From Kharkiv with Grieg to the mountains

– I can’t imagine a more fitting place to perform Grieg than here, in the Norwegian mountains. It’s precisely here that you can truly feel Grieg’s music, says Mariia. – This sonata is especially important to me: I started working on it even before I decided to come to Norway. We've been on a long journey together, and now I feel I can fill it with new colors and experiences I've gained here.

When asked if the fact that the concert is long sold out adds any pressure, she responds with enthusiasm instead:

– The sold-out concert brings me joy and inspiration rather than stress. I love playing for an audience, she says with a smile.

Mariia is also very much looking forward to collaborating with pianist Marianna Shirinyan:

– I feel a strong connection to her musicality. I’m really excited about our rehearsals in Valdres.

 

Musical upbringing

Mariia grew up in a musical family in Kharkiv, Ukraine. She began playing the violin at the age of five. With parents who were both music teachers and a sister who is a pianist, the home was filled with music from an early age. She received her foundational education at the Kharkiv State Music Lyceum—a specialized school for musically gifted children—under the guidance of Lyudmila Varenina.

– I am very grateful to my teacher in Ukraine and her enormous contribution to my development. In Kharkiv, I received a solid musical foundation, and every teacher there played an important role in shaping me both as a musician and as a person, she says.

– Barratt Due has been an incredibly enriching experience. The teaching, the environment, and not least Alf Richard have greatly enriched me over the past year, she says. – He has played a huge role in my development — both as a musician and as a person — and I am very grateful for the opportunity, she adds.

The year at Barratt Due has been packed with masterclasses and inspiring encounters:

– Each professor was unique, and I gained something valuable from lessons with all of them, she says.

When asked about other composers she feels close to, she highlights Maurice Ravel — especially his Violin Sonata No. 2 in G major:

– That piece is like a living palette of changing colors. I played it together with my sister two years ago, and I will definitely return to it, she says emphatically.

Musikk som brobygger

Krigen i Ukraina har satt dype spor i Mariias liv – både personlig og kunstnerisk. Faren bor fortsatt i Kharkiv, mens moren og søsteren har søkt tilflukt i Tyskland.

– Jeg tror at etter krigens start har mange tanker og følelser funnet veien inn i musikken. Jeg forsøker å formidle dette til publikum gjennom spillet mitt, sier hun alvorlig.

Et av hennes sterkeste minner er fra samspillet med søsteren, som også er hennes nærmeste musikalske partner:

– Det finnes en spesiell forbindelse i vårt samspill – vi føler musikken på samme måte, forklarer hun.

Siste gang Mariia var hjemme i Kharkiv, var en måned før krigen brøt ut. Det var under nyttårsfeiringen med hele familien. De første krigsdagene var svært tunge – både fysisk og psykisk. Det ble lettere da moren og søsteren kom seg i sikkerhet i Hannover.

She especially remembers one concert in Germany at that time, where she performed the first movement of Eugène Ysaÿe’s Fourth Violin Sonata:

– That was one of the most emotional performances of my life, and I hope the audience felt it. I truly believe that classical music can build bridges — both emotionally and politically, she says.

 

Future plans

Mariia sees participating in international festivals like Valdres Summer Symphony as much more than just an artistic stage — it is also a space for cultural exchange, empathy, and solidarity.

She hopes for closer collaboration between Norwegian and Ukrainian musicians in the time ahead.

– During my time in Oslo, I have attended many concerts, and each time I have been struck by the genuine, emotional presence of the musicians, she says.

This fall, a new chapter awaits: a two-year academy position with the renowned NDR Radiophilharmonie in Hannover. But Mariia’s outlook remains broad:

– I want to develop myself as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral player. And above all — to continue building connections through music, she concludes.

FACTS: Mariia Kostogryz

Born:
Kharkiv, Ukraine

Instrument:
Violin

Education:

• Kharkiv State Music Lyceum (Ukraine)

• Hochschule für Musik, Drama und Medien Hannover (Germany)

• Barratt Due Institute of Music (Norway) – exchange student

Teachers:
Lyudmila Varenina, Ulf Schneider, Alf Richard Kraggerud

Awards:

• Winner of the concert competition at Luzerne Music Center, New York (2019)

• Scholarship from Musikförderung Klaus Thimm (2024)

Festivals & Masterclasses:

• Astona International (Switzerland)

• Luzerne Music Center (USA)

• Verão Clássico (Portugal)

• IMAS (Germany)

Masterclasses with Barbara Doll, Dora Schwarzberg, Mihaela Martin, Guro Kleven Hagen, Sonoko Miriam Welde, and others.

Chamber Music:

• Active in several ensembles and chamber projects across Europe

• Forms a duo with her sister, pianist Nataliia Kostogryz

Upcoming:

• Two-year academy position at NDR Radiophilharmonie, Hannover (from autumn 2025)