Pianist Olga Kern's busy summer includes stop at Vancouver's Pacific Opus

Kern is something of a triple threat in the world of classical music, as a pianist, teacher and activist

We independently select everything we recommend. Buying through us may earn us a commission, which supports our work. While Vancouver’s summer months have less diversity and intensity than our regular season classical concerts, July and August do take advantage of our usually clement summers to invite students and young professionals to a number of local high-level programs.

A new one, now in its second year, is Pacific Opus, which specializes in lessons and master classes for high school and college-age students. Back again is distinguished pianist and pedagogue Olga Kern, who I had the chance to meet last week. Kern is something of a triple threat in the world of classical music.

As a pianist, she launched the North American part of her career at the prestigious Van Cliburn competition back at the turn of the century, and stayed on in Texas. “I was completely new to the country,” she explained, “staying with my wonderful host mother for almost two years in the Dallas area.” She became a New Yorker after her Carnegie Hall debut in 2003.

“I just understood that New York was my place.” Today she’s a revered teacher at the Manhattan School of Music. “Next year will mark 10 years.

I absolutely love it!” Last, but not least, she’s an activist, promoting and assisting young musicians through a number of endeavours, such as the Kern Foundation’s Aspiration and the Olga Kern International Piano Competition, where she holds the title of artistic director. Her July schedule is, to put it frankly, completely bonkers.

Earlier in the month, she was in Florida for the Rebecca Penneys Piano Festival; mid-month she’s off to China for the Lanzhou International Piano Festival; and she will end the month with an assignment at the Cleveland International Piano Competition. And before all that, she’s here in Vancouver for Pacific Opus. “The president of the festival, Annie Yu Cao, is also from the Manhattan School of Music.

Another MSM colleague, Jeffrey Cohen, told me, ‘Olga, there is this new festival going on in Vancouver, and Annie would really like to include you.’ I had a few days off between my concerts, and I love Vancouver, so I said, why not?” Supporting the endeavour from the ground floor, so to speak, Kern is enthusiastic about the festival’s mission, which goes beyond solo instrument work to include chamber music.

It’s already a growing concern, attracting a mix of Canadian, American, and Asian students to town for an intensive week of music making. Kern was born in Moscow into a long, distinguished line of musicians with strong and intimate connections with the grand Russian musical tradition. “I was very lucky that my parents were musicians who nurtured my talent early on.”

Our conversation was spirited and enthusiastic. It’s not always the case that artists in mid-career have equal enthusiasm for teaching, not to mention practical projects to help emerging artists. When I asked about the “why” of her enthusiasm for musical good works, the emotional temperature deepened.

She described her early days in Moscow: Money was in short supply; good wishes and proactive help were not. “I distinctly remember every time someone was helping me, giving me possibilities to play. Growing up as a musician.

I wanted to show them how much I appreciated them, and tried to demonstrate that I was worthy of their help. The very idea that people wanted to help me was so important. I always remember this when I see young students struggling, and feel it is my duty to help them in turn.”

Cut to a new country and new projects, the Aspiration foundation in 2012, then the Olga Kern International Piano Competition. That competition is a dividend of Kern’s time in the U.S. Southwest, or, as the competition Board President Maureen R. Baca puts it, “We dearly love Olga in New Mexico, and we are thrilled that she has chosen to have her Competition here. And it is a wonderful collaboration with the New Mexico Philharmonic.”

Lucky New Mexico. Is it too much to hope that the new connection between Kern and B.C. might prove fruitful in its own way?