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

