_____________________________ Taken from "Le Dauphiné Libéré - Vaucluse Matin" Two thousand lighting candles for the 5th of Beethoven. Wednesday, 20.30 Johathan Schiffman, the new Avignon-Provence lyric orchestra director,brilliantly celebrated the 200th anniversary of the first public presentation of the 5th simphony by Beethoven. In this occasion, the great composer, had performed his concerto n. 4 which was also interpreted during the soiree. It was performed in an original and spectacular way by the pianist and composer Vitalij Kuprij. During the concert, the audience could discover 3 pieces by Charles Yves, Ravel's contemporary and composer at the time when he didn't sell life insurances. Taken from "La Provence" The Musical Delirium Tuesday, 21.30 A concert took place at the Delirium Tzigane with an atipique performance by Vitalij Kuprij Coming directly from Philadelphia with a new range, he tries to "create something which nobody has never done, an original mix of hard rock and classical music". Vitalij leaves today for the USA after a little more conventional concert which was performed yesterday evening at the Opéra Taken from "La Provence" Seen at the Opera Kuprij, hero of a memorable concert A real triumph was tributed by the public of the Avignon Opera to the young Ukrainian pianist for his interpretation of the 4 Concert by Beethoven. A triumph which was amplified by the three bis which followed, which gave the chance to the pianist of showing a phenomenal virtuosity. But, if his technique is prodigius, his sensitiveness is not the less and it provided an exceptional interpretation of a piano masterpiece. Always in perfect harmony with the exemplar performance of the orchestra, Vitalij Kuprij proved to be one of the most gifted pianist in his generation for his intelligence and sensibility Other great moments were to follow, and the audience could assist to a muscled interpretation of the 5 Symphony, under the wonderful direction of jonathan Schiffman. Before Beethoven, the public was invited to discover charles Yves, the most innovative American composer of the XXth century. His music proved to be able to touch all kinds of music, included the contemplative art which is well illustrated in a "Cosmic Landscape" The Ukrainian Weekly - February 14, 1999 Pianist Vitalij Kuprij to debut at Carnegie NEW YORK - Ukrainian pianist Vitalij Kuprij, currently a student at the Curtis Institute of Music, will make his Carnegie Hall debut in a featured concert with the New York Youth Symphony on Sunday, March 7. Music critics have referred to the 25-year-old pianist as an astonishing, powerful and confident virtuoso. Internationally renowned flutist James Galway, who chose Mr. Kuprij as his accompanist for the 1995 International Flute Seminar masterclasses held in Weggis, Switzerland, considers him to be "... one of the most outstanding players of his generation." Mr. Kuprij was born in Volodarka, Kyiv Oblast, in 1974. He studied piano with Nina Najditsch at Kyiv's Mykola Lysenko Music Academy for Talented Students. He won the gold medal in the Kyiv Conservatory Competition at the age of 13 and was awarded first prize as the youngest performer in the All-Union Chopin Competition held in Kazan, Russia (1990) and First Prize in the Lysenko Competition in Kyiv (1992). Prior to coming to the United States, he was a student of Rudolph Buchbinder at the Basel Conservatory in Switzerland. He received first prize in the Geneva Duo Competition for Violin and Piano in Switzerland (1993), Piano 80 (1994) and the Swiss Youth Competition (1994). Mr. Kuprij is continuing his music studies with Gary Graffman, president and director of the Curtis Institute of Music. He has been much in demand as a soloist, recitalist and as a chamber musician throughout the United States and abroad, including France, Poland, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Luxembourg. In addition, as a composer, he often performs his own works in concert. Mr. Kuprij is at home also in the world of rock; his music has been highly successful overseas, especially in Japan. Shrapnel Records, with whom he records, has released three CDs - two with his band, Artension, titled "Into the Eye of the Storm" and "Phoenix Rising," and two solo instrumental albums, "High Definition" and "Extreme Measures." Mr. Kuprij will perform with the NYYS in one of the three concerts of the symphony's 1989-1999 season. The opening concert (held in December 1998) featured renowned clarinetist Richard Stoltzman; the closing