The Faculty Artist Series presents Ukranian-American violinist Oleh Krysa, at the Eastman School of Music, Tuesday, February 13 at 8 p.m., in Kilbourn Hall at the Eastman School of Music. The program consists of a number of Beethoven violin sonatas with Barry Snyder, piano.
The Ukrainian-American violinist Oleh Krysa is long esteemed in the former USSR as a distinguished soloist, chamber musician and teacher. Krysa began his teaching career as chairman of the Violin Department at the Kiev Conservatory. In 1973, he took the same position at the Gnesins Musical and Pedagogical Institute in Moscow and, two years later, returned to the Moscow Conservatory as Professor of Violin, where he remained until 1988. Currently he is Professor of Violin at the Eastman School of Music, and was a Visiting Professor at Tokyo University of Arts in 2009. He is also an Honored Professor at Lviv Music Academy (Ukraine) and an Honored Member of the Japanese String Teachers Association.
The artistic association “World of Classical Music” founded the Oleh Krysa International Violin Competition to honor Professor Krysa. The first competition was held October 25 to November 3, 2013, in Lviv. From October 20 to 31, the Second Oleh Krysa International Violin Competition will take place in Lviv.
Krysa played solo recitals in major music centers throughout the world (including Great and Small Halls of Moscow Conservatory, Tchaikovsky Hall, Great Hall of Leningrad Philharmonia, Glinka Hall, Column Hall of Kiev Philharmonia, Warsaw Philharmonia, Concertgebouw, Brahms Hall, Royal Festival Hall, Wigmore Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Teatro alla Scala, Semper Oper, Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Merkin Hall, Kennedy Center, Roy Thomson Hall, Place des Arts, Suntory Hall, Minato Mirai Hall, Seoul Art Center, Taiwan’s National Concert Hall etc.) and with leading orchestras and ensembles around the world. In addition to his thriving solo career, Krysa was a leader of the Kiev Conservatory Quartet (1970-1973), the Leontovych Quartet (1999-2003), and the celebrated Beethoven String Quartet (1977-1987).
Krysa was married to pianist Tatiana Tchekina, who was his partner in most of his recitals and recordings before her death in December 2013. The Tatiana and Oleh Krysa Scholarship at the Eastman School of Music has been established to support scholarships for students pursuing a degree in violin performance or piano accompanying.
The Faculty Artist Series is generously supported by Patricia Ward-Baker.
Tickets for Eastman’s Faculty Artist Series are $10 for the general public and free to current Season Subscribers. Tickets can be purchased at the Eastman Theatre Box Office, 433 East Main St.; by phone (585) 274-3000; or online at http://eastmantheatre.org
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About Eastman School of Music:
The Eastman School of Music was founded in 1921 by industrialist and philanthropist George Eastman (1854-1932), founder of Eastman Kodak Company. It was the first professional school of the University of Rochester. Mr. Eastman’s dream was that his school would provide a broad education in the liberal arts as well as superb musical training. The current dean is Jamal Rossi, appointed in 2014.
About 900 students are enrolled in Eastman’s Collegiate Division– about 500 undergraduate and 400 graduate students. Students come from almost every state, and approximately 20 percent are from other countries. They are guided by more than 95 full-time faculty members. Six alumni and three faculty members have been awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Music, as have numerous GRAMMYÒ Awards. Each year, Eastman’s students, faculty members, and guest artists present more than 700 concerts to the Rochester community.