Concert: Vadim Neselovskyi: PERSEVERANTIA

A Suite for Piano and a String Trio (Violin, Viola and Cello)

In the words of the composer:

“My new work tells a story of compassion and empathy, of willpower and resistance, of sincerity and falsehood, of freedom and the arduous path to it. As a Ukrainian, I feel deeply connected to the current events in my country. However, this music is not only about the devastating war raging in my homeland. It speaks to all of us, reflecting on timeless human challenges and the best and worst aspects of our nature. Each of us has our own perseverantia and I hope this music offers a personal experience for everyone who listens.”

PERSEVERANTIA is a suite in 11 movements:
Before 24

Twenty-Four
March Passacaglia
I Don't Need a Ride
Orwell in Moscow
For Refugees
Dance of Ignorance
Letter from Mariupol
Prayer
Perseverantia
After 24

Vadim Neselovskyi — composer and pianist

As a young composer and pianist growing up in Odesa, Ukraine and then Germany, Vadim Neselovskyi discovered that his calling was not to follow any one stylistic path but to become a “creator of music.” He has long since fulfilled this early promise in ways both inventive and unexpected: as a composer whose vision is expansive enough to spark inspired interpretations from a jazz trio and a symphony orchestra alike; as an improviser carving surprising pathways through the straight ahead, the avant-garde, and the indefinable; and as a collaborator valued by peers, mentors and fellow innovators.

The Los Angeles Times has praised Neselovskyi’s “extraordinary playing” while The Guardian (UK) called him “the most promising of the young improvisers.” Whether as a pianist, composer, improviser, soloist or bandleader, Neselovskyi creates music that is truly inspired and wholly unique. His work has been played by jazz greats like Randy Brecker, Antonio Sanchez, Julian Lage, and Gary Burton, as well as classical artists (such as Daniel Gauthier, whose recording of Neselovskyi’s “San Felio” won an ECHO Classical Award) and symphony orchestras in the United States and Europe.

Neselovskyi's diverse talents have attracted the attention of revered artists crossing the boundaries of genre, including legendary vibraphonist Gary Burton, who famously enlisted Neselovskyi for his acclaimed Generations Quintet; the prestigious Graz Philharmoniker, which performed his composition “Prelude for Vibes” on their New Year’s program; iconoclastic composer/saxophonist John Zorn, who invited Neselovskyi to contribute to The Book Beriah, the final installment of his Masada project; and French horn/alphorn pioneer Arkady Shilkloper, a profound influence with whom the pianist now shares a longstanding duo collaboration.

In 2022, he paid tribute to his hometown with ODESA, a ruminative and poetic solo piano album featuring compositions inspired by Ukrainian landmarks like the Odesa Railway Station, Potemkin Stairs, and Odesa Conservatory. The New York Times classical critic Seth Colter Walls recently featured ODESA in “5 CLASSICAL ALBUMS YOU CAN LISTEN TO RIGHT NOW”. Additionally, the album has had recent media hits on NPR Morning Edition, WNYC's All of It with Alison Stewart, The PBS Newshour, The Boston Globe and many others all over Germany, Spain, France, the U.K., and elsewhere.

The New York Times writes about the album: “Vadim Neselovskyi’s … pianism shares the qualities of a sculpture carved in ice: finely wrought detail, sharply traced; glinting elegance; coolness to the touch; refractions of light. His right and left hands converse with each other in eager, enchanted dialogue. “

Bengisu Gokce — violin

Turkish born and raised Bengisu Gokce is a multi-genre violinist and singer, known for combining her Turkish roots with Eastern-European and Middle-Eastern traditions.

Mina Kim — cello

Hailed as “eloquent” by the Boston Globe, Korean-born cellist Mina Kim has been making music in the Boston area since 2010. As an active performer, Dr. Kim enjoys performing with the Rasa String Quartet and Trio Oko. As an educator, she teaches at  Phillips Exeter Academy and College of the Holy Cross.

Sofia Nikas — viola

An active orchestral and chamber musician, Sofia Nikas is a member of the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra and the Cape Cod String Quartet. As a chamber musician, Sofia has worked with members of the Borromeo, Miró, Pacifica, and Juilliard string quartets. Notable performances include Mendelssohn’s String Quintet No. 2 with violist Roberto Diaz at Tanglewood Music Center, Webern’s Langsamer Satz at New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall, and Debussy’s Sonata for Flute, Viola and Harp for Performance Today hosted by Fred Child.