The Kyiv Classic Orchestra performed an hour‑long concert at the city's main railway station between air‑raid alerts to boost morale during the war. The programme included works by Semen Hulak‑Artemovsky, Mozart and Gershwin, filling a waiting hall that has been serving as a 'point of invincibility' offering warmth and phone charging. The event, organised under a US‑Ukrainian solidarity project, is the first in a planned series meant to bring joy and resilience amid power outages caused by strikes on energy infrastructure.
Kyiv Orchestra Plays Station Concert Between Air‑Raid Alerts to 'Warm Souls'
The Kyiv-Classic Orchestra plays at the central rail station in the Ukrainian capital in a bid to lift spirits amid intense Russian attacks (Genya SAVILOV)(Genya SAVILOV/AFP/AFP)
Between two air‑raid alerts on Friday, the Kyiv Classic Orchestra gave an hour‑long concert for travellers in Kyiv's main railway station, aiming to lift spirits amid the war with Russia.
Pieces by 19th‑century Ukrainian composer Semen Hulak‑Artemovsky were performed alongside excerpts from Mozart and Gershwin, their melodies resonating across the station's broad waiting hall.
For several weeks the terminal has been operating as a so‑called 'point of invincibility' — a heated refuge offering warmth and places to recharge mobile phones for people affected by power outages.
Immaculately dressed in a fur‑collared coat and white scarf, conductor Herman Makarenko led nine string players as dozens of travellers listened, many pausing by chance to take in the music. To attract passers‑by, the ensemble began with an opening piece played from the top of the station's wide staircase.
Organised under a US‑Ukrainian solidarity project, the concert is expected to be the first in a series of performances scheduled over the coming weeks, said organiser Tetiana Marozova.
"We think this initiative is very important because we need to take care not only of our bodies in these difficult situations without heating, without electricity," Marozova said. "But we can bring a little bit of joy to Ukrainians and warm their souls."
Intense Russian strikes against Ukraine's energy infrastructure in recent months have left hundreds of thousands of households without heating and electricity during a particularly harsh winter.
Makarenko described music as "medicine for the soul" and said that nearly four years after Russia launched a full‑scale invasion, Ukrainians are also fighting on the "cultural front." "That's very important," he added. "To show that we, Ukrainians, are unbreakable."
While some exhausted travellers paid little attention, many filmed the performance or listened with visible pleasure. Zinaida Yarmolenko, 76, said she stumbled upon the concert after hearing the first notes: "Classical music is what we need at this time," she smiled. "I'm really happy."
Organisers hope the concerts will not only provide temporary comfort but also reinforce community resilience and international solidarity during a difficult winter.
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