Ivan Karabits' Testament

Ivan Karabits has played a major part in the history of Ukraine by introducing Ukrainian music and arts to the world. He has been presenting Ukraine as a country of the great cultural tradition and artistic potential. To many, Ivan Karabits is associated with International Music Festival “Kyiv Music Fest,” which he founded in 1990 and steered till the last days of his life. In 1995, Karabits has co-founded the International Charity Fund in Memory of Volodymyr Horowitz, the classical virtuoso pianist and composer. Karabits also started the International Competition for Young Pianists in Memory of Horowitz. He was the chairman of its jury. The composer used to say that each year he is cultivating two fields: “Kyiv Music Fest” and Horowitz’s competition. Both events became deeply rooted in his life. They allowed him staying on top of musical performance and watch a cluster of bright young artists, including those from Ukraine, shine during those competitions. He was thrilled seeing cultural exchanges taking place. It was one of his greatest dreams to make Ukraine known all over the world. Karabits was also a talented art manager. Apart from generating ideas to inspire our cultural growth, he could also skillfully put them to life. He has managed to break through the decades of stereotypes suggesting new art forms and models needed to organize the concert life. Karabits was not offended when his ideas were copied by other music fests across Ukraine. On the contrary, he was happy to share the initiatives. Now, when Ukrainian art is craving to conquer the international culture scene, we really need talented managers in the likes of Ivan Karabits. The composer was ahead of his time recognizing modern tendencies of the 21st century and transforming them into his present. An unparallel pioneer and a genius visionary, he excelled in modernizing the technical side of arts. Karabits was also an outstanding teacher. He raised a constellation of bright young artists in the National Music Academy of Ukraine named after Petr Tchaikovsky and continued coaching them even when they left school. Six years after he died, a concert has been organized, where his students played chamber music in his memory. Among them were Anatoly Honcharov, Artem Roshchenko, Vadym Rakochi, Olena Ilnytska, Andry Bondarenko and Nazary Yaremchuk. Inspired by Karabits’ professionalism, this group of young, talented and promising musicians didn’t quit artistic careers and continue writing music, organizing concerts and festivals, teaching and passing knowledge and experience to the next generation of musicians.