Munich – October 5, 2016

Dear Khosh,

recently I watched a video with you doing some drum magic. You played a piece called “Marimba Time“. The magic was made of various components: marimba, woodblock, glockenspiel, mallets, snare, handclaps, cowbell and lots of basss, of course. Even though you played it all by yourself, you had some electronic help: Roland HandSonic Percussion HPD20, Korg WaveDrum Oriental, Korg WaveDrum Global Edition, Abelton Live and an Akai APC Controller. “Live looping” is what you did and apparently do a lot. Very impressive, I’d love to see you perform live.

Of course I already found out a few things about you. I love the label you gave yourself: “real-time emotion maker“. That’s seems to be very true. And of course „Khosh“ is your artist name. It’s short for Dmytro Khoroshun. So to make things easier, let’s stick to Khosh, shall we!?

Before you became a live performer in the electronic music scene rather recently, you already were a full-time academically trained professional musician.

Your music adeventure started when you were five years young, took you through a music conservatory and into the youth orchestra for the state theatre for children. You have a steady gig at one of Ukraine’s most prestigious opera houses. Is that in Kiev? Although classical music offers a wide variety of playing opportunities, it seems that wasn’t enough for you. On the one hand you wanted more than to sight-read – thus you started composing and arranging. On the other hand it seems, your heart is beating for music in general and needed to explore new facets of it – thus you dived into pop, rock, jazz, balkan music, afro-cuban music and most recently into electronic music.

So how did that happen? Were you tired of the last row in the orchestra? 😉 Were you actively looking for something else besides the classical world? Have you always had an eye and ear on what was happening outside that world? Did you acquire the new skills by yourself? Possibly through the internet?

How do I have to imagine music education in the Ukraine? Is it compulsory for all children? Is it very strict? What exactly did you start playing when you were five years young? And why did you start? Did you have musical heroes back then? Who became your idols along the way? Is it still possible for you to combine these different worlds?

Your country is pretty young and has been shaken up during the couple last years. In how far did that influence your studies, your career, your choices and your path? How difficult is it to be a professional musician in the Ukraine? What’s the music scene like? What kind of music can you hear when you turn on the national radio? Is it easy for people in your country to get access to the world wide web? How popular are social media?

On facebook you stress the words “experiment, creativity, open-mindness, professionalism and quality“. Those are the pillars of your creative work. What exactly do you mean by all that? How do you combine them? Where are you heading to? What’s your next stop and goal as an artist?

Khosh, these are a lot of questions. I hope you find the time to answer them. I am looking forward to reading from you very much.

Be well, play well, have fun!
Cat

Kiev – November 20, 2016

Greetings! Cat!

I see that you are so proactive and creative blogger, who can write really exciting. Because music – it’s just a delight! I was interested to answer your questions, and I hope that you will be interested in my answers ;

1. Yes, my education is classical, but I was always interested in other musical styles, genres. It comes from my family – my father gave a taste in jazz, my mother opened me wide world of art.

2. I was always interested in experiment. The synthesis of difference. When you go inside in contemporary and classical music, you find a plot of ideas. Classics is the basis and rules. From the first human sounds to our modern musicians everything is so exciting. While you understand the mass, you become a part of all this process, of this universe. Ideas can born in every moment, there is no matter what mood are you. There is an impressions. Open mind.

3. Of course, not only by myself. Friends, different societies, and Internet, obviously.

4. Musical education is not necessary in Ukraine, parents usually decide by themselves. My mother took me to music school in the age of five. I learned piano, my young parents were university students. I didn’t have any idols , but I liked bands like Chicago, All Stars Big Band, Chick Corea, Dave Weckl, Gary Burton,Toots Thielemans,Arturo Sandoval, and mostly is jazz. In music academy I liked more modern jazz. We all had parties and concerts in jazz clubs.

5. Yes, it’s very interesting and new.

6. Yes, we have hard times, and I’m worry about it a lot. I grew up in Crimea, Yalta is my my native town. Mr. Putin harms Ukraine a lot – especially on the East, in Donetsk. Every day hundreds of people dies. It hurts too much. In culture space, the patriotic theme is very active now. Ukraine is rich by it’s classical musicians, but most of them are trying to get away, because of very low fees. Cheap and mass pop-music is mostly popular. But, youngsters rule. We have more and more interesting artist; the number of cool locations is growing fast.

7.  I do not listen to the radio, sometimes drivin’ a car. But, I think, that Facebook and Youtube is the most comfortable way to keep abreast of developments.

8. It’s like a prism – my view, my character, qualities and the process of performing. All together – is a fruit of creativity.

By practice. More and longer practice. It’s like in dancing. If you have more technic opportunities, your creation is more interesting.

9. I’m trying to go with the flow, to drift. Sometimes, variety of ideas can change the way strongly. Although, yesterday you watched in quite another side. My next goal is solo career, second high music education. But, it is secondary – primary s to be a good husband and father 😉

Best regards,
Dmytro KHOSH Khoroshun!