From Hozier to Classical - Loving Strings
From Hozier to Classical - Loving Strings
Meet Natascha and Zino Bogachek
Last week I presented imagery and perspectives on the musical artist, Hozier. Now for something completely different.
Today it’s a pair of amazing violinists who are also husband and wife: Zinioviy (Zino) and Natasha Bogachek. They’re members of the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington DC, and I had the pleasure of seeing and meeting them recently for a chamber music performance.
I’ve had limited exposure to classical music up to now. Without the dramatic lighting and frenetic energy of a rock performance, staying attentive may not be easy for a typical adult in the year 2024. There’s no getting up and dancing. And I’ve got a short attention span in general, like many of us.
But I was captivated by the two of them, together.
Those first three images were made while they were performing the work of others. Before beginning the program, Zino explained. The first piece was by Mykola Lysenko, who he described as the greatest Ukrainian composer of all time. Lysenko had been recruited to Vienna and other prestigious, musical wellsprings, but he chose to stay home to make a name for Ukrainian classical music. The next piece was by Robert Fuchs, who he described as the greatest composer you've never heard of. They clearly admired both of these men, and performed their work beautifully. I would have been happy if that was all I experienced.
The second half of the program was Zino’s original work. I asked him about it after the performance. He had written many compositions as a young man, but decided they were not good enough, and he discarded every single scrap of paper. All of it. Didn’t write music for years, content simply to play.
Then, Covid. And Natasha told him he ought to begin composing again.
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To complete the program, they performed three of his pieces. As he introduced the work he found it difficult to say much. It’s easier to talk about other people and what they’ve done. So, he said, they would just play.
They switched places on the stage and began. It was not the only subtle shift as they played.
If you’d like to “meet” them, click these links for bios of Natascha and Zino individually. You can see a variety of their performances on YouTube.
You just might hear more about them from me down the road, as well.
Until next time,
Limited Edition Prints for Sale
Another channel of my photography. Oof. But as promised, I’ve got this new set of Limited Edition prints available for purchase. Any unsold African wildlife images from last fall, as promised, have been retired from circulation.
Each edition consists of ten Numbered Prints and two Artists Prints, 16x24” silver halide, with certificate of authentication. As before, these are limited both by number and duration of the offer. If you’d like one or more for that special person, don’t hesitate. You wouldn't want to become he who is lost!
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Great! Loved the blurry photo — musical electricity.
I’m in agreement with Alex. Great series of photos but the blurry one really gives a sense of the movement involved in playing the violin. Wonderful!