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Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine

Theodore kuchar, principal conductor, featuring piano soloist stanislav khristenko and violin soloist vladyslava luchenko, fri, feb 3 @ 8 pm sold out, concert hall.

Founded in 1902, the Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine is one of that nation’s largest and most internationally-known ensembles. The Forbes Center is honored to host the Orchestra, whose 2023 American tour is a testament to the power of music to overcome adversity. This epic concert includes Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 26 featuring Ukrainian violin soloist Vladyslava Luchenko; Beethoven’s “Emperor” Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat Major, Op. 73 featuring Ukrainian American piano soloist Stanislav Khristenko; and Dvořák’s “From the New World” Symphony No. 9 in E Minor, Op. 95, which was described as “the greatest symphonic work ever composed in this country” (New York Evening Post) after its Carnegie Hall world premiere in 1893. Join us for this uplifting, unforgettable evening of masterful musicianship!

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A Ukrainian Orchestra on a Mission to Promote Its Country’s Culture

Members of the touring Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine have watched the devastation of war from a distance.

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By Javier C. Hernández

The Ukrainian violinist Solomia Onyskiv arrived in the United States last month on a mission.

With the one-year anniversary of the Russian invasion of her country approaching, she worried that the world was quickly forgetting the suffering there. She had come with 65 other musicians from the Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine to lead a 40-concert tour aimed at promoting Ukrainian culture.

“We are almost in a state of panic now,” Onyskiv said. “We worry deeply about the future of our country because this war won’t stop. Russia won’t stop. And if we don’t stand up, if the world doesn’t stand up, there will be more suffering.”

On Wednesday, Onyskiv and her colleagues will get one of their most visible platforms yet: the stage of Carnegie Hall, where they will perform a program that includes Brahms’s Piano Concerto No. 1 and Dvorak’s “New World” Symphony, as well as the Ukrainian composer Yevhen Stankovych’s Chamber Symphony No. 3.

The concert is a milestone, but also a bittersweet moment for many of the musicians: They have spent much of the past year on tour, away from family and friends, watching the destruction of war from afar. Some have struggled to keep their focus as they embark on their cultural mission, checking constantly for news of Russian attacks and reading stories about Ukrainians who have been killed.

Michailo Sosnovsky, the orchestra’s principal flute, who is featured in the Stankovych piece, said he worried about the safety of his wife and five children, who live in Lviv, and the safety of friends, including some musicians, who serve in the military. He speaks with his family by video every day, but gets anxious if they do not respond quickly to his messages.

“I think about my family every minute of every day,” said Sosnovsky, who has played in the orchestra for two decades. “It’s a very difficult situation. But we must stay and do our part to help our country from here.”

The Lviv orchestra, established in 1902, is among many Ukrainian cultural groups that have gone abroad since the invasion in efforts to highlight the country’s cultural identity. The Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra, an ensemble of refugees who fled the war and musicians who stayed behind, toured Europe and the United States last summer. The United Ukrainian Ballet , made up of refugee dancers, has toured widely and made its U.S. debut this month; and the Shchedryk Children’s Choir, which is based in Kyiv, was featured at Carnegie in December.

Over the past year, the Lviv musicians have toured in Germany, Switzerland, Poland, Austria and other countries. Their visit to the United States began last month in Vero Beach, Fla., and will conclude next month at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. Earlier this month, the orchestra performed four concerts at Radio City Music Hall, playing music from “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.” After the Carnegie concert, the tour will continue in New Jersey, as well as at the Lehman Center for the Performing Arts in the Bronx.

The tour was mostly planned before the war, but the continuing devastation has added poignancy and meaning. In some cities, the musicians have been greeted with prolonged applause and shouts of “Glory to Ukraine!”

Theodore Kuchar, the ensemble’s principal conductor, said the orchestra had been encouraged by moments like that. He recalled a recent performance in Miami in which many audience members were wearing Ukrainian flags and shouting “Bravo!” before the orchestra had started playing.

“The orchestra hadn’t even tuned,” he said, “and you would have thought that you were you were there five seconds before the end of the Super Bowl with the score tied.”

Kuchar, who is Ukrainian American, said that while the tour had been eagerly anticipated, many musicians felt guilty for being away from the country during such a difficult time.

