This program is a deeply personal narrative divided into two parts: current times and memories with reflections. It begins with a portrait of the current times: a prayer, much like the gentle opening of Scarlatti's Sonata, K 87. The music then erupts into a monumental struggle reminiscent of the epic conflict found in Liszt’s Sonata,ultimately ending quietly in uncertainty; colored by ashes left behind after Scarlatti’s Sonata, K 27. The second half of the program features works by Levko Revutsky and Valentin Silvestrov, born respectively in Chernihiv and Kyiv, Ukraine, the two cities I consider hometowns. My musical and cultural heritage was formed in these cities, a line of influence paralleled by the composers’ own personal connection to each other, as Revutsky was one of Silvestrov’s teachers. At this moment, it is important to me that I represent my culture and tell my story through the music and places that shaped who I am. — Illia Ovcharenko