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| Pavel Kushnir (1984-2024) |
Pavel Kushnir (1984-2024) was a Russian pianist, author, and activist who became the first political prisoner in modern Russia to die during a hunger strike in 2024 [see the 25 August 2024 article on BBC News website, ‘The lonely death of a jailed Russian pianist who opposed war’].
The Pavel Kushnir Scholarship Fund was founded in his memory to help students from Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus pursue their studies at the world’s leading music institutions. In memory of the musician, benefit concerts are being held in Amsterdam, Bari, Belgrade, Berlin, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv [further details].
The London concert is on 10 May at Holy Sepulchre Church, Holborn Viaduct when Rachmaninoff’s Preludes will be performed by Maya Irgalina, Elena Toponogova, Mikhail Shilyaev and Sasha Grynyuk, alongside music by Nirvana, interspersed with excerpts from Pavel Kushnir’s book Russian Cut-up and fragments of his interviews. This eclectic format reflects one of Pavel Kushnir’s signature artistic methods — the fusion of seemingly incompatible elements. Further details of the concert from EventBrite.
Later this month, the Pavel Kushnir Scholarship Fund will be releasing a restored recording of Rachmaninoff’s Preludes performed by Pavel Kushnir, most likely made at the 29th Sergei Rachmaninoff International Festival. Fortunately, the video recording of Pavel Kushnir’s performance allowed for sound restoration, which was carried out by sound engineer Ilya Lukashev.
Pavel Kushnir leaves behind a legacy of courage and resolve, and the scholarship hopes to carry forward his vision by helping aspiring musicians achieve their dreams.
Pavel Kushnir can be seen and heard playing Rachmaninoff on YouTube.