“I’ve not met a single person who privately doesn’t say to me, ‘Maestro, we’re so fortunate to be here, but our hearts are back there,’” he said.

Kuchar said the emotional toll of the war was present as the musicians work to build support for Ukraine’s cause.

“There’s nobody in this orchestra that does not know somebody who has either lost a finger, an arm, a leg or their life,” he said. “Everybody has been affected.”

The Carnegie performance was added last spring. The hall’s leaders heard about the tour and thought that hosting the orchestra would help show solidarity with Ukraine. The actor Liev Schreiber, who has Ukrainian roots and has been involved in efforts to raise money for Ukraine over the past year, hosts the program.

“We hope the performance will be a powerful opportunity to showcase the musicians’ artistry, their personal resilience and to remind everyone of the cultural richness that is an integral part of Ukraine,” said Clive Gillinson, Carnegie’s executive and artistic director.

The violinist Vladyslava Luchenko, a soloist on the tour, said audience members’ enthusiasm had given the musicians hope. She described music as the “best way to reach people’s souls and hearts.”

“We have to use music to fight for good, for freedom, for human values,” she said. “We have to think about what we can bring, and not what we have lost.”

Luchenko, who is from Kyiv but lives in Switzerland, recalled losing friends in Ukraine to Russian missile attacks. She said that performing during the war was a “double emotional load.”

“You open your heart and feel all the pain so much more,” she said. “It has been a challenging but beautiful journey.”

Javier C. Hernández is a culture reporter, covering the world of classical music and dance in New York City and beyond. He joined The Times in 2008 and previously worked as a correspondent in Beijing and New York. More about Javier C. Hernández

Our Coverage of the War in Ukraine

News and Analysis

President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine has signed into law three measures aimed at replenishing the ranks of his country’s depleted army, including lowering the draft age to 25 .

With continued American aid to Ukraine stalled and against the looming prospect of a second Trump presidency, NATO officials are looking to take more control of directing military support from Ukraine’s allies  — a role that the United States has played for the past two years.

Exploding drones hit an oil refinery and munitions factory far to the east of Moscow, in what Ukrainian media and military experts said was among the longest-range strikes with Ukrainian drones so far in the war .

Conditional Support: Ukraine wants a formal invitation to join NATO, but NATO has no appetite for taking on a new member  that, because of the alliance’s covenant of collective security, would draw it into the biggest land war in Europe since 1945.

“Shell Hunger”: A desperate shortage of munitions in Ukraine  is warping tactics and the types of weapons employed. What few munitions remain are often mismatched with battlefield needs as the country’s forces prepare for an expected Russian offensive this summer.

Turning to Marketing: Ukraine’s troop-starved brigades have started their own recruitment campaigns  to fill ranks depleted in the war with Russia.

How We Verify Our Reporting

Our team of visual journalists analyzes satellite images, photographs , videos and radio transmissions  to independently confirm troop movements and other details.

We monitor and authenticate reports on social media, corroborating these with eyewitness accounts and interviews. Read more about our reporting efforts .

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Ukrainian orchestra spreads cultural spirit in extensive u.s. tour.

AVON PARK, Fla. — When the Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine had just embarked on its almost two-month U.S. tour, which began in mid-January with seven concerts in seven days in seven venues scattered around Florida, the musicians got bad news from back home. On Jan. 14, a Russian missile demolished part of a large apartment complex in Dnipro, a city in central Ukraine, and killed more than 45 residents, including children.

“That was absolutely horrible news, to hear that entire families were wiped out,” said violin soloist Vladyslava Luchenko a few days later. “You feel like your heart is broken open when you allow yourself to grieve. But we still go out onstage to perform.”

The symphony orchestra from Lviv, the largest city of western Ukraine, is on the road in the U.S. through March 3, when its final concert is to be given in Ames, Iowa . In all, the schedule includes 36 concerts in the Southeast and up the East Coast and into the Midwest and Plains States. In an oddity for a touring orchestra, it also has four performances Feb. 6-9 at Radio City Music Hall to play the movie score for showings on a giant screen of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring . On Feb. 15 , the orchestra will play Carnegie Hall.

