UCLA

ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION

Ukrainian Identity in Modern Chamber Music:

A Performer's Perspective on Valentyn Silvestrov's Violin Sonata "Post Scriptum" and its Interpretation in the Context of Ukrainian Chamber Works.

by

Myroslava Khomik

Doctor of Musical Arts

University of California, Los Angeles, 2015

Professor Movses Pogossian, Chair

Ukrainian cultural expression has gone through many years of inertia due to decades of Soviet repression and censorship. In the post-Soviet period, since the late 80s and early 90s, a number of composers have explored new directions in creative styles thanks to new political and cultural freedoms.

This study focuses on Valentyn Silvestrov's unique Sonata for Violin and Piano "Post Scriptum" (1990), investigating its musical details and their meaning in its post-Soviet compositional context. The purpose is to contribute to a broader overview of Ukraine's classical music tradition, especially as it relates to national identity and the current cultural and political state of the country. It proposes Silvestrov as an example of a new direction in Ukrainian music that stands on its own, even as it has a strong connection to deep traditions and historic events.

The first and second chapters present an examination of the Sonata's conceptual elements, its distinctive features, and a performer's analysis of the practical aspects of its interpretation. Chapter 3 takes a broader view of Ukrainian classical music culture and history, while highlighting select composers and their chamber works that richly deserve a place in the world classical music scene.