The benefit concert Le rappel des oiseaux, organized by Kiwanis Hageland-Tienen on October 3 in the magnificent OLV Ten Poelkerk van Tienen, was an evening full of musical refinement and emotion. On stage were two exceptional violinists: the French Amandine Beyer, a familiar face in the region, and her former student, the Ukrainian Vadym Makarenko.
Amandine Beyer, who began her musical journey at age four on the recorder but quickly switched to the violin, has built an impressive career over the years. She won both national and international prizes and is known as one of the leading specialists in Baroque violin. Since 2010, she has taught Baroque violin at the prestigious Schola Cantorum Basiliensis in Basel. Vadym Makarenko, who received his first violin lessons at age five in Ukraine, decided after his studies to broaden his musical horizons throughout Western Europe. Landing in Basel, he took lessons with Beyer and became a beloved guest at music festivals throughout Europe.
The concert opened, after what we thought was perhaps a somewhat lengthy introduction, in a unique way with Le rappel des oiseaux by Jean-Philippe Rameau. Amandine and Vadym each started on opposite sides of the church and played violin while walking from the entrance to the choir. The church quickly filled with the captivating sounds of their violins, which immediately created a magical atmosphere.
The planned program contained works by Jean-Marie Leclair, L'Abbé Le Fils, Luigi Boccherini, Charles-Auguste de Bériot and Reinhold Glière, a Ukrainian composer with presumed French or Belgian roots. However, after the first movement of a piece in B minor for two violins by Leclair, the duo surprised the audience by deviating from the announced program. They treated those present to a sonata by Antonio Vivaldi and two movements from a serenata by Giovanni Battista Viotti. After these spontaneous additions, they resumed the planned program, albeit in a somewhat altered order.
The chemistry between Beyer and Makarenko was unmistakable. Their interplay, characterized by technical precision and emotional depth, ensured that the works came to life effortlessly. Each piece was performed with such finesse and feeling that the audience was completely captivated. The finale, a work by Glière, formed a powerful closing piece and tribute to Makarenko's Ukrainian roots.
The audience responded enthusiastically and rewarded the musicians with a standing ovation. This enthusiastic reception led to a brief but heartwarming "encore" as a token of thanks. This benefit concert was not only a tribute to the beautiful music of different periods, but also a testament to the power of collaboration and musical tradition between teacher and student.