The Ukrainian Embassy in the US is urging the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra to cancel the participation of Russian violinist Vadim Repin in the upcoming “Forces of Nature” concerts on 6–7 November at Maryland Hall. This was stated on the embassy’s Facebook page.
The statement says that, due to Repin’s documented involvement in Russian state and state-linked cultural initiatives, his invitation to perform in the US is a cause for concern.
On 21 February 2024, during Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Mr Repin performed with the State Kremlin Orchestra at a concert organised by the Kremlin Foundation to mark Defender of the Fatherland Day, which was explicitly presented as a tribute to Russia’s “great defenders”.
Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Vadim Repin Arts Development Foundation has received substantial funding from Russia’s Presidential Fund for Cultural Initiatives — a state institution that supports Russia’s cultural policy.
A number of cultural institutions have already reviewed their cooperation with Repin, including the Mannheim Philharmonic Orchestra in Germany, the Hungarian National Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Palm Beach Symphony in Florida, which cancelled Mr Repin’s performance in March this year.