The tour, which has musicians and crew traveling in two buses along with a tractor-trailer truck for instruments and gear, is a physically demanding grind. It was planned before Russia invaded Ukraine and is managed by CAMI Music , a remnant of the once-dominant classical music agency, Columbia Artists Management Inc., which folded in 2020. The tour was arranged by longtime CAMI powerbroker Andrew Grossman, and the U.S. State Department had a role in making it happen.

“Normally, a tour like this — Florida, New York City, across America — would be something to look forward to,” said Theodore Kuchar , the Ukrainian American who is principal conductor of the Lviv Philharmonic. “But people in the orchestra are extremely traumatized by the war, and being away for so long causes a lot of anxiety.”

The orchestra has performed in Poland, Germany, Switzerland, and the Czech Republic since the Russian invasion commenced on Feb. 24, 2022, but the musicians have not been away from home for as long as they will be on the U.S. tour. “We have never wanted to be home as much as we do now,” said Solomia Onyskiv, a violinist in the orchestra. “I’ve known musicians and artists who have gone to fight in the war, and several are dead.”

Luchenko, a native of Kyiv who is now concertmaster of the Theater Orchester Biel Solothurn in Switzerland, acknowledged the pain that Lviv players are feeling, but said she felt it was a privilege to be on the tour. “It’s a way for us to fight as well,” she said. “We musicians are not trained to fight on the front lines. If we can show the U.S. public our music, our culture, and the greatness of Ukraine, then this mission is worth our being away from home so long.”

In Lviv, the orchestra has been able to perform more or less normally in Philharmonic Hall, although their activities are often halted by air-raid sirens and power outages. The war has been heaviest in eastern Ukraine, where the military fighting dates back to 2014, but lately Russian airstrikes have more frequently reached western Ukraine. “I live about 15 minutes’ walk from the hall,” Onyskiv said. “Russia fires rockets at the power stations. Sometimes we have only four hours a day of electricity. It’s awful, and during the winter it gets cold.”

I heard the orchestra in a pair of performances, first on Jan. 18 at the Venice Performing Arts Center on the Gulf Coast in a presentation of the Sarasota Concert Association , and then the next evening at the Wildstein Center for the Performing Arts on the campus of South Florida State College in Avon Park in central Florida. The programs mostly consisted of the familiar repertoire (Brahms, Grieg, Dvořák, Beethoven) that presenters tend to prefer for drawing an audience, but each concert included a Ukrainian work.

In Venice, the 1,100-seat hall was close to full, with many audience members coming from the nearby town of North Port, which has an estimated 5,000 residents of Ukrainian descent, evident in the Orthodox churches there and colorful Ukrainian Easter eggs for sale in shops. Many in the crowd waved little yellow and blue Ukrainian flags during a joyous Slavonic dance number from the ballet Soychyne Krylo (“The Jay’s Wing”) by Ukrainian composer Anatol Kos-Anatolsky (1909-1983). An exhibit of contemporary Ukrainian art called “Unbreakable” from the Kozytskyi Charity Foundation was on display in the lobby.

In Avon Park, for an audience of 800 in the 1,460-seat hall, the program opened with the Chamber Symphony No. 3 for Flute and Strings by Yevhen Stankovych , one of Ukraine’s leading composers, who turned 80 in September. Principal flute Michailo Sosnovsky was the agile soloist in the 17-minute work, deploying an affectingly nostalgic tone in his playing, which was well supported by the string orchestra. It came as no surprise that the Lviv strings were excellent, considering that Ukraine’s musical lineage includes such legendary violinists as Mischa Elman , Nathan Milstein , and David Oistrakh . In a warm touch, concertgoers gave bouquets of bright yellow sunflowers, Ukraine’s national flower, to the orchestra.

Kuchar, who grew up in Cleveland, where he studied viola performance at the Cleveland Institute of Music before turning to conducting, is a tireless advocate for Ukrainian music. He has been a significant musical presence in the country since 1994, when he became artistic director and principal conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine in Kyiv, taking it on a 44-concert U.S. tour in 2017. With that orchestra he recorded acclaimed CDs of works by Stankovych and Ukraine’s most revered 20th century composer, Boris Lyatoshynsky (1895-1968), part of the conductor’s extensive discography with the Naxos label.

