Vitalii Sechkin (* 1927, Kharkiv - 1988, Chisinau) was a Ukrainian composer, pianist, winner of international competitions, teacher, music and public figure, Honoured Artist of Ukraine (1960), professor.
Vitalii graduated with honours from the Kharkiv Conservatoire: in 1947 as a pianist (class of Professor Landesman), and in 1950 as a composer (class of Professor M. Tits).
The talent and high professional level of the young conservatoire graduate received international recognition - he was awarded the first prize at the Third International Festival of Youth and Students in Berlin (1951). This victory opened up a wide range of concert activities for the young pianist. However, the extremely demanding artist took another step towards improving his skills by completing postgraduate studies at the Moscow Conservatoire in the class of the famous pianist Yakov Zach.
He received many invitations to tour and performed with constant success in almost all cities of the former USSR, as well as abroad - in Poland, Czechoslovakia, Italy, Albania, France, etc.
The repertoire of his concerts, which was marked by an extremely wide variety of images and styles, covered piano music from the eighteenth to the twentieth centuries. It was this that the domestic and foreign press drew attention to, emphasising the uniqueness and originality of pianist Vitaly Sechkin, the originality and depth of the concept of the works, his unique artistry, always high inspiration and brilliant technical virtuosity.
As a pianist, V. Sechkin made a great contribution to the development of the Ukrainian piano school and the rise of its international reputation. It is no coincidence that he was a permanent member of the jury at international competitions. Vitaliy always paid great attention to the popularisation of Ukrainian piano music, both of the past and the works of his contemporaries. V. Sechkin repeatedly performed works by Ukrainian composers for the first time both in Ukraine and abroad.
Ensemble performance was also a favourite form of the pianist's concert activity. The performances of the trio consisting of prominent Ukrainian musicians - Vadym Chervov (cello), Oleksiy Horokhov (violin), Vitaliy Sechkin (piano) - remained unforgettable for the audience. Vitaliy dedicated several of his compositions to his friends.
His musical talent was not limited to performing. The pianist was the author of many original bright works of various genres - from miniatures to piano concertos.
His pedagogical activity is invaluable - he trained highly qualified, professionally formed pianists, the number of which reaches more than 100. Among his students are many winners of international competitions.
As a teacher-mentor, V. Sechkin paid much attention to the development of his own methodology for training pianists at the university, which incorporated the best progressive traditions of national and European piano schools. He initiated the creation of a series of methodological manuals - collections for teaching young pianists at various levels: from music school to university.
V. Sechkin devoted more than 30 years of his fruitful creative life to the Kyiv Conservatory, rising from a novice teacher to the head of the department, professor of special piano (since 1971), and later dean of the piano faculty (1972-1985).
For the last three years of his life, V. Sechkin worked as the head of the special piano department at the G. Muzychesku Moldovan Conservatory in Chisinau, passing on his extensive pedagogical experience to young musicians in Moldova.
The versatile activities of the talented, widely known musician V. Sechkin - pianist, composer, teacher, and musician - contributed to the significant enrichment of the musical culture of Ukraine, the growth of its international authority, and made a significant contribution to the development of the Ukrainian piano school.
Works
For chorus and symphony orchestra "Solemn Chorus" based on the words of Alexander Pushkin, overture ("My Beloved Land") for symphony orchestra; concerto for piano and orchestra (1962). Andante Cantabile for string quartet. For piano: Sonata (1948), variations, 2 etudes, 3 preludes, Sonata No. 2 (1963), "Recollection", etc. For violin and piano: Melody, Caprice, Poem, Sonata (1968). For cello and piano "Lullaby", three poems, suite, "Estonian Impressions"; choirs, solos.
