Fleeing violent revolution, Ukrainian conductor finds a home at Orange Coast College

As bullets tore through flesh, fires raged and black smoke eclipsed the sky, Maxim Kuzin knew it was time to leave his home of Kiev, Ukraine.

The latest conductor to lead the Orange Coast College Symphony was born and raised in the capital city of the Eastern European country. From a young age, Kuzin, 41, displayed a superior voice and good ear, signaling a heightened musical aptitude.

His aunt Olha Shevchuk recognized his abilities and urged the cultivation of his talents.

He was enrolled in a special music school, the Lysenko Kyiv Boarding School for Gifted Children, one of three such schools in the country.

Kuzin later attained an undergraduate degree in choral conducting in 1999 and a graduate and postgraduate degree in instrumental and orchestral conducting from the Tchaikovsky National Musical Academy of Ukraine in 2003 and 2009, respectively.

In concert with his academic life, Kuzin held various jobs, including the music director and conductor of the Ukrainian version of “Dancing with the Stars,” an experience Kuzin called “unique.”

Following his education, he went on to hold jobs as a music director and conductor for various orchestras and theaters.

Then, in February 2014, a violent revolution took hold in Ukraine following months of citizen protests against former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych’s rejection of a European Union association agreement.

Many dissenters claimed the decision would hurt the country’s economy.

Kuzin said the country’s youth felt it was tantamount to extinguishing their future.

These protests, termed the Maidan revolution, took place in the Maidan Nezalezhnosti, or Independence Square, in Kiev, near an institute where Kuzin was teaching music classes.

Many of his students and friends took part in the protests.

Kuzin said protests were peaceful until a militant police force started beating and killing the dissenters in attempts to quell the uprising.

The capital turned into a battleground, with tens of thousands of protesters raging against Yanukovych’s police.

Kuzin said a family friend was severely beaten by an officer of the Berkut, or special police force, during the conflict and had to undergo three surgeries for her injuries, eventually losing an eye.

“Everyone’s circle of friends was affected by the violence in Kiev,” Kuzin said. “It was heartbreaking. It was like, ‘What is happening in my country?’”

A student of his was part of “the Hundreds,” one of the units formed to protect the protesters.

“Fortunately, he wasn’t shot dead as were more than a hundred other innocent people,” Kuzin said. “He is a bassoon player. A very bright young man.”

As the violence spiraled, Kuzin made the decision to leave the country in early March 2014 with his wife, Victoria, and daughter Margarita, now 12.

They planned to visit his brother in Philadelphia for a few weeks and hoped to return once the chaos halted.

“We didn’t take our winter clothes with us — it was all unprepared,” Kuzin said. “It was a complete 180-degree change for us.”

They never returned.

Kuzin moved with his family to Los Angeles in 2015 and was hired by Orange Coast College this past summer.

He’s directed two concerts so far and has said his experience has been positive.

His personality and the craft he perfected in Ukraine seems a perfect fit for the community college, said Eliza Rubenstein, OCC director of Choral and Vocal Activities and Music Department chair.

“Our department prides itself on a faculty filled with world-class musicians who are also patient and compassionate teachers, and Maxim fits that bill completely,” Rubenstein said. “He can speak at length about the most particular nuances of Beethoven’s tempo choices, but he can also make the entire orchestra crack up by showing up to rehearsal in a Dracula costume.”

Kuzin doesn’t know if he’ll ever return to Ukraine with his family.

“The country is in abnormal shape,” Kuzin said. “There is still ongoing conflict. When these things happen, it’s like you have an open seizure on the body. The country cannot function as normal.

“It’s psychologically and economically hard for people. Right now I would rather say that with the development of my career, I see my future here.”

The OCC Symphony will perform “Computer Games … Unplugged!” at 7:30 p.m. March 3 and “Carmen & Company” at 7:30 p.m. May 12, both in the Robert B. Moore Theatre on campus, 2701 Fairview Road, Costa Mesa.

For more information on upcoming concerts, visit https://bit.ly/2jeTHbz.

benjamin.brazil@latimes.com

Twitter:@benbrazilpilot