OCTOBER 14 • 2021 | 39

expanded. The second movement is
completely brand new, and this piece is
just massive.”
Kutik, whose family came to America
when he was 5, first learned violin
from his mother, Alla Zernitskaya, an
award-winning, high-level instruc-
tor. He went on to earn a bachelor’s
degree from Boston University and a
master’s degree from the New England
Conservatory of Music.
“From what I understand from my
family, I always wanted to play violin,”
says Kutik, also the son of trumpet play-
er Alex Kutik and grandson of the late
trumpet player Isaac Kutik. “Growing
up around musicians and hearing musi-
cians all the time, I think it was a natu-
ral thing for me.
“I probably played my first concert
when I was 8 or 9. I had a big appear-

ance with the Boston Pops orchestra
[and conductor Keith Lockhart] when
I was just leaving high school, and that
felt like a debut.”
Kutik, who made his 2019 debut at
the Kennedy Center in Washington,
D.C., can list pre-pandemic engage-
ments that reach from the El Paso
Symphony to the Cape Town
Philharmonic in South Africa.

DEDICATED TO THE
JEWISH COMMUNITY
Besides paying attention to memories
of musical experiences described by his
family, Kutik has absorbed memories of
antisemitic experiences also described.
The total expanse keeps him dedicat-
ed to culturally enriching the musical
enjoyment of Jewish community mem-
bers while speaking out against antisem-

itism.
“My family’s treatment as Jews and
what they had to deal with [before
coming to America] was abhorrent and
changed the entire scope of their lives,”
says the violinist, who heard about
employment quotas and thug violence
affecting his relatives.
“I feel it’s my duty to speak out and
do what I can to raise awareness for all
people to pay attention and really be
very careful because history very much
repeats itself. Antisemitism never dis-
appeared, and it’s grown in recent years.”
Before pandemic limitations, Kutik
worked directly with the Jewish
Federations of North America. He
would speak at forums and with numer-
ous communities across the country.
“I visited various Jewish Federation
[groups] to help them in their fund-
raising and talk about my family’s
experiences,” he explains. “People can
see where their efforts and money have
gone and what their efforts and money
can do right now to help support Jews
and non-Jews who need help.”

UPCOMING WORK
Although Kutik did not marry a musi-
cian, he did gain a father-in-law who

continued on page 40

In the photo on the left, which he shared on
his Facebook page, Kutik, wote, “Spending
the afternoon studying the score to the
Joseph Schwanter Violin Concerto. World
premiere this October with the Detroit
Symphony Orchestra and Leonard Slatkin!”

Leonard Slatkin