BY MIRANDA ILCHEF
In 2016, Oxana Shevchenko progressed to the finals of the Sydney International Piano Competition.
Now, having powered through top prize wins at a range of international piano competitions, the Kazakhstan-born performer returns to Australia for concerts in Sydney and Melbourne.
Oxana’s career kicked off when she performed as a 9-year-old with the Kazakh State Symphony Orchestra. She’s since made a name for herself as a leading international pianist, and has performed with the likes of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne, and more.
Oxana tells us about music from her home country, her career of solo and chamber performance, and her heart-warming “main project”: daughter Maya.
Hi Oxana, it’s lovely to chat with you about your Australian events. You’re are originally from Kazakhstan: tell us a little about the music culture and experience in your home country.
Kazakhstan is a country with a rich cultural heritage. Up until 100 years ago, Kazakhs were nomads; the main way they could express themselves in art was through music. Almost everyone would have been able to play one of the most popular instruments: dombra, quobyz or saz syrnay. But, in every tribe there was a person who would count as a professional musician, an aquyn, who would sing his own or very old family songs, improvise, compete with musicians from other tribes, etc. To this day, Kazakh traditional music is more popular than classical music or even contemporary music [in Kazakhstan].
You’ve made an interesting transition as you’ve grown from a very talented child musician to an international professional. Was there ever one point where you realised that music was more than just a hobby? How did you know you wanted to make piano performance into a career?
I started playing the piano at age of seven, and I knew my life belonged to music from the very start. It was when I realised that I should engage myself more and practice hard that things started to kick off.
The word ‘career’ appeared much, much later when I had been studying at the Royal College of Music and suddenly realised — or actually was taught — that my talent is not enough and, in order to get somewhere in life, I need to build my own networks.
Throughout your career so far, you have engaged in chamber music and solo performance to a very high level. Do you think these practices inform each other, and if so, how?
I believe that every soloist from time to time should engage in chamber music, just as chamber musicians should not forget what it is like to be on stage alone. Both practices enrich our perception of ourselves as musician.
Chamber music-making teaches you to listen carefully to your companions, read between the lines and moves, and react to their subtle inflections. All of these elements, when successfully executed, facilitate an incredible level of emotional intimacy on stage.
Playing solo is delving deep into your own soul; learning about your capacities, fears, fantasies, dreams; exploring your creativity; and using your intuition. I would say that playing a solo recital is the best way to understand yourself better.
The three Russian composers, whose works you will be showcasing, wrote during various tumultuous points in Russia’s history. Is this something you keep in mind when you play? Does the sociopolitical context of a work inform your interpretation of a composition, or do you tend to focus on the music alone?
Studying composers’ lives and historical context is a part of a preparation process. In the case of Tchaikovsky and Mussorgsky, the political situation was in-material; though, due to government censorship, Shostakovich experienced far greater upheaval.
In this respect, many now believe that Shostakovich’s music, being so indicative of the time and censorship when it was created, may not be fully understood by future generations.
Politics did not have a great impact on music of Tchaikovsky and Mussorgsky, but they had other tragic circumstances that influenced their personal lives as well as their social lives. They both were gay and, since it was not possible to be open about it back then, they had to cope with it the way they could: Tchaikovsky got married but it was miserable, and Mussorgsky turned to drink, which contributed to his early death.
Oxana, I’m looking through all the music you’ve created, and I have to admit: I’m in awe of your productivity! You’ve managed to perform and record an incredible amount of music. How do you motivate yourself to stay focused and prepare for your continuous stream of concerts and recordings?
Thank you for your kind words. They key word in my case is love: I love what I do, and I would love to do more; as much as I can without leaving my husband and daughter feeling neglected.
With such an impressive resume already, I am wondering what you have in store next. Do you have any big projects planned? Where can we see more of you in the years to come?
In the next few years, I am planning to record a few solo and chamber music CDs. I will go on a few tours around Europe and Asia. I am also preparing a program to celebrate [an anniversary] of Paul Hindemith, and I’m working on a charity project to support a children’s hospice in Moscow.
Though, since the birth of my daughter Maya, she has become my main project and no matter what I do as a musician, my main goal is to dedicate as much time to her as possible.
See Oxana perform at the Melbourne Recital Centre on 9 April, and Sydney Conservatorium of Music on 14 April.
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