Killed in Russian Occupation. In Memory of Ukrainian Conductor Yurii Kerpatenko

Mariia Dovhun

1 week ago

Yurii Kerpatenko was a Ukrainian conductor, accordionist, and a composer. He led the orchestras of the Kherson Philharmonic and the Kherson Music and Drama Theater, toured abroad, and was one of the founders of a recording studio in Kherson.

On September 28, 2022, Yurii Kerpatenko was shot dead for refusing to cooperate with the occupation authorities on the doorsteps of his home in occupied Kherson. The conductor was 46 years old.

It is necessary to know about the life and heroism of this modest and very deep man. Hanna Mamonova, a journalist, and Olha Solomonova, Yurii Kerpatenko’s teacher at the music college, shared their thoughts about the conditions of existence in occupied Kherson and their memories of Yurii Kerpatenko, as a musician and a person.

Life in Kherson under Russian occupation

Hanna Mamonova, journalist at the Public Interest Journalism Lab

Throughout the entire period of occupation, Yurii Kerpatenko stayed in Kherson (the city was occupied by Russian troops on March 1, 2022 — ed.). Many people from the cultural sphere had neither the financial resources nor the moral strength to leave the occupied city. Apparently, Yurii was in the same situation. In May 2022 it was no longer possible to leave Kherson through Mykolaiv because of ongoing fighting in Mykolaiv. People began to leave Kherson through Crimea, but there were Russian filtration checkpoints on the border with Crimea, where Russians were detaining Ukrainians.

In September 2022, when Yurii was killed, a Russian torture system was steadily operating in Kherson (about 2,000 people were held in seven torture chambers). Russians and Ukrainian collaborators were among the torturers. The Russians were led by Aleksandr Naumenko (head of the Rosgvardia department in the Kherson region). His task was to organize the first illegal detention centers (in March-April). Russians tortured Ukrainian people to get a promotion or a bonus. Ukrainian collaborators/torturers had a different goal — to make money (the largest recorded amount of money paid off to such torturers was 30 thousand dollars). The head of the torture chamber, where Ukrainian collaborators tortured detained Ukrainians, was the former head of the SBU, [Sluzhba bezpeky Ukrainy, Security Service of Ukraine — ed.], Oleksandr Yakymenko [the head of the SBU in 2013-2014 — ed.]

A room in Kherson where, according to the Security Service of Ukraine, Ukrainians were tortured. Photo: SBU

Ukrainian people were identified by the torturers on social media after rallies against the occupation. Identified Ukrainians were detained and tortured until they started naming those involved in the guerrilla movement, and those with a strong pro-Ukrainian position. There was an atmosphere of fear in Kherson. People did not communicate with each other because of the fear to be captured. Mobile phone service was Russian, and everything was monitored by Russians. Hence, Kerpatenko stopped communicating with anyone. He was constantly forced to go back to work, including by the new conductor of the Philharmonic who was appointed by the occupiers. Yurii refused. Shortly before the murder, unknown people came to his apartment and threatened him. We still do not know who shot him, Russians or Ukrainian collaborators.

At the time of the murder of Yurii Kerpatenko in September 2022, there was no indication that Russians would retreat from Kherson in early November. For a while Russians did not disturb cultural institutions. However, during the summer, they had to demonstrate that life in Kherson was normal under the occupation, so they decided to do it through the cultural sphere. This method is still used by Russians in the newly occupied territories.

On September 1, 2022, the Kherson Philharmonic and Music and Drama Theater began preparations for the new season. The local history museum was preparing exhibitions for Russian holidays (when the occupiers retreated, they looted this museum, as well as the Art Museum and the Oles Honchar Library). Since there were not enough musicians to start the season, the occupation authorities began to put pressure on the professionals they needed, forcing them to cooperate.

Yurii Kerpatenko’s story confirms that no one can be condemned under occupation since by maintaining a pro-Ukrainian position, you can die even on the doorstep of your home.

“The Tragic Disposition of Fate”

Olha Solomonova, musicologist and Yurii Kerpatenko’s teacher

To talk about Yurii Kerpatenko, whom I have known since childhood, is both easy (because there is a lot to say about him) and difficult (because it is hard to accept that he’s gone).

