Thousands of musicians of various specialties were trained in the classes of the Department of General and Specialized Piano; many of them became outstanding figures of musical culture.
Over its long history, the department has gone through a number of stages of its development. The chronology of these stages is reflected in the names of the department:
1913-1920 – compulsory piano classes;
1920-1934 – compulsory piano section;
1934-1938 – Department of General Piano;
1938-1946 – Department of General and Advanced Piano;
1946-1957 – Department of General Piano;
1957-1974 – Department of General Piano;
Since 1974 – Department of General and Specialized Piano.
Stages of department management:
1920-1950 – Associate Professor M. Bazilevich;
1950-1974 – Professor G. Buchynsky;
1974-1986 – Professor M. Glazunov;
From 1986 to the present – Professor Iryna Leonidivna Lisovska.
In the first years of the Odessa Conservatory, “compulsory piano classes” were opened, organized on the model of the St. Petersburg and Moscow Conservatories, where the work was conducted according to a program developed by a commission of professors, which included M. Rubinstein, P. & nbsp Tchaikovsky and other famous musicians. The compulsory piano course was one of the main disciplines along with the special ones, which ensured a wide general and musical development of future specialists.
At the beginning of the formation of teachers who taught a course of compulsory piano, were not united in an independent educational organization and were part of the department (later – the department) of special piano. That is why often the same teachers played a special and obligatory piano at the same time. In Odessa for the first years both piano courses were conducted by & nbsp; B. Dronseiko-Myronovych , in whose class the composer & nbsp; B. studied. Schechter , musicologist & nbsp; N. Orzhykhovska & nbsp; and others. Professor & nbsp; N. combined work in two departments. Chegodayeva & nbsp; – a graduate of the Moscow Conservatory, & nbsp; K. Levenstein & nbsp; – a graduate of the Vienna Conservatory, Professor & nbsp; M. Starkova & nbsp; and & nbsp; M. Rybytska & nbsp; – pupils of the St. Petersburg Conservatory, and a little later – & nbsp; B. Reingbald , in whose class together with & nbsp; E. Gilels & nbsp; studied composer & nbsp; O. Feltsman .
The practice of pianists-teachers in two departments was later interrupted. There was a division of departments, but the reflection of legendary names, their contribution to the creation of the future department of general piano contributed to the formation of a strong piano foundation, which was based on a universal fusion of traditions combining the achievements of European and Russian schools.
The association of compulsory piano teachers into a separate section (within the special piano department) took place in 1920. This structure made it possible to centralize and improve the organization of the educational process, to determine the direction of work, the criteria of requirements and the control system.
Responsible for the work of teachers of the section was appointed & nbsp; Maria Mykhailivna Bazylevych & nbsp; – a graduate of the Odessa Music School in the class of Professor & nbsp; B. Dronseiko-Myronovych & nbsp; and a graduate of the St. Petersburg Conservatory in the class of & nbsp; V. Kuskova & nbsp; (in the past – a student of Professor K. Fan-Ark, who in his in turn he studied composition with & nbsp; Leshetitsky & nbsp; and & nbsp; M. Zaremba ).
In 1934, the teachers of compulsory piano merged into the department of general piano. M. & nbsp; Bazylevych remains the head of the department. In this position, her talent as a teacher was clearly manifested, complemented by brilliant organizational skills. Under the leadership of M. Bazylevych, program requirements for the general piano course are developed, repertoire lists are compiled by years of study, and traditions of holding academic concerts are established.
Together with M. Bazylevych, her colleagues, also “Petersburgers” – J. Bogutska , who worked at the conservatory from 1913 to 1946, worked on deepening the course of general piano, & nbsp; A. Rosenfeld , highly professional musicians & nbsp; K. Zaturyanska & nbsp; and & nbsp; А. Orentlicherman , & nbsp; a group of graduates in the class & nbsp; G. Bieber & nbsp; – talented pianists & nbsp; Ts. Мошкович , & nbsp; К. Kolkin , & nbsp; R. Bone . They brought into the work of the department the traditions of Viennese pianism, perceived by them from their teacher. To the same generation of teachers belonged & nbsp; T. Richter & nbsp; (father of the genius & nbsp; S. Richter ) – organist and pianist, a graduate of the Vienna Conservatory, in whose class he took a piano course, composer, future rector of the Conservatory & nbsp; Seraphim < / em> & nbsp; Orpheus .
The activities of these musicians led to a high level of learning to play the piano and contributed to the adoption of progressive techniques that have been further developed in the work of future generations of teachers.
The productive work of the department, which included such authoritative musicians, allowed to open in 1938 the Department of General Piano. It was headed by & nbsp; M. Bazilevich .
