Kyiv Symphony Orchestra

The Kyiv Symphony Orchestra is a state orchestra with a rich history of almost fifty years, which conveys and presents symphonic music to audiences in Ukraine and abroad in a contemporary manner. It is guided by particular convictions: the highest quality of performances, accessibility, preservation of Ukraine’s cultural heritage and the promotion of new symphonic works.

In April 2022, the Kyiv Symphony Orchestra embarked on the “Voice of Ukraine” European tour to present the powerful voice of Ukraine to the world. The orchestra performed in renowned halls in Poland and Germany, including the Warsaw Philharmonic, the Dresden Philharmonic, the Berlin Philharmonic, the Gewandhaus (Leipzig), the Kurhaus (Wiesbaden) and the Elbphilharmonie (Hamburg). The concerts were completely sold out and the programme included Ukrainian orchestral music from the 1770s to the masterpieces of the 20th century by composers such as Maksym Berezovsky, Mykola Lysenko, Myroslav Skoryk and Borys Lyatoshynskyi. The national anthem of Ukraine was played at every concert.

On 29 June 2022, the Kyiv Symphony Orchestra gave a concert of Ukrainian music for the presidents of all NATO countries on the occasion of the 35th Alliance Summit in Madrid. The event took place in the Prado National Museum. It was the second time in the Alliance’s 73-year history that the orchestra had been invited to perform at a NATO event of this magnitude. Participation in the Summit was of great significance and symbolism for the Kyiv Symphony Orchestra, given the historic decisions taken during the meeting.

From July to August 2022, the orchestra gave a series of concerts in Germany, took part in two classical music festivals and presented the music of Ukrainian composers at a concert for Ukraine’s Independence Day in the city of Hera, which was attended by German and US representatives.

On 12 April 2023, the Berliner Philharmoniker, one of the most important cultural institutions in the world, officially announced its decision to take over the patronage of two Ukrainian symphony orchestras – the Kyiv Symphony Orchestra and the Youth Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine.

In its 44-year history, the Kyiv Symphony Orchestra has dedicated itself to creating a national musical tradition. It has collaborated with opera greats such as Dmytro Hnatyuk, Anatoliy Kocherga, Anatoliy Mokrenko and Yevgenia Miroshnychenko, as well as pop stars such as Sofiia Rotaru, Mykola Mozgovyi, Nazariy Yaremchuk and Nina Matviyenko. These collaborations have become part of Ukraine’s cultural heritage.

Before the Great War, the orchestra toured the Netherlands, Italy, Switzerland, Spain, Germany, South Korea, France and Poland and worked with famous soloists such as Michel Legrand, José Carreras, Montserrat Caballé and many other famous musicians. The orchestra has also performed at many important events in Ukraine, including Synod Day, the 100th anniversary of the Ukrainian People’s Republic and the Dignity Revolution anniversaries.

On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of independence, the orchestra took part in a gala concert at the Olimpiyskiy NSC and accompanied performances by 34 of the most famous Ukrainian artists. On the 25th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution, the orchestra gave a solo concert on Constitution Square near the Verkhovna Rada. In addition, for five consecutive years, the Ukrainian people celebrated the New Year to the sounds of the Kyiv Symphony Orchestra, which was broadcast live on national television from the stage near the country’s most important Christmas tree in St Sophia Square.

Since June 2022, the Kyiv Symphony Orchestra has established a residency in the Thuringian city of Gera on the initiative and with the support of Bundestag Vice President Katrin Göring-Eckhart and her colleagues from the Cultural Committee of the German Bundestag. The orchestra uses this residence for regular concerts and tours.

Now in its second year of performing abroad, the orchestra fulfils its role as Ukraine’s cultural ambassador, presenting Ukrainian classical music to the world at the highest level of performance.

As of August 2023