ZECO TRAVEL TALK

A little more than a year ago, in our July 2007 Newsletter, Scott Fitzsimmons introduced Zegrahm travelers to a remarkable 14-year-old classical pianist from Odessa, Dasha Bukhartseva. Some of our Black Sea voyagers had the delight of being entertained by Dasha, and other performers, at a concert at the Gagarin Palace.

Those who met and heard her were astonished at her talent and dedication at such a young age. And a few of our passengers were so moved they felt compelled to take this young lady under their wings and carry her from a very humble existence to a doorway that would open into a world she never could have dreamed of. Her journey to the U. S. in 2007, to the prestigious Aspen Music Festival and School, and next—with highest hopes—to Juilliard, is nothing short of amazing. And all due to a few people, our wonderful passengers, who saw a diamond in the rough and realized they could help make it sparkle.

To quote from Scott’s letter last year:

“The remarkable discovery [of Dasha] and eventual U.S. journey seems fit for a motion picture, with a cast that would include Zegrahm travelers Dan and Lynne Levinson of Colorado and Mieke and Hendrik Smit of Hilton Head, along with expedition leader Lia Oprea and our terrific tour partner in Ukraine, Janna Belousova…

With Dasha on the brink of entering Juilliard, and with support for this endeavor coming from sources all over the country, including many Zegrahm travelers, we felt it was time to give you an update on her progress:

After her first summer at Aspen, Dasha and her mother went home to Odessa so that she could finish high school. She returned to Aspen again this past summer, on full scholarship, studying with the celebrated teacher, Ann Schein (who urged her to apply to Juilliard).

In New York, Juilliard, too, recognized her prodigious talent and dedication and an offer of admission to Pre-College Juilliard was extended for this fall term. In combination with courses at the Professional Children’s School, Dasha will fulfill her academic requirements and continue with her music at Juilliard. For any aspiring musician, this is as exciting as it gets. The only setback, or deterrent, was, of course, the tuition, which comes in at $12,000 per semester of study (after she was awarded a $10,000 scholarship). For someone with humble roots this is a monumental obstacle.

But once again, through ultimate kindness and generosity, and through the tireless efforts of people like the Levinsons and Mieke Smit (whose own passionate fund-raising campaign could rival that of a major arts institution!), the way for Dasha is being paved and she will have the opportunity to study at the prestigious Julliard School of Music. She is about to celebrate her 16th birthday.

For those of you reading this who may be inspired to help young Dasha, Mieke opens her email inbox for questions in general, and for an invitation to contribute to the education of a remarkable young talent. You can write to her at: hsmit@roadrunner.com.

We look forward—with excitement and joy—to hearing of Dasha’s progress in the world of music. We will certainly keep you posted.