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US Orchestra Refuses to Cancel Russian Violinist Vadim Repin Despite Ukrainian Embassy Appeal
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The Annapolis Symphony Orchestra (ASO) has said it does not plan to cancel upcoming performances by Russian violinist Vadim Repin despite an appeal from the Ukrainian Embassy in the United States and protests from activists, The Violin Channel reported.
Repin is scheduled to perform with the orchestra at Maryland Hall in Annapolis on November 6 and 7. The program includes Soviet composer Dmitri Shostakovich’s Violin Concerto No. 1.
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Representatives of the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra told The Violin Channel that the scheduled performances would go ahead as planned.
The orchestra noted that it had previously removed Repin from its program in 2022, immediately following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, as cultural institutions worldwide were determining how to respond to Russia’s actions and whether to continue presenting Russian artists.
According to the ASO, the 2022 decision was not based on a conclusion that Repin personally supported Russian leader Vladimir Putin or Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The orchestra said that after inviting Repin to perform again, it conducted what it described as a “careful review” of his public record to determine whether there was evidence that he personally supported the Russian government’s aggressive policies or Putin.
“We have found no evidence. As such, we have proceeded with our plans to feature Mr. Repin in the performance of Shostakovich's Violin Concerto No1.” the ASO stated.
On August 25, the Ukrainian Embassy in the United States called on the orchestra to cancel Repin’s appearances, citing his participation in events linked to the Kremlin.
The embassy pointed to Repin’s February 21, 2024, performance with the State Kremlin Orchestra at a concert organized by a Kremlin-affiliated foundation to mark Russia’s Defender of the Fatherland Day.
Ukrainian diplomats also said that following the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Vadim Repin Arts Development Foundation received substantial funding from Russia’s Presidential Fund for Cultural Initiatives.
The controversy surrounding Repin’s international appearances has extended beyond the United States. International activists previously urged the Sofia Philharmonic in Bulgaria to cancel a scheduled performance by the Russian violinist, issuing an open letter ahead of his concert planned for May 2026.
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