Russian wins ARD cello contest
OrchestrasThe 23 year-old Russian Maria Zaytseva took first prize at the important ARD competition in Munich.
Second was Krzysztof Michalski from Poland, third the Dutchman Alexander Warenberg.
Other category winners were the Korean baritone Samueol Park and the Russian oboist Leonid Surkov.
Well-deserved win in a field of good contenders. The final and semifinal can still be watched on the WDR Klassik YouTube channel.
Congratulations to Maria and to all contestants on their major achievement. What a relief to observe how at least in this case geopolitics did not interfere in cultural affairs. Thank you ARD for taking the high road and predicting the welcome future when geopolitics will come to its senses, stop all conflicts and bring people together the way culture does. ❤️
Absolutely!
She and the winner of Queen Elisabeth should play Brahms Double at the UN (although he won’t shake her hand).
If a violinist representing Nazi Germany in 1944 won a competition, and you won a cello competition the same year representing Poland, would you also shake his hand and play a concerto together?
It doesn’t take long for your argument to fall apart. The West-Eastern Divan (founded by Barenboim and Saïd) orchestra is performing—recently Proms, Salzburg, Lucerne. Music is not an enemy’s weapon, it is a shared gift.
What has the cellist got to do with Ukraine or a Palestinian musician in the orchestra to do with October 7?
The difference is that in the West-Eastern Divan orchestra, you more or less strive for the same goal. Vadim Repin still is with Poetin, being the chairman of the Transsiberian Festival.
Is she representing Russia? This is not the Olympics.
Musicians are hopefully, mostly, high above idiotic politics.
At least I hope so. Otherwise I can only despair.