Culture - University rector: underestimated Ukrainian music
In the opinion of the President of the Mannheim University of Music, music experts in Germany have not adequately recognized the independent music of Ukraine. "Many people were not aware of the differences between Ukrainian and Russian culture, we made the big mistake of thinking that all these Ukrainian achievements were part of Russian culture," Rudolf Meister told the German Press Agency. While musicians in Russia have distanced themselves from the European musical tradition, sometimes consciously, sometimes unconsciously, Ukraine has been oriented towards the West for centuries. Classical music enjoys a higher prestige in Ukraine than in Germany. "The authenticity with which Ukrainian musicians allow us to experience their culture is very moving," emphasized the professor of piano.
All German music academies have taken on Ukrainian musicians in addition to their planned capacity, in some cases in cooperation with the music academies in Kiev, Odessa and Kharkiv. Meister estimates the number of mainly female musicians from Ukraine in Germany at a good 1,000. The Mannheim State University of Music and Performing Arts has 600 places, 20 of which are taken up by Ukrainians.
Fortunately, international exchange and exposure to the musical traditions of other countries is a matter of course and indispensable for musicians. Nobody would reject it as "cultural appropriation" if Germans played Ukrainian music and vice versa.
As the war in Ukraine is dragging on, it is to be expected that the musicians currently studying at a German university will remain in the German job market after graduation. In order to graduate, they would have to take the entrance exam, which was not initially required of the refugees. Unlike in the skilled trades, there are no problems with recruiting new talent. There are ten applicants for every place in the arts, including many foreigners.
The Germans could learn a lot from the Ukrainians, says pianist Meister: despite the terrible experiences during the war and the constant fear for friends and relatives left behind, they confidently take their lives into their own hands. "We Germans can learn from them how not to lose heart even in difficult times."
Music academy
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- The German Music University in Mannheim, like other music academies in Germany, has welcomed a significant number of Ukrainian musicians, with an estimated 1,000 female musicians from Ukraine currently studying or teaching there.
- Russia's approach to music has historically been different from Ukraine's, with musicians often distancing themselves from the European musical tradition, while Ukraine has been heavily influenced by Western culture.
- The Russian-German tensions and the ongoing war in Ukraine have not prevented Ukrainian musicians from seeking education and career opportunities in German music academies, such as the University of Music and Performing Arts in Mannheim.
- The cultural exchange between German and Ukrainian musicians is beneficial for both sides, with the German Press Agency reporting that German musicians can learn from the resilience and resilience displayed by their Ukrainian counterparts in the face of adversity.
Source: www.stern.de
