The National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine will return to the UK next month for the first time in over 20 years, with its inaugural performance taking place at the Forum in Bath.
Photo © National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine
The event, on Tuesday 17th October, is being presented by Bristol Beacon as part of its orchestral programme.
The National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine (NSOU), which is one of the oldest and most significant cultural institutions in Ukraine and is recognised as one of the finest symphony orchestras in Eastern Europe, has chosen the UK for its biggest single-country tour as part of its efforts to fight the war on the cultural front.
Recognising the significance of the tour and to demonstrate the UK’s support of Ukraine during the conflict, the orchestra has been invited to the House of Commons during its visit to meet with the Speaker, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, and other senior Parliamentarians.
The Home Office has also agreed to waive visa fees for the 90-strong members of the orchestra.
Travelling to the UK is no easy task. With no flights in and out of the country, the entire orchestra will take a 20-hour coach journey across two borders through the war zone to Warsaw, Poland, where the members will then board a flight to Heathrow, which has been supported by British Airways.
The repertoire for the performance at the Forum has been carefully selected by the orchestra to resonate with the country’s current situation and includes:
- Symphonic Picture, Grazhyna by Ukrainian composer Boris Lyatoshynsky. Lyatoshynsky’s music was greatly admired by his friend Dmitri Shostakovich and the NSOU has premiered his works in the past. The orchestra is proud of its great national composer, whose depictions of the struggle for national freedom make his music particularly apt to be performed on this tour.
- Violin Concerto No 1 by Max Bruch and Symphony No 1 by Jean Sibelius.
Todd Wills, artistic director of Bristol Beacon, says: “We can’t wait to welcome Ukraine’s national symphony orchestra to the UK and present their opening night performance.
“This historic tour is an opportunity to show that the people of the UK support them and recognise the importance of Ukrainian culture and we hope to see a huge local audience welcoming them.
“The Forum is a beautiful setting for this concert, and it will be an incredibly special and poignant evening.”
Alexander Hornostai, NSOU managing director and producer, added: “We are excited to return to the UK for the first time in 22 years and we are deeply grateful to the UK government, the 17 tour venues and UK tour promoters enabling this ambitious tour to take place.
“We are fighting for the recognition of Ukrainian culture all over the world. Ukraine is not Russia; Ukrainian music is not Russian. It is special, original, self-sufficient, and beautiful.
“We have renounced all Russian music and art without hesitation – by replacing it with Ukrainian music we are trying to crystallize a sense of pride for Ukraine and the Ukrainian people.
“We feel emotional every time we perform now as we convey what is in our hearts through music.
“On the one hand, there is pain, sadness, suffering, and on the other hand, faith in the victory of Ukraine and the prosperous future of our country. We have had to learn to live for today, in the present moment.”
Mary Harrison, head of UK touring at IMG Artists, said: “As war rages on and Ukraine’s culture continues to be systematically targeted and destroyed by Russia, the National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine hasn’t faltered in its mission to bravely continue showcasing Ukrainian symphonic music and demonstrate that it is more than deserving of the elite status that Russian music has held for so long.
“This tour is a unique and significant opportunity for Ukrainian musicians to wrestle the spotlight from Russia, with a UK-wide platform to showcase some of Ukraine’s most talented and renowned musicians.
“We’ve already had great interest in the concerts and we are delighted to be supporting the orchestra and working in partnership with all 17 concert venues to ensure an absolute sell-out success.”
In addition to providing a UK-wide platform for the orchestra to perform, it is also fundraising to support the NSOU and the continuation of Ukraine’s musical culture during the conflict.
A JustGiving appeal with a target of £24,000 has been set up by the tour promoters, IMG Artists, and is being promoted by all 17 concert venues.
All proceeds will be donated directly to the orchestra at the end of their tour. The target amount is based on the total expected UK audience numbers for the tour, of 24,000 people.
For more information or to buy tickets, go to: https://bristolbeacon.org/whats-on/national-symphony-orchestra-of-ukraine
To make a donation to the JustGiving appeal, visit: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/nsou-tour-2023.
