Celebrated Russian violinist to open school in Antalya

ANTALYA – Anadolu Agency

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Sergey Kravchenko, a world famous Russian violinist, will start giving classes to young talents in the Mediterranean province of Antalya as part of a project. 

Kravchenko, 71, said he admired Antalya after giving two concerts in 2006, which prompted him to buy a holiday house in 2010.

His first trip to Antalya was in 1994 and later came again to perform at the Aspendos Ancient Theater in 2006. 
 
He said that he took stage in various parts of the world, but none of them had inspired him as much as the concert he gave in Aspendos. “There is no such acoustic in any other part of the world. I fell in love with Antalya and Aspendos. Its historic and natural beauties inspired me the most. There is such a beautiful mosaic here. People from all over the world are living here without any problems. The Mediterranean attracts me so much,” he said.

For Kravchenko, Antalya carries special significance, he said the sea and the mountains of the province reminded him of the Ukrainian city of Odessa, where he was born and raised.
 

Master Class Project
 
Kravchenko said he wanted to share his experiences with young talents by giving them violin classes over summer holidays as part of the Master Class Project, a short-time education given by a master or an expert. 

He said he planned to start the project earlier but had to postpone his plans after a jet crisis strained relations between Turkey and Russia and the assassination of the Russian ambassador to Ankara, Andrey Karlov, late 2016. 

“The Master Class Project is a long term one and I want to train 10 to 12 students every year. I have two Turkish students at the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory. Therefore I know Turkish students. I speak a little Turkish and will improve it. I will organize Master Classes in Antalya. Russian education is a rooted one and I want to introduce this to Turkish students,” he said, adding that he expected demand from students living abroad too. 

Kravchenko said the diplomatic issues between Turkey and Russia were not permanent. “These incidents have deeply affected me. But I never thought they would continue. I came to Antalya even during the times of crisis. Because I have friends and neighbors here, not only fans of my music. So, Turkey is my second home. I can say that I am from Antalya,” he said.

“Political incidents cannot be a handicap for arts, which is a locomotive power. It neutralizes all bad events. This is my view of art. I gave concerts in many countries during times of crises. Art is peace. We have left behind the problems with Turkey. I am here in peace. The holidaymakers of my country are very excited for the summer. A Russian proverb says, ‘When music plays, fire dies,’ my music will silence the weapons,” he added. 
 

‘More Russian artists to come to Turkey’
 
Marina Sorokina, president of the Russian Friendship and Culture Association, said she was pleased to hear that Kravchenko was initiating the project, which she believed would be the groundwork for future works, initiated by Russian artists and bands, in Turkey and Antalya amid improving relations between the two countries. 


Sergey Kravchenko
 
Born in 1947 in Odessa, Sergey Kravchenko started playing violin at the age of seven and attended the Moscow State Conservatory at 18, where he took violin classes from Leonid Kogan and graduated from. He started working as an assistant to Kogan in 1972 at the conservatory, where he was granted the title of state artist and became a professor. He is renowned to be one of the country’s legendary violin masters.