Ukrainian Jewish Heritage: A chat with Oksana Lyniv, Ukrainian conductor with the Bavarian State Opera - Nash Holos Ukrainian Roots Radio

Oksana Lyniv is an up-and-coming star on the classical music scene.

She is a Ukrainian conductor currently working at the Bavarian State Opera as assistant to the General Music Director Kirill Petrenko.

On September 29, 2016, she will make her debut in Ukraine, conducting a classical concert that will be held at the Kyiv Opera House, under the directorship of British opera star Pavlo Hunka.

The concert is part of the 75th Anniversary commemoration of the Babyn Yar tragedy, sponsored by the Ukrainian Jewish Encounter of Toronto.

In 1941, the Nazis murdered some 150,000 people, including over 32,000 Jews. The massacre at Babyn Yar is considered one of the most heinous atrocities of the Holocaust.

The concert will feature classical musicians from Ukraine, Israel, Canada and Great Britain, and a symphony orchestra from Germany.

Ms. Lyniv took time from her hectic schedule of rehearsals for an interview on Nash Holos to tell us about herself, her career, and the upcoming concert.

This is a feature interview. Transcript is available below. Enjoy!

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Pawlina: I am Pawlina, host of Nash Holos Ukrainian roots radio. This fall the 75th Anniversary of the Babyn Yar tragedy will be commemorated in Kyiv, on the initiative of the Ukrainian Jewish encounter.

One of the events will be a classical concert, organised and directed by inaudible opera star Pavlo Hunka of London England. And Oksana Lyniv will be playing a leading role as well, as conductor of the orchestra. Oksana is something of a sensation herself, and she joins us now by Skype, to tell us a biy about herself and maybe give us a sneak preview of the concert where she shall be conducting.

So Oksana welcome, вітаю!

Oksana: Hello, hello, hello!

Pawlina: Now, you were born yourself, to musical parents, so a musical career for you, is no great surprise. You play several instruments yourself right? Piano, flute...

Oksana: Piano, flute, violin a little bit. Also I like to sing also yes. I was also surprised that in the end I changed my profession to conducting.

Pawlina: I was going to ask you that. What made you decide to change?

Oksana: The question that was in my special musical college, I started in Lviv, then I was from, my 14 years to 18 years. At the end we had a concert where I had to conduct the student orchestra. After this concert I got this idea from different people to start my professional career only as conducting. I was, on the first moment I was very surprised, but after I thought, yes, maybe this is really where I can put together all of my musical talents, and all the things that I would like to do together, you know? Because as conductor you need to have a special touch to all the things … to instruments, to soloists, to choirs, to all things.

Pawlina: So you really, obviously, love music and you just wanted to be in charge?

Oksana: Yes and you have to put … to organise, to manage all the things together. And this is very interesting, because when you are conducting the opera you have to become the steering also for staging … also for optic things, you know? And this is very interesting to create this dramatical line, to perform this big performance and I saw it was really something for me.

Pawlina: So, as a female conductor, you are something of a novelty in a male dominated field. Do you encounter any difficulties or special challenges because of your gender?

Oksana: Yes. In the beginning you always had more difficulties because, you have to put through it in your career, not only like young conductor but also like a young cond... Support the show on Patreon

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