12/25/2023 2:57 pm (current 12/25/2023 2:57 pm)
Ukrainian instruments like the bandura have long been underestimated here ©APA/AFP
From the perspective of the President of the Mannheim University of Music, music experts in Germany have not adequately recognized independent music from Ukraine. “Many people were not aware of the differences between Ukrainian and Russian culture; we made the big mistake of thinking that all these Ukrainian achievements were part of Russian culture,” Rudolf Meister told dpa.
While musicians in Russia distanced themselves from the European musical tradition, partly consciously and partly unconsciously, Ukraine oriented itself towards the West for centuries. Classical music enjoys greater prestige in Ukraine than in Germany. “The authenticity with which Ukrainian musicians allow us to experience their culture is very moving”, highlighted the piano teacher.
All German musical universities accepted Ukrainian musicians beyond their intended capacity, partly in cooperation with the musical universities of Kiev, Odessa and Kharkiv. Meister estimates the number of Ukrainian musicians in Germany, most of them women, to be around 1,000.
Given that the war in Ukraine is dragging on, it is to be expected that musicians currently studying at a German university will remain in the German job market after completing their studies. To graduate, they would have to take an entrance exam, which was not initially required of refugees. Unlike specialized professions, there are no problems with young talent. There would be ten applicants for a place in the arts.