This album, entitled Manu Sinistra (The Left Hand), released by the Pentatone label and recorded in Leipzig in September 2025, includes concertos for the left hand and orchestra by Sergei Bortkiewicz, Maurice Ravel, and Sergei Prokofiev. The works are performed by two Ukrainian musicians-the pianist Illia Ovcharenko and the conductor Oksana Lyniv-together with the Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra.

The project was born after the soloist won the Honens International Piano Competition in Canada in 2022, when the event's organizing team supported the talented pianist in recording this album. Illia Ovcharenko writes in the album's liner notes: "To stand at the crossroads of history and sound is a profound privilege. This album is more than a recording-it is a dialogue across a century, a collection of musical echoes born of resilience. The three concertos by Prokofiev, Ravel, and Bortkiewicz tell a truly remarkable and moving story. All were created for the renowned pianist Paul Wittgenstein after he lost his right arm during World War I. Music became a powerful way to transform a terrible loss into something beautiful and courageous. Today, as war and tragedy unfortunately continue to overshadow our world, this music feels more relevant than ever. It is a living reminder that art can provide strength and hope and can ensure cultural survival even in the darkest moments," says pianist Illia Ovcharenko, a passionate artist who offers the public profound interpretations full of color and expressive power.

Illia Ovcharenko, aged 25, was born in Chernihiv, Ukraine, and is currently based in Hanover, Germany, where he is completing a master's program with the renowned Israeli pianist Arie Vardi. At the same time, he is a scholarship holder at the International Music Academy in Liechtenstein. The pianist has an impressive concert career, having performed as a soloist with the Toronto, Berlin, and Liechtenstein Symphony Orchestras, the Israel Philharmonic, the San Antonio Philharmonic, and many other prestigious ensembles. He is also engaged in successful recording projects: in 2025 he released two CDs featuring solo piano works, praised by Gramophone, International Piano, and Diapason. The album Manu Sinistra, released in March 2026, is the first in his discography to feature concert works for piano and orchestra-demanding scores performed by Illia Ovcharenko with impeccable technique, virtuosity, and a refined touch, supported by the Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra. At the conductor's podium is Oksana Lyniv, one of the most renowned Ukrainian musicians, artistic director of the Municipal Theatre of Bologna and founder of the Ukrainian Youth Symphony Orchestra.