Music through the darkness to light is the concept of the piano concert Nox Aeterna. The virtuoso program of the pianist Maksym Sasko is filled with profound philosophical, existential and religious themes. At the same time, it is a means to finding inner peace, introspection and connecting with the eternal.
The program features “Reflections,” a series by one of the most prominent Ukrainian modernists of the 20th century, Borys Liatoshynskyi. The 30-year-old composer wrote “Reflections” in 1925, and the cycle resonates with the European quest for a new sound and experimentation in music and performance.
In the late 1990s, Valentyn Bibyk, a Ukrainian composer from Kharkiv, wrote “Variations” on the theme Dies Irae. This Catholic sequence runs through the work of many great artists of different eras, serving as a specific “leitthema” of fate and death. These themes somehow relate to the power of life and light. In the history of music of the 20th century, we will hardly find more light and faith in God than in the music of Olivier Messiaen from France. Despite being imprisoned in a German concentration camp, Messiaen did not lose his sincere faith and humanity. Messiaen’s music is sacred and pure, like the work of a man who has found light even in the darkness.
Soloist of the concert – Maksym Sasko
Moderator – Olha Lozynska
Maksym Sasko is a Ukrainian pianist
Laureate of international competitions
He finished Rivne State Music School (class of Lilia Dukhovna, 2012) and later graduated from Lviv National Music Academy named after M. Lysenko (class of József Örmény).
Maksym Sasko is a laureate of the 6th International Competition named after S. Rachmaninov (3rd prize, prize for the most original performance of a compulsory work, 2008).
He eagerly tours with chamber ensembles in Ukraine and Europe.
Since September 2020, he has been working as a ballet class accompanist.
Olha Lozynska, moderator
Cultural manager, musicologist
A graduate of Lviv Secondary Specialized Music Boarding School named after S. Krushelnytska (piano class of Liudmyla Zakopets). In 2018, Olha Lozynska graduated from Lviv National Music Academy named after M. Lysenko (specializes in music history, supervised by Prof. Liubov Kiyanovska). Postgraduate student of Franko Lviv National University (specialization – musical art, class of associate professor Olha Kolomiiets).
An active promoter of Ukrainian classical music and Ukrainian performers.
Art manager of the Mirror Hall of Lviv National Opera, co-founder of the Ukrainian Classical Music Foundation.
Former art director of the Golka Records label and the playwright of the classical music festival LvivMozArt. Olha Lozynska cooperates with performers, conductors, and Ukrainian festivals as a curator, musicologist and organizer.