. I grew up on what was close to her. I worshipped Stanislav Neuhaus. We were taught that each note carries a huge responsibility. They taught us not so much virtuosity as responsibility for each played note and letting it through yourself, even if that comes at the expense of the technique. We were taught to read a lot, and not only professional literature, because your awareness of life experiences affects what you can say on the stage. It is more about what you are playing rather than how. You can play a musical phrase in 20 different ways. I developed a habit of coming up with lyrics for every piece I play, preferably two different versions designed to help with tonal perfection. You have to make music not just beautiful but meaningful.
9. YOUR CURRENT SITUATION MUST REMAIN VERY PAINFUL WITH YOUR HUSBAND AND MOTHER STILL IN UKRAINE, AND WITH SO MANY UKRAINIANS WHO HAVE NOT SURVIVED THE WAR, BUT HOW HAVE YOU REACTED TO BEING IN CANADA AND THE SUPPORT OF THE CANADIAN/UKRAINIAN COMMUNITY?
The main reason for leaving was to protect my son. I was prepared and willing to put my professional career on pause. However, I was overwhelmed by the amount of support and interest from Canadians, both individuals and organizations. People are always willing to listen and help. The Ukrainian-Canadian community is amazing and incredibly supportive. There is a strong interest in Ukrainian music, and I have found artistic opportunities for development and growth. At my performances, I meet people interested in organizing more concerts. As a result, there are now confirmed future performances in Toronto, Ladner, Nanaimo, Tsawwassenn, Parksville, and more in the works. I am incredibly grateful to many new Canadian friends who have been amazingly supportive. It seems to be a uniquely Canadian thing: despite only recently coming to Canada, I don’t feel alien here at all.
© Oxana Marmer/Vadim Marmer 2023
We thank Geoffrey Newman for editing assistance.
Oxana and Vadim Marmer are keen classical music lovers and concertgoers. Oxana is the associate director of UBC's planning and institutional research office. She is also an amateur violinist and plays in the Harmonia and West Coast Symphony orchestras. Vadim is a professor of economics at UBC. Both have Ukrainian roots.