A big smile and a shared handshake between HIPCC competitors Nikita Lukinov from Russia, left, and Oleksii Kanke from Ukraine (photo: Peter Mould).

Show of Russian/Ukrainian friendship at piano competition

Politics does not normally enter into the mix at the Hastings International Piano Concerto Competition, but as the Russian government’s invasion of Ukraine darkens all our lives, Russian and Ukrainian participants were pleased to show their friendship, in harmony with the competition’s ethos. Nick Terdre reports.

The photo shows young pianists Nikita Lukinov from Russia and Oleksii Kanke from Ukraine shaking hands and sharing a big smile outside the White Rock Theatre during the opening stages of this year’s Hastings International Piano Concerto Competition.

This year’s HIPCC got under way on Thursday 24 February, the same day that president Vladimir Putin ordered Russian forces into Ukraine. Elsewhere Russians have found themselves ostracised and excluded for their president’s actions, but the HIPCC organiser takes a different attitude.

“Our competitors are from more than 40 countries and have a unique opportunity to make lifelong friendships with each other during their time here in Hastings,” Ian Roberts, managing director of Hastings International Piano, told HOT.

“Music is and always will be a soothing force for good in troubled times and we have been moved by the solidarity and kindness that all our competitors have shown to each other from the beginning of the competition, even as the awful situation in Europe unfolded.

“As an international charitable organisation our ethos is to welcome all the world to Hastings and create a spirit of friendship and understanding, therefore we must continue to support all of our young musicians, regardless of which country they are from, who are here to enthrall and inspire our audiences.”

The road to Hastings

Born in Kyiv to a family of musicians, Oleksii Kanke took his first steps as a pianist in music school №14 in the class of Inna Tkachenko, then continued his studies at the Kyiv Secondary Specialised Music School.

For his part Nikita Lukinov won a full scholarship after studying in Russia to continue his education at The Purcell School, a specialist music school in Greater London. He is currently residing in Scotland.

Lukinov made it through to the semi-finals which are being held on Wednesday 2 and Thursday 3 March at the White Rock Theatre. He is due to perform Beethoven’s piano concerto no 2 on Thursday afternoon, accompanied, like all semi-finalists, by the Royal College of Music Prince Consort Orchestra on debut.

Kanke was not so fortunate, but his compatriot Mykyta Burzanitsa won through and is due to play Beethoven’s piano concerto no 3, also on Thursday afternoon.

This year’s competition is the first for three years – since the last edition in 2019 the event has gone biennial, but last year had to be cancelled due to Covid.

From the 50 hopefuls who were invited to play in Hastings, a dozen were chosen to advance to the semi-finals. They will be reduced to six for the finals on Friday and Saturday, when each will play a full concerto accompanied by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

More information from Hastings International Piano website. Tickets for all sessions are available from White Rock Theatre box office or website.

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