Ukrainian Pianist Illia Ovcharenko To Make His NY Debut In Weill Recital Hall

The Stecher and Horowitz Foundation presents Ukrainian pianist, 21-year old Illia Ovcharenko, first prizewinner of the 2022 New York International Piano Competition, on Tuesday, January 10, 2023, 7:30 pm in Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall.

This is his New York debut recital. The program will include Scarlatti: Sonatas, K.20 and K. 466; Schumann: "Kreisleriana;" Avner Dorman: Piano Sonata No. 6, a world premiere and 2022 NYIPC commission; Debussy: Images Book1; and Prokofiev: Piano Sonata No. 6.

Mr. Ovcharenko was born in Ukraine, where his family resides. He studies with Arie Vardi, pursuing a Master of Music degree at the Hannover Hochschule fur Musik, Theater und Medien. Most recently, he was named first prizewinner of Canada's 2022 Honen's Piano Competition. As the winner of the 2022 New York International Piano Competition (NYIPC) Mr. Ovcharenko garnered a cash award of $20,000 (the Joyce B. Cowin Prize) as well as the Weill Recital Hall concert.

Tickets, priced at $45 and $20 for students, are available at carnegiehall.org/212.247 7800.

Program

Scarlatti: Piano Sonatas, K. 30, K. 466

Schumann: "Kreisleriana" Op. 16

Aver Dorman: Piano Sonata No. 6 (World Premiere)

Commissioned by The Stecher and Horowitz Foundation

Debussy: Images Book 1

Prokofiev: Piano Sonata No. 6

Illia Ovcharenko was born in Chernihiy, Ukraine to a family of teachers. He began his piano studies at age 8, and at age 9, won his first competition giving a solo recital a year later at the Philharmonic Center of Ukraine. At age 12, he was invited to study at the prestigious Kyiv Mykola, Lysenko Secondary Special School where he studied with Natalia Gridneva and Amdril Lumov, graduating in 2018. Subsequently, he went to the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music in Tel Aviv, Israel, to study with Arie Vardi.

Since 2010, he has won more than 20 piano competitions in Singapore, Israel and throughout Europe, including being named the first prize and special prizewinner at the International Piano Competition "Kyiv" in 2018. For three summers (2019, 2020 and 2023) Illia was awarded a full scholarship to attend the Aspen Music Festival.. He is also a regular participant at music festivals worldwide: Ukraine, France, Poland, Israel, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Morocco, Italy, and Brazil. He has performed with: Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, Aspen Chamber Symphony, Hilton Head Symphony, National Philharmonic Orchestra of the Ukraine, Pomeranian Philharmonic Orchestra, National Radio of Ukraine, and theVersailles Conservatory String Orchestra. lllia was also invited to be a soloist at the "Arthur Rubinstein Piano Festival." Illia is a member of the Ukrainian Fund - "VERE MUSIC FUND." In 2021, he was the recipient of the Presidential Scholarship of the Ukraine.

About The Stecher and Horowitz Foundation

Celebrating six decades, The Stecher and Horowitz Foundation is committed to furthering the education, recognition, and fostering of gifted young musicians, helping sustain and preserve the essence of our cultural life through audience development and community involvement. Serving the competition's laureates, the Foundation seeks and develops
emerging talent through its flagship programs: The New York International Piano Competition (NYIPC) and The Young Artists Series. The Foundation mentors aspirants, helping them achieve their personal and professional goals through career guidance, artistic development, and performance opportunities. Individuality and excellence are mainstays of the foundation's core objectives, focusing the young artists' horizons toward the pursuit of a realistic and attainable career in music.

The New York International Piano Competition (NYIPC), under the auspices of The Stecher and Horowitz Foundation, is a unique and prestigious competition presenting the world's most talented young pianists, ages 16 -22. Inaugurated in 2002, this weeklong biennial event also includes educational seminars, master classes, coaching, ensemble playing and performances.

A unique feature of the competition is none of the 22 participants is eliminated during the competition's four rounds. The NYIPC also commissions an American composer to write a work for the competition each pianist is required to perform. A special prize is given to the artist who performs the best performance of the work. All pianists are required to participate in a one- piano, four hands ensemble. A first and second prize (The Melvin Stecher and Norman Horowitz Prize for one-piano, four hands) is awarded to the winning ensembles. In addition to the prizes awarded to the winners a cash award of $1000 is given to all of the remaining participating pianists. Thenyipc.org / 212 581 8380