Bortkiewicz Festival 2017

[thalbergmad]

Advised recently by me old mate Malcolm Balan of a proposed Bortkiewicz festival this year which I thought might be of interest to you chaps.

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/international-bortkiewicz-festival-2017-piano-ukraine#/

It seems they are trying to raise some dosh.

Thal

[Alan Howe]

I understand why it's to be held in the Ukraine, but...

[FBerwald]

It's an amazing start.

[Christopher]

Ukraine, not "the" Ukraine Alan....

And why shouldn't it be held there?  It is genuinely a very nice place to visit, especially Kyiv. And most of us don't need visas to go either.  The military conflict is taking part in a very small part of the country and far from Kyiv. (Analagous, perhaps, to Northern Ireland vis-a-vis the rest of the UK and rest of Ireland, many years ago). And it's incredibly cheap (this may even have been the deciding factor!)

[Alan Howe]

Ukraine, not "the" Ukraine Alan....

Sorry - I'm simply behind the times...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-18233844

And why shouldn't it be held there?

Oh, it should! But Ukraine's not a country I'd care to visit at the moment - just a personal opinion.

[Christopher]

Would you care to say why?  I'm just interested in knowing if it's due to media-driven perceptions, that's all.  I find it a delightful country to visit, with a really thriving and dynamic cultural scene - more than in many European countries.  Unfortunately all the media over here can cover is the war and corruption, which puts most people off looking any deeper to see that most Ukrainians aren't corrupt politicians or insurgents but ordinary people with interests, jobs, families just trying to get on with life.

[Alan Howe]

Putin. Let's leave at that and return to the subject...

[Christopher]

er, he's the president of the country next door...

[Alan Howe]

...er, that's why he's dangerous to the country under discussion. Now, as I said, let's return to the topic...

[Christopher]

Russia borders Norway too. Would you not visit Norway? Or Finland, Poland, China.....

Not getting at you, just hoping to wave the flag for Ukraine a bit (it needs it!).  And, in so doing, help out the organisers of this festival (the theme of this topic). Like I said, the conflict is 600 miles away.

[Mark Thomas]

OK, Christopher, we get the point, I'm sure.