concert, to be held May 23, will feature internationally renowned violinist Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg. The 100-member New York Youth Symphony orchestra is under the direction of Mischa Santora, winner of the 1998 Aspen Prize, who is currently in his second season as music director. The concert program will include: Brahms, "Tragic Overture"; Liszt, Piano Concerto No. 1; Kevin Putz, "Concerto for Everyone" (world premiere commissioned by the orchestra); and De Falla, Suite No. 2 from "The Three-Cornered Hat." The concert begins at 2 p.m. Both general admission tickets at $5 and reserved seating at higher prices are available by calling NYYS at (212) 581-5933. Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, February 14, 1999, No. 7, Vol. LXVII Bucks County Courier Times - February 15, 2000 Memorable night for DVPO This weekend's performance of Sergei Rachmaninoff's "Second Piano Concerto (op. 18)" by the Delaware Valley Philharmonic Orchestra will long be remembered as one of the finest in its 46-year history. A large crowd at Council Rock High School gave the orchestra, conducted by Maestro Michael Pratt and pianist Vitalij Kuprij a prolonged standing ovation, including two curtain calls after the conclusion of the impassioned composition. The concerto, which was a hit from the moment it premiered in Moscow in 1901, has been popular throughout the 20th century and spawned the popular 1976 Eric Carmen tune "All by myself" from the lyrical second movement. Kuprij, a native of Ukraine and a student at the prestigious Curtis Music Institute of Philadelphia, has won numerous piano competitons throughout Europe where he is widely known for his astonishing power and skill. That gift was in full bloom Saturday at Council Rock where the twentysomething musician held the audience spellbound through hus half-hour performance. The constantly changing tempo of the concerto challenged the 63-member orchestra and it responded beautifully under Pratt's tight direction. But clearly the star was Kuprij, an avant-garde musician who is a neo-classical alternative rock artist on the side with five CDs to his credit with the band Artension. PALERMO. Al Politeama Concerto dell' Orchestra sinfonica Suggestione di archi con Ligeti ITALIAN Alla forte evidenza teatrale del concerto n.2 di liszt, che si concede anche delicati ramages, si e dedicato il pianista ungherese Vitalij Kuprij dalle notevoli abilita tastieristiche che gli hanno dato la possibilita di affrontare con virtuosistica evidenza le impegnative richieste lisztiane. E la sua brillantezza ha solleticato il pubblico stavolta propenso a consensi calorosi che hanno sortito tre brillantissimi bis. Live at Carnegie Hall, March 7th 1999 Winter Concert, Feb 21st 1999 Liberace foundation Award for the 1997-1998 Academic year USA - The Morning Call, Aug 24th 1997 Switzerland - Luzerner Zeitung, Aug 11th 1995 Switzerland - Graduation Concert, Aug 13th 1995 Switzerland - Piano Concert France - L'Express Neuchatel, Jan 22nd 1994 Ukraine - 15 years old! VITALIJ KUPRIJ - "Works of Liszt and Chopin" Review by harmody.com Artension keyboardist Vitalij Kuprij has just released his fourth solo album, Piano. That title is perfectly self-explanatory as it is just Vitalij on solo piano, playing the works of Chopin and Liszt. Those expecting his keyboard wizardry of the past will be sorely disappointed as this is a classical music disc in every way. This album was recorded in November of 1999, but hasn't seen a release until now. In the liner notes, Vitalij writes "The following CD is dedicated to everyone who is willing to accept my will and live and courage to the classical music as it is still indeed 'The Finest Art In The World.' To those who are having difficulty relating to this message, remember No offense taking!!! (sic). Give it another shot and perhaps you may enjoy it." Kuprij has chosen to perform some of classical's more mellower pieces instead of the more technical pieces that I would have expected him to choose. Don't look for any bombastic Wagner tunes or the melodies of Debussy. This is the kind of album to play on a Sunday morning while having a cup of joe and reading the paper. Strictly by-the-book classical music. While well played, this is for open minded fans only. Vitalij Kuprij's brochure for his Carniege Hall concert Vitalij will play: Clementi, Chopin, Stravinsky, Kuprij, Liszt Concert in Rome - March 2003 Vitalij Kuprij's promo for Italy/ Palermo Sicily concerts Vitalij plays: Sibelius, Chopin, Rachmaninov