“The Piano Prophet: Lubomyr Melnyk – Pioneer of Continuous Music & Fastest Pianist in the World”

Ukrainian composer and pianist Lubomyr Melnyk (1948) is the pioneer of a new piano language – called continuous music – and one of the greatest piano virtuosos of our time, also known as the piano prophet. 19.5 – he can play so many notes per second with both hands at the same time (yes, in one second, that’s not a typo), and this makes Melnik the fastest pianist in the world.

He started working on the concept of continuous music in the mid-70s of the 20th century, influenced by classical academic music, modern phenomena, and various oriental martial arts. “Classical pianists say it’s physically impossible to play it. But it’s possible, just like the things a martial arts master can do,” says Melnik. In 1981, he published the treatise “OPEN TIME: The Art of Continuous Music”, which explained the mental and physical skills necessary for continuous music.

After this year’s concerts in London, Prague, Tampere and many other places, on May 27, Melnik will be able to be heard also in Latvia, in the “Cēsis” concert hall. This concert is held in cooperation with the Latvian jazz publishing house “Jersika Records”, under whose auspices Melnik’s new album “The Sacred Thousand” was recorded and released – a tribute to the struggle of Ukrainian heroes against the Russian invaders. “Ukrainians are ready to give their all,” says Melnyk, and he is sure that no continuous music would have happened if he had another nationality. After the conversation, he emphasizes: “For the publication, it is imperative to choose only those pictures in which I can be seen together with the piano. Otherwise, it is not me.”

You were born in Munich, but the family soon moved to Canada. Tell me, when was your first contact with the piano?

I started playing the piano when I was three or four years old, but there were no lessons yet, my parents couldn’t afford it. At about the age of eight, I was given my first very simple piano lessons by a lovely nun at a small school. I really enjoyed playing as a child and I have enjoyed it all my life. The piano is a part of me.