Poltava Academic Symphony Orchestra in Chernihiv
On 26 October 2024, with the concert programme ‘WE ARE!’ The Poltava Academic Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Yelizar Pashchenko, opened the third season of the Academy of Ukrainian Music cultural and educational project on the stage of the Chernihiv Regional Philharmonic Centre for Festivals and Concert Programmes. The programme featured works by Ukrainian composers: M. Lysenko, Y. Shevchenko, Ukrainian folk songs and the newest melodies of modern Ukraine. Works by romantic composers were performed: Brahms, Smetana, Bizet. Dvořák’s Slavic Dance No. 8 was conducted by Oleksandr Shevchuk, head of the Northern Cultural Capital NGO, Honoured Artist of Ukraine, who said: ‘For almost three years, since the beginning of the war, he has not performed in a large orchestra,’ was extremely pleased to be able to stand on stage. A suite from L. Bernstein’s musical West Side Story opened a page of twentieth-century music, and soundtracks from famous films: ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’, “The Godfather”, “Schindler’s List”, “Mission Impossible”, “Wild Orchid” caused a hurricane of emotions in the audience! The Poltava Symphony Orchestra soloists: People’s Artist of Ukraine Yuriy Kyrychenko (violin), Honoured Artist of Ukraine Eduard Holovashych (trombone), Anton Oryshchenko (trumpet), and the charming soloist of the Gogol Theatre Lina Kovalenko (trumpet) presented Poltava region with great success. Lidiya Kretova, the charming soloist of the Gogol Theatre, simply fell in love with Chernihiv residents with her voice – applause, delight, gratitude, excited spectators and endless bouquets of flowers.
Meanwhile, in the lobby of the Philharmonic Centre, an ethnographic exhibition ‘Under Grandfather’s Limes’ by photographer Volodymyr Popov in collaboration with the ethnographic collection ‘Drevo’ with stylish, subtle, soulful photographs was presented, supported by the deputy of the Poltava Regional Council Yanina Barybina, who spoke about the musical connections in the names of Poltava and Chernihiv regions.
Participation in the Academy of Ukrainian Music project was made possible at the initiative of Mykhailo Malko, director of the Poltava Academic Symphony Orchestra of the Poltava Regional Council, and was supported by the Poltava Regional Military Administration and the Department of Culture and Tourism of the Poltava Regional State Administration, headed by its director Iryna Udovychenko. ‘The event had such a great resonance and public support,’ said Iryna Udovichenko, ’that it gives us hope for signing a protocol on cooperation between Poltava and Chernihiv in the cultural and artistic field.
The Saturday evenings of the Academy of Ukrainian Music, where entrance tickets are direct donations to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, raised UAH 25,750 on the evening of 26 October 2024.
