In the Lecture Hall and on the Stage — A Ukrainian theater student in Austria
In the wake of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, numerous art university students were forced to leave Ukraine and pursue their academic and creative endeavors abroad. Among them is Yaroslav Somkin, a theater student currently enrolled at Mozarteum Salzburg, who shared with us his experiences.
Photo: Yaroslav Somkin
Yaroslav embarked on his academic journey at University Mozarteum Salzburg in 2022, a transition facilitated by his prior education at Kyiv National University of Theater, Cinema, and Television, named after I. K. Karpenko-Karyj. At Mozarteum, he resumed his studies, which had been disrupted in Kyiv in February 2022. After attending lectures as a guest student for two semesters, he successfully auditioned and gained admission to the fourth year of the Thomas Bernhard Institute, specializing in theater and film acting, aligning with his prior studies in Kyiv: “Currently, all Ukrainians [former guest students] have become regular students and are preparing for the new semester – some in the first year, some in the second, and some, like me, in the fourth year.”
Yaroslav and his fellow students from Ukraine received comprehensive support from Mozarteum, ranging from German language courses and English-taught classes to assistance in finding housing and meetings addressing the Russian-Ukrainian war and their well-being abroad.
Yaroslav was awarded an Ernst Mach scholarship from OeAD, allowing him to continue his studies in Austria. “I took part in four theatrical productions at the university and got to know very closely the differences in mentality, working methods, and perspectives on theater art in general,” reports Yaroslav. This experience granted him creative freedom, which, according to him, was often constrained back home “due to the mentality of teachers or financial limitations.”
However, Yaroslav is convinced that “the German-language theater ‘market’ would absolutely benefit from the spirituality and the essence of art in Ukraine.” “I believe that during this time I absorbed many new skills and expanded my taste palette,” Yaroslav resumes.
Nackte Wände: Concert by Ukrainian students of the Thomas Bernhard Institute, May 2023. Photo: Natalia Kravets
In addition to his theater studies, he also found time to develop as a musician and to become involved in the local Ukrainian community: “Together with my classmates from Ukraine, we had the opportunity to organize concerts where we played Ukrainian music in order to spread the art of bands like Scriabin or Vivienne Mort. I try to do a lot of charity work and cooperate with the local Ukrainian community, both in terms of humanitarian aid at home and supporting people, especially children and teenagers, who find themselves here in Austria.”