Ukrainian pianist becomes first-ever participant in prestigious Verbier Festival Academy in Switzerland

This was reported by Ukrinform, citing Swiss-Ukrainian producer, violinist, and curator Svitlana Vasylieva.

According to Vasylieva, participation in the Academy often marks a turning point in the careers of young musicians.

"Over the years, I have observed numerous international festivals, competitions, and academies. What sets the Verbier Festival Academy apart is that young performers do not simply refine their artistic skills here – they naturally become part of the global professional music community," she said.

The 22-year-old Fediurko is the first representative of the Ukrainian piano school to be invited to the Verbier Festival Academy. Since 2021, he has been studying under Professor Milana Chernyavska at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz (Kunstuniversität Graz) in Austria. He spent several years pursuing a place at the Academy, successfully passing its highly competitive international selection process each year.

"This is an opportunity to present not only my own artistry to the world, but also Ukrainian musical culture. I dream of performing the works of Levko Revutsky, a composer whose legacy, in my opinion, deserves much broader international recognition," the pianist said.

Participation in the Verbier Festival Academy is just one of Fediurko's major international achievements this year. In May, he advanced to the final six of the 18th Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Master Competition, one of the world's most prestigious piano competitions. On September 8, the Ukrainian pianist will perform in the final round in Israel together with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, while the winners will be announced on September 9.

Founded in Switzerland in 1994, the Verbier Festival is regarded as one of the world's leading classical music festivals. Its Academy and orchestral training programs are among the most respected international platforms for developing young musicians.

In 2026, the Festival received a record 2,425 applications from musicians representing 81 countries. Only 227 musicians from 43 countries were selected for the Verbier Festival Academy and Orchestra Training programs, with Roman Fediurko being the sole representative of Ukraine.

As reported by Ukrinform, 17-year-old Ukrainian pianist Havryil Sydoryk, who left Ukraine after the start of Russia's full-scale invasion and now lives in Estonia, recently performed at the Palace of Europe in Strasbourg.

Photo: Svitlana Vasylieva