World Premiere in Brussels: Concert by the Youth Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine
In the capital of Belgium, Brussels, as part of the international project 'Lost Childhood,' a concert by the Youth Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine (YsOU) will take place today, September 5th. This information has been reported by the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine.
The 'Lost Childhood' project is dedicated to the theme of lost childhood during the war in Ukraine. Among other compositions, the Youth Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine will present the world premiere of the oratorio 'Tatova Knyzhka' by Yevhen Orkin, as a tribute to Ukrainian victims of the Russian war.
The musical composition is based on the texts of a child author, writer, poet, and activist Volodymyr Vakulenko, who was tortured by Russian invaders during the occupation of the city of Izyum in the Kharkiv region. It was created on the initiative of YsOU founder and conductor Oksana Lyniv.
The cantata juxtaposes two contrasting worlds: the reality of military occupation in a small town between Kharkiv and Donetsk and the fragile, peaceful world where children grow up outside the combat zones. The narrator will read excerpts from the personal diary of Volodymyr Vakulenko, written during the military occupation. Three soloists bear witness, describing events surrounding the author's death. Children's choirs illustrate the pre-war world with colourful language in their verses dedicated to the author's son.
The program will be complemented by 'Concerto for Violin and Orchestra No. 1' by Max Bruch, performed by the young, acclaimed Ukrainian violinist and winner of numerous international competitions, Dmytro Udovychenko.
Tickets can be purchased via the provided link. All proceeds from ticket sales will go towards supporting young Ukrainian musicians.
The concert will be held under the patronage of the President of the European Commission, Mrs. Ursula von der Leyen, in partnership with the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine.
Previously, in August, a concert by the Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra was held in Poland under the patronage of the First Ladies of both countries, Olena Zelenska and Agata Kornhauser-Duda.
Following this, on August 24th, in celebration of Ukraine's Independence Day, the Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra performed in the garden of the Schönhausen Palace in Berlin.
The Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra is an ensemble created in 2022 through the initiative of the Metropolitan Opera in New York and the Grand Theatre - Polish National Opera in Warsaw. The orchestra consists of Ukrainian musicians who had to leave the country due to safety concerns and are members of European orchestras, as well as instrumentalists playing in Ukrainian ensembles.
