Melodious gift to the Ostroh Academy by Danylo Saienko

May 28, 2018

On May 24 the National University of Ostroh Academy hosted a concert by a young Lviv pianist Danylo Saienko. He presented works of Richard Wagner, Frédéric Chopin, Joseph Haydn, Franz Liszt, Maurice Ravel, and Sergei Rachmaninoff.

"This concert was not a part of a project, and also was not devoted to a certain event. Its organization was on time thanks to the links that exist between the Ostroh Academy and the Lviv National Music Academy. I often organize concerts of this type, as this is due to my periodic preparation for various musical competitions. At the Ostroh Academy, I truly feel in a full European environment. The indications of it were the intelligent and sincere people, and the professional organization of the concert. Despite the lack of time, my sister and I were able to get acquainted with the history of this place. Awareness of it after the guided tour helped in a particular way to set myself up to the concert. Inspiration and the necessary musical feedback are always present when you understand that you are engaged in art in the walls that are truly spiritual and cultural center and are very valuable and important property of our state. In particular, I should tag the piano with the help of which the concert took place. The quality of this instrument multiplied all my professional endeavors, creating comfort and pleasure of playing on it. At this point in Ukraine are very few places that can boast with such a piano. Therefore, I will be glad for an opportunity to visit the Ostroh Academy again”, said Danylo Saienko.

The young talented pianist was born in 1991 in Lviv. He studied at the Lviv specialized secondary music boarding school named after S. Krushelnytska in the piano class of Yurii Moisiak. During his studying at the school he repeatedly performed with the symphony orchestra and participated in various competitions and festivals as a pianist and composer. For example, he took part in “Novi Imena” (3^rd place in Kyiv, 2000), International Competition for Young Artists (3rd place in Vorzel, 2003), contest of young composers “Zolota Troianda” (1^st place in Lviv, 2004), “Akordy Khortytsi” (the first prize in the nomination “Composition”, Zaporizhia), “Zhyva” Muzyka” (the first prize in the nomination “Composition”, Kyiv, 2006), G. Neuhaus All-Ukrainian Competition (1^st place in Kirovohrad, 2008).

In 2009, he became a student of the Lviv National Music Academy named after Mykola Lysenko in class of Merited Artist of Ukraine, professor Yozhef Ermin. The young artist also attended High School of Music and Theater in Hamburg in the class of professor Anna Vynnytska. Nowadays he studies at the Upper Music School in Rostock, Germany, in the class of professor Matthias Kirschnereit.

In 2015, he won the competitions in Barcelona (61 Maria Canals International Music Competition) and in Thessaloniki (7th International Piano Competition "GIORGIOS THYMIS" 2015).

He also won prizes at such contests as Brescia Classica Piano Competition 2017,  Malta International Music Competition 2017, International Forum of Pianists “Bezcady bez granic” 2011, Volodymyr Horowytz International Piano Competition 2012, E. Gilly's International Piano Competition 2012, International Music Competition named after M. Lysenko 2012.

Danylo Saienko actively organizes concerts both solo and with symphony orchestras in Ukraine, Poland, Slovakia, Germany, Switzerland, France, Spain, Italy and Greece.

"Danylo Saienko has impressed my colleagues and me. In my opinion, the piano "Steinway" at the Ostroh Academy has not sound so graceful before. He is a pianist who has a rich sound palette. I'm still impressed!" comments a director of the Ostroh Children's Art School Nataliia Balaushko.