Despite the war and missile attacks, the city resumes its cultural life. The upcoming event, scheduled from April 13 to June 30, will feature classical music, primarily by Ukrainian musicians and composers. In addition, international artists will also perform at KharkivMusicFest.

Bohdana Pivnenko, one of the most famous violinists in Ukraine, will headline the festival with the KharkivMusicFest Festival Orchestra on the stage of Kharkiv State Academic Opera stage and Ballet Theatre named after Mykola Lysenko. Last year, the artist presented Ukrainian music all over the world, including Carnegie Hall (New York, USA), Berlin Philharmonic (Germany), and the Palace of Catalan Music (Barcelona, Spain).

The concert program combines “Seasons” by contemporary Ukrainian composers Zoltan Almashi and Oleksandr Honobolin with famous works by Antonio Vivaldi and Astor Piazzolla.

Yuriy Yakovenko, an Honored Art Worker in Ukraine, will lead the concert. He has been working at the Kharkiv National Opera and Ballet Theater for about 20 years.

Festival program

April 20 and May 5

The Music of Resistance and Hope concert series will take place in the halls of the Kharkiv National University of Arts named after Ivan Kotlyarevsky. The idea of the project is to present the works of Ukrainian composers. Particular attention will be paid to Kharkiv artists. In particular, visitors will hear the violins of Dmytro Amstybovsky, Stanislav Kalinin, and last year’s works by young Kharkiv composers.

In June

An improvisation concert combining Ukrainian and Greek folklore with bouzouki by Katia Kurdinovska and Igor Khodzhaniyazov. Also, the concert Inside the war, where the winners of the annual B. Liatoshynsky International Competition for Young Composers will perform reflections on the war.

In addition, the Norwegian pianist and composer Axel Kolsted will give a solo performance. He has written over 40 pieces for various ensembles, solo instruments and orchestras.

The festival will be closed by the KharkivMusic Fest orchestra.

Features of KharkivMusicFest
One of the hallmarks of the event is the painted pianos of the Art Piano project. This year, six instruments will be presented to the public. They will be placed in safe locations in the city, such as the subway, the French Boulevard shopping center, etc.

In addition, KharkivMusicFest Talks, a series of online conversations for everyone, will feature leading musicians from Ukraine, the United States, and Europe. Among the guests:

  • Ukrainian composer Oleksandr Shchetinsky;
  • jazz performer Leonid Chyzhyk;
  • American composer and pianist Richard Cameron Wolfe;
  • composer, conductor and pianist Virko Baley, and others.
  • Another feature of this year’s KharkivMusicFest will be an experimental dance project created with German choreographer and dancer Sasha Walz.

Opening of the festival

  • Date: April 13
  • Time: 17.00
  • Venue: Kharkiv National Academic Lysenko Opera and Ballet Theater/Vostok Opera
  • KharkivMusicFest is organized by the Kharkiv community foundation Toloka.