Yurii and I loved similar things and shared similar paths in life: music, hometowns (Kherson and Kyiv), common alma maters — the Kherson Music College and the Kyiv Conservatory, where we were at the same time, although in different positions.

We first met at the Kherson Music College under odd circumstances. In early September of a forgotten year, I was approached by an innocent boy, a little clumsy, “dotted” with teenager youthful markings, but with a confident posture and a piercing gaze. The boy, desperately bold, but barely hiding his trembling, said: “I am Yura Kerpatenko, a first-year accordionist [accordionists were a part of folk instruments department — ed.]. Can I attend your music theory classes with the music theory students?” Since his question was unexpected, I was a little dumbfounded and asked: “Why? The course would be difficult for you.” The stubborn boy replied: “I know it’s hard, but they say it’s interesting. Take me, I won’t let you down!” Seeing such perseverance (and then learning that Yura was an orphan raised by his aunt), I could not deny his participation in my classes.

So, Yura started lessons in musical notation followed by harmony with my music theory students, following a program that far exceeded the requirements for students with a folk instruments major. My classes, with an emphasis on improvisation, composition, and non-standard forms of work, opened a “window of opportunity” for Yurko, and the seeds from these classes fell on fertile ground. Later, in college, he studied composition with Yukhym Valerstein. It is no coincidence that Yurii Kerpatenko as an adult was known not only as a professional performer and conductor, but also as a strong arranger (often, when he quit his job, this is what he did for a living), and a composer.

Even then, when I met Yurko, I sensed a special quality, a duality of his personality. I admired and, at the same time, was surprised by his gentleness and modesty and his fierce inner strength and ability to “move stones” if necessary for the cause. Unfortunately, Yurko’s shyness and complaisance were often perceived as weaknesses. One result was that he experienced misunderstandings with colleagues who did not want to submit to the professional requirements of a “weak” conductor who was unable to “tighten the screws” (I heard about this from Yura during our last meetings in Kyiv).

On the other hand, Yura’s firmness, intransigence, and perfectionism in conducting irritated his fellow orchestra members and the administration. He was uncomfortable and prickly, and could not be tamed, subdued, or appeased. As we understand it, such a truthful, force-resistant behavior and an openly proclaimed pro-Ukrainian position in occupied Kherson, along with his refusal to cooperate with the occupation authorities, led to Yurko’s terrible death, a final instance of a tragic disposition of fate that accompanied him since childhood.

However, despite his difficult life circumstances (an orphaned child deprived of parental love, surely experiencing insecurity and frequent financial difficulties), Yurii was always determined to reach new heights. It seemed that being in music and with music was quite easy for him. His perfect pitch, exquisite music timbre and texture sense, ability to improvise and compose were signs of a unique gift sent to him from Heaven.

However, behind every such “ease” was Yurii’s hard work, multiplied by responsibility and his critical demandingness to himself, along with a desire to reach the highest standards. I can mention his childhood and later young adulthood’s wins at music performance competitions, and his need to learn and achieve, including not only “educational masochism” at the beginning of his music studies at the Kherson Music College, but also his graduation from two faculties of the Kyiv Conservatory, folk instruments and conducting.

Lina Kostenko once noted that we often witness an “eternal paradigm of history: some people fight for freedom, but others come to power. Then comes the most insidious form of unfreedom, dressed in national symbols, obsessed with national pathos, and decorated with the attributes of democracy” (This quote addresses the issue of Yura speaking Russian. I am convinced, like most indomitable Kherson residents, that he would speak Ukrainian now).

Nowadays, when Ukraine is going through the most tragic times of its history and losing its best sons and daughters, it is important to remember and honor everyone. The musician Yurii Kerpatenko, who wasn’t a hero in everyday life, showed such a “civilian courage,” and performed the greatest feat by giving his life for the freedom and independence of Ukraine. Let us remember him!

This material was created and published thanks to a grant from Shevchenko Scientific Society, USA.

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