|
He may be called a relic, that represents the unique and, unfortunately,
facing the extinction occupation of a violinmaker and painter. Almost
all national newspapers wrote for Sergiyenko 10 years ago. The young
violinmaker from such province as Vinnytsya became a sensation in the musical
world, and the instruments, made by him, were declared the best at the
prestigious All-Union and international contests. There was no doubt then he
had good future prospects, as such skilled workmen could be count by the
fingers of one hand in the Europe.
At the end of 60s, when I was very young and only started to work as a
teacher at school of music, -says Sergiyenko, - the head of the department of
the stringed instruments Roman Ivanovych Semko noticed my keenness on violin
making and persuaded into creating of something more serious. I got inflamed
and went to Chernigiv factory, bought some wood and made a violin and one more
a little bit later. “
Look here, - said Semko, - you are able to rise in the world. So, go to Moscow
to study.”
The following fact should be mentioned: our outstanding violinmakers are
big individualists; they don’t take pupils as they don’t want to have
competitors. But I was lucky to find not only the eminent skilled workman but
also a very frank teacher – Olexandr Alyeksyeyev. He taught me every thing he
knew and could do. He didn’t keep anything from me, though his wife deprecated
his geniality and was bitterly jealous, especially when Alyeksyeyev won the
first place and I took the second one at the all-Union contest.
If you are indifferent you won’t be able to make a good violin. Many
capable guys studied with me but only several of them became cool craftsmen.
Why? Because you should be a fanatic, get inflamed and should see the violin
you are going to make in your dreams.
Do you know, what kind of wood is the violin to be made of? The sycamore
is good for the lower part, the fir-tree – for the upper part. At the same time
not every tree but only that, growing on the top, in the sandy soil and having
thin, singing trunk is OK.
Such trees grow in Caucasus and Carpathians. One has to look for them
oneself; there is nobody to rely upon. The best season to take the tree is
winter, when it is sleeping. What a great many of tops and heights one has to
walk around until finds the only tree. But then I come back home so happy. When
the spring comes I go to the mountains again to saw up, to carry over the wood
here.
The musical instruments making is a very labor-intensive work.
A good instrument, as well as a good picture demands hard working and
takes your soul. For example, it took me a year and a half to make violoncello “Kameliya”, the prizewinner
of the international contest. And my soul was singing, and it was really interesting.
The cultural life was boiling up; there were contests, concerts and festivals…
Nobody needs this now, especially in the province. It shakes me up… The
culture is being ruined.
What is it the craftsman’s violin? It is the elitist instrument, being designed
for the professional musician. But we have no ordinary instruments and our
children have no possibility to learn how to play different musical
instruments. We can buy violin, cello and viola nowhere. No corporation
produces them – there is no need.
I have not made anything for a long time – whom is it necessary for? I
restore the ancient instruments instead of this. This demands not less level of
proficiency and it is more urgent. All stringed instruments of school are mine,
I make them serve as long as possible; they will be substituted for the new
ones not soon.
The Ukraine has got no professional base of training of
stringed-craftsmen. There is no educational establishment, where the masters-
violinists could be trained, though the training traditions are still
preserved. There are 10-15 cool skillful workmen in the Ukraine, but they are
not young people, as a rule. They will pass away and the traditions will be
forgotten. It is the issue of the day. Our Director Leonid Volodymirovych
Losynskiy understands this and has made attempts to expedite the idea to
organize the courses of the master-violinists training on the basis of school;
there are more than enough persons wishing to study. But the Ministry officials
seem not to share this idea; they say there are no possibilities, methodical
base. My regalia of the laureate of the international contests, of the
craftsman of the international standard, of the honored worker of the Ukrainian
culture are nothing for them.
I have the slight hope our state will understand sooner or later that
our society needs not only officials or businessmen, but also musicians and
artists. I will not live to see that, but some young violinist will take my
instrument some day and say - this Sergiyenko has made not a bad instrument, indeed.
There was such a skillful workman in Vinnytsya…
“Vinytchyna” 24.04.1999
|
Mail
