On November 18, 2024, an exceptional concert will bring together two of the greatest contemporary pianists, Grigory Sokolov and Sergei Babayan, at Salle Cortot in Paris. This event, organised in tribute to Pavel Kushnir, a brilliant pianist who tragically passed away in prison in July 2024, will be held in support of the agency of artists in exile.
Fiercely opposed to the war, Pavel Kushnir had moved to a remote region of Russia’s Far East, near the Chinese border, to “distance himself from the capitals” and avoid being forced to perform at patriotic events. A passionate interpreter of Frédéric Chopin, he dedicated the final months of his career to Chopin’s Mazurkas in a series of 51 educational radio broadcasts. For him, highlighting these works — symbols of resistance against Russian occupation in 19th-century Poland — was an act of artistic defiance. His activism, also expressed in a series of YouTube videos, led to accusations of “terrorist activity” and his imprisonment in May 2024. After two months of detention marked by violence and a hunger strike, Pavel died on July 27. No official investigation into the circumstances of his death has been conducted.
The tribute concert to Pavel Kushnir offers a unique opportunity to celebrate his courage and demonstrate the solidarity of leading musicians of our time in the face of injustice and barbarism. Grigory Sokolov and Sergei Babayan, two world-renowned artists, will share with the audience a program of works by Chopin, Schumann, Schubert, Liszt, and Rachmaninoff.
Tickets are available now, accompanied by a call for donations. All ticket proceeds and funds raised will be donated to the agency of artists in exile, a Paris-based NGO supporting creators forced into exile due to conflicts or political repression in their home countries.
This concert reminds us that art transcends borders and hardships, and is an essential vehicle for freedom and hope. By honouring Pavel’s memory, this event aims to support all artists fighting for their values and freedom.
The concert is organised by the Aùrion Association and the record label Little Tribeca.
Practical Information:
– Date: November 18, 2024
– Venue: Salle Cortot, 78 Rue Cardinet, 75017 Paris
– Time: 8:00 PM
– Tickets: Available online https://sallecortot.com/event/hommage-a-pavel-kouchnir-grigory-sokolov-sergei-babayan/
– All proceeds will be donated to the agency of artists in exile.
For more information, please contact the press team at: presse@littletribeca.com +33 6 18 39 51 39
STATEMENT OF SUPPORT
As musicians, we wish to voice our support for all artists throughout the world who are oppressed, and sometimes forced into exile. Pavel Kushnir chose internal exile and had the courage to speak out against war. He paid with his life.
We will be in spirit at the concert given by Grigory Sokolov and Sergei Babayan in Paris on 18th November and join wholeheartedly in this hommage to Pavel which is also an expression of solidarity with all artists suffering repression today.
Signed by Martha Argerich, Alexeï Aiguï, Jacques Attali, Daniel Barenboim, Elena Bashkirova, Andrey Boreyko, Yefim Bronfman, Semyon Bychkov, Adam Fischer, Kirill Gerstein, Maria Gortsevskaya, Augustin Hadelich, Thomas Hampson, Jeanine Jansen, Paavo Järvi, Vladimir Jurowski, Evgeny Kissin, Alexander Korsantia, Gidon Kremer, Dmitri Kourliandski, Igor Levit, Elena Lisitsian, Alexei Lubimov, Misha Maisky, Alexander Melnikov, Julian Milkis, Anne-Sophie Mutter, Maria Nemtsova, Polina Osetinskaya, Dina Parakhina, Kirill Petrenko, Jean-Guihen Queyras, Beatrice Rana, Sir Simon Rattle, Sir Donald Runnicles, Andreas Scholl, Olga Shkrygunova, Katia Skanavi, Dmitry Sitkovetsky, Dima Slobodeniouk, Gábor Takács-Nagy, Alexandre Tharaud, Christian Thielemann, Emmanuel Tjeknavorian, Elena Toponogova, Lilya Zilberstein.
Acknowledgements
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Salle Cortot for their warm welcome, as well as to the representatives of the pianists for their invaluable support : the Artists Management Company Verona, general manager Franco Panozzo, and Felsner Artists.
PARTNERS
agency of artists in exile (aa-e) :
The mission of the agency of artists in exile (aa-e) is to identify artists in exile of all origins and disciplines, to support them according to their situation and needs, to offer them work space and to put them in contact with professionals (French and European networks), in order to provide them with the necessary means to restructure and continue their practice. According to the demands of projects and programs, the aa-e creates its own events, including the “Party in exile” and the multidisciplinary festival, Visions of Exile, in cooperation with its partners.
Due to war, racial, ethnic, sexual and gender discrimination, or religious, economic and political marginalisation, every day many people are forced to leave their homeland. Amongst them, some are artists often involved in a continuous fight against the authorities of their countries. Since it is the duty of art to be the voice of the oppressed and to reveal the underlying issues in the society, the creative sector in Europe must be particularly mindful of the matter and provide the infrastructures to better accommodate these artists. Artists must be able to continue to practice their art, not only as individuals, but also as custodians of their culture. It is through art that the culture of a people whose autonomy is threatened, will continue to live on.
Little Tribeca :
Originally founded as a recording studio by sound engineer Nicolas Bartholomée, Little Tribeca now oversees three internationally renowned music labels: Aparté, Evidence Classics, and Praga Digitals. Conceived as a true home for artists, the company has expanded its expertise across all areas of music production, including album publishing, concert production, and audiovisual production. The latest addition to this company is Little Tribeca – the Agency, a division dedicated to artist management.
Aùrion
The Aùrion Association works to preserve art as a space of freedom, exploration, and diversity. We champion the beauty and complexity of the human experience and all the artistic expressions it inspires. For us, art represents the highest form of hope.
Our mission is to support artists from all backgrounds in bringing their projects to life, particularly by facilitating collaborations with world-renowned artists in the fields of visual arts, performing arts, and music.