The focus of the head of the department was on improving the teaching methods. Attaching great importance to the development of students’ musical outlook, letter reading skills and concert skills, M. & nbsp; Bazylevych compiled numerous collections of works for this purpose. Under her leadership, performance evaluation criteria and programs for all disciplines of the music cycle of the piano department of the school for adults were developed.
Really inexhaustible energy and authority in music circles lead M. & nbsp; Bazylevych to the music school to the position of the head of the educational part, as well as to the music school named after Professor P. & nbsp; S. & nbsp; Stolyarsky. She successfully combined organizational, administrative and pedagogical activities with the city
In 1950, & nbsp; Hryhoriy Dmytrovych Buchynsky was appointed head of the department. A new stage in the life of the department begins.
Educated musician, a graduate of the Kyiv Lysenko Music Institute (in the piano class of Professor & nbsp; S. Barer ) and the Moscow Music Pedagogical Institute named after Gnesin (in absentia) G. Buchynsky made a significant contribution to improvement educational process and solving the problem of personnel. The pedagogical staff of the department is replenished with brilliant pianists – graduates of the conservatory of the first postwar years. Among them – & nbsp; B. Charkovsky , & nbsp; V. Timofeev , & nbsp; М. Fedosov & nbsp; and a whole galaxy of highly gifted performers, who in the future formed the professorial corps of the Department of Special Piano, namely: & nbsp; O. Звягина , & nbsp; А. Kazanjan , & nbsp; E. Kovalenko , I . Sukhomlinov , and later – & nbsp; Yu. Nekrasov & nbsp; and & nbsp; N. Mikhailova .
Г. Buchynsky fully supports the high performance tone at the department. All teachers take part in the concert life of the university and the city. Saturated executive activity is conducted by & nbsp; N. Shevchenko . She skillfully combined her performances on the stages of many cities of Ukraine with effective pedagogical activity. Piano duo consisting of teachers of the department & nbsp; N. Kirichenko & nbsp; and & nbsp; V. Ivanytska & nbsp; for many years was the decoration of the concert life of the conservatory and the city. In the same years, many years of concert activity of another piano duo consisting of & nbsp; I. Sukhomlinova & nbsp; and & nbsp; JI . Sukhomlynova , whose large repertoire included the best examples of world and domestic music.
The active concert activity of the duo as a part of & nbsp; K. continues. Mülberg & nbsp; (clarinet) – & nbsp; М. Glazunova & nbsp; (piano). For many years, they performed not only classical music, but also the music of contemporary composers who dedicated their works to these musicians.
Every year another duo performs on the stage – & nbsp; duet & nbsp; G. Lebedeva & nbsp; and & nbsp; V. Sukhorukova , experienced accompanists who later switched to teaching. Solo and chamber concerts of young teachers who came to the department in the 60s are constantly heard in the Great Hall of the Conservatory: & nbsp; V. Curtains , & nbsp; E. Dagilayska , & nbsp; L. Kovalchuk , later – & nbsp; L. Georgian , & nbsp; E. Kukuradze , & nbsp; І. Lisovska, & nbsp; O. Мельник , & nbsp; Н. Ostroukhova .
The practice of holding class concerts and scientific activity is intensifying. All teachers give methodical reports and messages every year.
G. Buchynsky’s high demands and principles helped to strengthen the position of the department, which was, in a way, a laboratory where personnel were grown for many departments.
G. Buchynsky’s short but fruitful school was attended by future specialists of the Department of Concertmaster Skills – & nbsp; L. Karpotina, & nbsp; O. Sukhomlinova , & nbsp; R. Volina , & nbsp; L. Filippenko , & nbsp; O. Melnyk & nbsp; and teachers of the chamber ensemble department & nbsp; V. Ivanytska , & nbsp; N. Kirichenko , & nbsp; A . & Nbsp; May ; teachers of the Department of Opera and Symphony Conducting & nbsp; G. Dobrovolsky & nbsp; and the Department of Music Theory and Composition & nbsp; N. Isakhanov , as well as many teachers of the Department of Special Piano.
All the life and work of G. Buchynsky – a man of great creative temperament, brilliant organizer, authoritative leader – is an example of exceptional dedication to the education of musicians. Thanks to his inexhaustible energy, the famous school named after Professor PS Stolyarsky, which he headed for over 15 years, was rebuilt in a short time. G. Buchynsky was for some time the dean of the piano faculty of the conservatory, for 20 years he headed the regional methodical office, wrote a number of works on music pedagogy. He created and nurtured the teaching staff of the department. A large number of teachers – pupils of G. Buchynsky – are still working.