In a refuge in Kharkiv, the second city of Ukraine, Vera Litovshenko made a sensation on social media by posting a video in which he plays the violin for his compatriots for the whole world, “making you forget about the war even for a few minutes.”
Since the beginning of the invasion of Russia, violinists have shown that small, easy-to-carry instruments are “weapons of resistance.”
“I'm not a doctor, I'm not a soldier, I'm not a politician. All I have to do is play the violin.” Vera Litovchenko explains to AFP in a Whastapp message.
“I don't want to feel helpless. I want to help my friends and music teachers who have lost their homes, jobs, or musical instruments.” “, explains the music that launched a fundraiser after receiving numerous support messages from all over the world.
- “Soldiers of the Musical Front” -
A soloist and teacher of the Kharkov Opera Orchestra, this 39-year-old Ukrainian was inspired by one of the students who played the violin in front of a refugee in the subway.
Armed with a bow, Vera performed Vivaldi and Ukrainian tunes.
“We have 12 people, including children, teenagers, and elderly people. I consider myself very privileged because I am in a basement with heating, electricity, and food. Others are not so lucky.” He says.
Helping her country through music is also the goal of Ilya Bondarenko, 20 years old, who was filmed in a refuge in Kiev. Together with the violin, he played the Ukrainian folk song “Verbovaya Doscheshka”.
Through a video montage, the young violinist joined 94 violinists from 70 countries, including nine of his compatriots, and the violin section of the famous soloist Daniel Hope or the Munich Chamber Orchestra.
This video became a viral phenomenon after it was shared by the London Symphony Orchestra (more than 3.6 million downloads from Facebook).
LSO violinist Kerenza Peacock, the founder of the project called “Violinist for Ukraine,” who is raising funds for war victims, told AFP, “I hope this video will reach people's hearts. Music is the most powerful prayer.
“Ilya was really amazing. It was filmed while the alarm siren was heard and the internet connection was not good.” He says.
The young man told AFP via Skype: “When I returned to the apartment during the day, I tried not to make noise to recognize the siren, so I recorded me in the shelter where I spent the night.
“Music has power, and Ukrainian musicians are now soldiers on the music front.” “, explains the young man who is worried about his parents who evacuated with his grandmother in the Lviv region (west) and was blocked in Zhytomir in the west of Kiev.
- Musicians who went to war -
Ilya, who pursued the study of compositions at the Kiev Conservatory, sees her instrument as a “weapon of resistance.”
“Today I can do more with music than with guns.” He explained.
Kerenza Peacock explains that the other violinists contacted refused to participate in the project because they “came to the fore”
Maria Klimenko, 23 years old, who left the Kiev region for Lviv, added that “there are many musicians with weapons to defend our country.”
This young woman shared on Instagram a video where she plays Ukrainian lullaby with accomplice guitarist Yuri Bikbaev for two years thanks to a montage.
“He stayed in Kiev and sealed the windows of his apartment to protect himself. We decided to mount this video in order to find this link that united us before the war.” This student of the Kiev Academy of Music explains to AFP.
“I chose this lullaby. It's because when I was a kid, my mom sang a song to calm me down. I hope that those who watch the video will feel peace that invades their hearts.”
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