At the start of the solidarity concert, Oleksandra Nikiforova sang the Ukrainian national anthem.
Image: eib
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“Music heals and reconciles”: This message united the 13-strong ensemble of the West Bohemian Symphonic Wind Orchestra with the audience at the Bavaria Bohemia solidarity concert in the Schwarzachtalhalle. “With the proceeds from today’s benefit concert, we would like to contribute a small piece of the mosaic to improve the situation of refugees from the Ukraine in the Schwandorf district and in the Pilsen region,” said district administrator Thomas Ebeling, chairman of Bavaria Bohemia eV, the sponsoring association of the Centrum Bavaria Bohemia in Schönsee, at the beginning.
The evening began with Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” – the European anthem – and the Ukrainian national anthem, interpreted by the Ukrainian guest singer Oleksandra Nikiforova. In the first part of the concert with works by Ludwig van Beethoven and Tchaikovsky, the young Kiev pianist Maksym Burdalev took on a solo part on the grand piano. The second part of the Serenade in D minor, Opus 44 in four movements by Antonín Dvořák showed the musical virtuosity of the ten wind instruments, expanded with violoncello and double bass under the direction of symphony director Milan Muzikář.
Together with the entrance fees, more than 2000 euros came together at the end. They went in equal parts to Jakub Jestřáb, the coordinator for Ukraine aid at the Czech Red Cross, and to managing director Otto Josef Langenhan from the BRK district association in Schwandorf to support suffering families in the shelters.
The fact that this evening was possible is thanks to the German-Czech Future Fund, which set up a short-term cross-border funding program to finance cultural events in favor of refugees from the Ukraine, as CeBB director Veronika Hofinger announced in her opening words.
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