We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Boris Lugovik. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Boris below.
Hi Boris , so happy to have you with us today and there is so much we want to ask you about. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others developed certain skills or qualities that we are struggling with can be helpful. Along those lines, we’d love to hear from you about how you developed your ability to take risk?
Going through different stages of life, I realized that without risks and curiosity, life would be much simpler. But I’m the kind of person for whom risk sometimes comes on its own, even when I don’t expect it.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
My name is Boris Lugovik, and I was born on November 12, 2001, in Israel. In 2007, I moved with my mom, dad, and brother to Sumy, Ukraine, where my grandmother lived. Shortly after, my father had to return to Israel for financial reasons, and I stayed in Ukraine with my mom, brother, and grandmother.
From an early age, I was drawn to music. In school, my music teacher Alla Panamarova noticed my voice and encouraged me to play saxophone — I still think of her as my “musical godmother.” In the third grade, I began playing the saxophone. My First teacher was Denis Fedchenko, he was first who showed me jazz, and later I also picked up flute, piano, and eventually synthesizers.
In sixth grade, I started traveling to Kyiv for private lessons with Artem Mendelenko. After ninth grade, I was accepted into the Kyiv Municipal Academy of Music named after Glier with a full scholarship. In Kyiv, I performed in Dennis Adu’s orchestra and in Natalia Lebedeva’s ensemble, while also participating in festivals and competitions.
One of the most challenging and unforgettable experiences of my life was the Yamaha Scholarship “Make Waves” competition in Dubai on February 8, 2020. The difficulties started right at the airport, when I was stopped at passport control because my place of birth was listed as Israel. At that time, entry for Israelis into the UAE was nearly impossible due to diplomatic restrictions. I was interrogated about who I was and why I came, and if it hadn’t been for a special entry permit I had, things could have ended very differently.
Once that situation was resolved, I noticed people wearing masks everywhere. It was the very beginning of COVID-19, and I didn’t yet understand why they wore them. On the day of the competition, I suddenly felt all the symptoms of the virus — fever, weakness, body pain. I didn’t know how I could possibly perform. I turned to my teacher, Artem Mendelenko, for advice. He told me:
— “Are you crazy? We flew six hours for you to cancel your concert? No. You will go on that stage and play as if it’s your last concert. Forget that you’re sick.”
Those words changed everything. The moment I stepped onto the stage, I felt no pain, only music. I played with all my strength, as if nothing else mattered — and in the end, I won first place.
After graduating from Glier in 2021, I returned to Israel, where I served in the army and joined the Israel Defense Forces Orchestra (תזמורת צה”ל). At the same time, I worked with EMEO, testing their innovative MIDI saxophones.
Despite all the challenges, including the war in 2023, I auditioned for the Berklee College of Music. With no group available, I performed “Moment’s Notice” a cappella, and received a full-tuition scholarship. At Berklee, I chose to pursue a double major — Electronic Production & Design and Performance — combining academic study, live performance, and studio production.
My musical world lies at the intersection of jazz and electronic music. I am inspired by artists like Donny McCaslin, Mark Turner, Squarepusher, Aphex Twin, and Michael Brecker. My sound combines saxophone improvisation with electronic textures, creating a unique musical language.
Today, I continue my journey as a musician, composer, and producer. My goal is to bring people together through music — to create spaces where jazz meets contemporary genres, and where the raw energy of live performance blends with the endless possibilities of electronic sound.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Don’t be afraid to try something new, don’t be afraid to open doors to new opportunities, because you never know what you might discover beyond them. Maybe you’ll find what you’ve been searching for your whole life. Without obstacles, there can be no real success.
How would you spend the next decade if you somehow knew that it was your last?
I live each day as if it were my last, because you never know what might happen in the future. What matters most is the people around you — the ones who support you in difficult times
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/borislugovik?igsh=NnV5cjBsMGp2Z3E1&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/boris.lugovik/
Image Credits
Akim Karpach
IDF Army
photographer from Yamaha
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
