CIM’s Pompa-Baldi and Kuchar plan reunion for wartime concert in Ukraine

Two longtime CIM colleagues are about to reunite under risky but inspiring circumstances. 

Moved by a recent photo of Ukrainians enjoying a concert during wartime, CIM’s Antonio Pompa-Baldi has agreed to appear in Kyiv himself.  

He’s now set to join the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine and his friend Theodore Kuchar (MM ’82, Vernon), the group’s principal conductor, at 7pm on Saturday, Nov. 29. They’ll perform the Grieg Piano Concerto on a program with Nielsen’s Symphony No. 3 and Pohjola’s Daughter by Sibelius.  

“That photo, it moved me deeply,” said Pompa-Baldi, CIM’s Distinguished Professor of Piano. “I thought, ‘What would I do if that were me? Would I have the courage to go out in the street?’ It really brought the war home for me.” 

Pompa-Baldi’s performance will take place in Lysenko Hall, a prominent and historic venue in the city’s downtown. Since the war’s start in 2022, Russian strikes in Kyiv have killed or injured dozens and damaged several structures. 

Getting there entails its own risks. Unlike any other of Pompa-Baldi’s many appearances around the world, his trip to Kyiv consists of a flight to Warsaw and a 16-hour train ride across the border. The U.S. Dept. of State currently advises U.S. citizens not to travel to Ukraine.  

“I’ll probably not even know where I am anymore,” Pompa-Baldi predicted. “But I think there is meaning in this. I know I will be the richer for it.” 

Over the years, Kuchar and Pompa-Baldi have worked together several times. They’ve played concerts or made recordings in California, Slovakia, and South Africa, among other places. They met at CIM, where Kuchar, who trained as a violist before conducting, used to visit when performing in the area.  

This will be their first appearance in Ukraine, where Kuchar also has served as artistic director and principal conductor of the Lviv National Philharmonic since 2022. It was sparked by Kuchar’s successful request to program a guest soloist in Kyiv.  

“One of the first people I contacted was Antonio,” Kuchar said. “Not everybody is ready to come [to Ukraine].” 

Kuchar himself has his own reasons for concertizing in a war zone, with or without Pompa-Baldi.  

Not only is conducting there his job but is he of Ukrainian heritage, and has family in the country. He also feels he owes its people a debt of gratitude for helping him produce a long series of esteemed recordings with Ukrainian orchestras on the Naxos label. 

At that time, he needed Ukraine. Now, Ukraine needs him.  

“Those people made my career, and they’re living through it every day,” Kuchar said. “This is the least I can do, out of respect for them.”