Lily Dorfman: We strongly support Kyiv, Ukraine and strive to build a line of our mutual cooperation
We’ve recently made a short interview with a respected member of the jury, the famous pianist and pedagogue, Mrs. Lily Dorfman (Israel)
— Mrs. Dorfman, you will select participants of Myroslav Skoryk Competition for master classes in Germany …
— Yes! There is a summer music academy ISAM (International Sommer Academy of Music) in Germany. It has been working for 11 years. It is not exactly a workshop now, but more about academy. We have three faculties: music composition, organ and, more importantly, the piano. The idea of establishing the Academy belongs to my late husband, composer Joseph Dorfman. He dreamed of the revival of Jewish musical culture in Europe. Germany responded first. It’s first location was in Miсhelshtadt, near Frankfurt. Later we became part of the official German Music Academy in Ochsenhauzen. We welcome talented young musicians from around the world aged 18 to 38 years.
— Are you planning to select two participants?
— We discussed with Anna Tomasyshyn – she is an exellent organizer - that we plan to take two students. One would be sponsored by Myroslav Skoryk Competition, and the other one could be sponsored by us with half of the scholarship. But this should be jury’s decision. In music composition department of our Academy there is also a contest, named after Josef Dorfman. I would like to encourage students of the National Music Academy of Ukraine signing to it. We strongly support Kyiv, Ukraine and strive to build a line of our mutual cooperation.
— You plan this cooperation on a regular basis?
— I would like to establish long, solid relationship. I wish to support Ukrainian young musicians with all my heart.
— Your Academy has word “summer” in it’s name, does it mean that workshops are held all three summer months or is it something else?
— Our academy is working two weeks in August only.
— How did you contact the Myroslav Skoryk Competition? Do you have any acquaintances here in Ukraine?
— To visit Kyiv - was my dream. I never in my life have been there! And one day, out of a clear blue sky, Anna Tomasyshyn makes me a call !!! It turns out, that she knows everyone who visited our summer workshops, and she have heard positive feedback about our academy.
It is really important that you conduct Myroslav Skoryk Competition. He is an outstanding Ukrainian composer, known in the world, and he also is the head of the jury! It’s incredibly good! I expect a lot from this competition!
Interview by: Olga Holynska, musicologist