With the Lviv Philharmonic, Kuchar led recent recordings for Toccata Classics of orchestral works by Thomas de Hartmann (1884-1956), a Ukrainian composer who is “the greatest discovery of my musical existence,” the conductor said. “His Violin Concerto is sensational. It was offered to presenters as part of the tour repertoire, but because he’s an unknown name, it wasn’t asked for except by the University of Massachusetts.” Andriy Tchaikovsky is the soloist in the Hartmann Violin Concerto Feb. 10 in Amherst, Mass .

Because there are only 66 musicians on the tour, the Lviv Philharmonic seemed a bit underpowered at times, and all the hours they spent in the buses crisscrossing Florida took a toll. The French horns and brass sounded tired and imprecise in the Venice curtain-raiser, Brahms’ “Tragic” Overture. But the orchestra rebounded strongly in the Brahms Violin Concerto, with Luchenko as soloist. The performance was enthralling, from her slashing traversal of the Joachim cadenza to the keening emotion she brought to the slow movement, and the orchestra shone in the rousing finale.

The next day, I asked Luchenko if she could imagine playing the violin concertos of Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev, Shostakovich, and other Russian composers. “Not now,” she said. “Of course, I know these concertos. I’ve played them. But right now, as a Ukrainian, it is unthinkable to play this music. How could we Ukrainians play Russian music at the same time as Russians are trying to kill us? I think that playing Russian music should be forbidden worldwide as long as they engage in terrorism.”

To play or not to play Russian music? That was a question Kuchar addressed after the invasion began. “Chances are, if this war hadn’t happened, we’d be playing Tchaikovsky on the tour,” he said. In fact, when Carnegie Hall announced its 2022-23 season, the Lviv Philharmonic program included Tchaikovsky’s First Piano Concerto, with Ukrainian American pianist Stanislav Khristenko as soloist. But with the war under way, Kuchar and Carnegie officials reconsidered. Instead, Khristenko will play the Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1.

The most often played work on the tour is Dvořák’s Ninth Symphony ( From the New World ). “If I have to take any music to my grave, it will be Dvořák,” Kuchar said. “He is the great Ukrainian symphonist that Ukraine never had. Dvořák was extremely influenced by all the Slavic cultures, and I feel the Ukrainian spirit throughout his music.”

In Venice, Kuchar spoke from the stage about Ukraine’s complex, intertwined history with Russia, and how hellish conditions are now. “We are living through nightmares that nobody could have imagined a year ago — no electricity, no running water in some places, no gas, rocket attacks — because of Putin’s pointless war,” he said. “We want to thank you for supporting us. We are very grateful to the United States. If it were not for your support, our fight would be much more difficult. And I will tell you that Ukrainians will not give up, and they will not compromise in ending the war and returning to being a safe, stable, proud democracy.”

Kuchar’s remarks drew prolonged applause, after which the orchestra plunged right into Dvořák’s heroic themes. It was a stirring, unforgettable experience.

RELATED ARTICLES MORE FROM AUTHOR

Theodore Kuchar has learned to live with the bombs and the blackouts and the constant threat of death in Ukraine . But he says there’s one big difference between him and most other Ukrainians.

He can leave the country any time he wants.

Kuchar’s job as an orchestral conductor takes him all over the world, including his current tour with the Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine . The acclaimed orchestra's tour launches this month in Florida, including a Jan. 16 stop in Fort Myers.

Orchestra members received special permission to leave Ukraine for the tour, Kuchar says. But otherwise, they stay in their home country with their families and their jobs — and the men are often called upon to fight against their Russian invaders, too.

“I don’t even want to compare my situation to the people I work with in the orchestra,” says Kuchar, who estimates he spends about three or four months a year at his Ukraine home. “They’re stuck there. Their families are there.

“Everybody has a story about someone who was killed. We have a bassoon player in the orchestra who wanted to go fight, the way many do. He lost both his arms. … It’s too terrible for words.”

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The war marches on in Ukraine, but the American-born Kuchar calls the orchestra’s 40-city U.S. tour a welcome break from the hardships there — for both himself and his musicians. It’s an escape from “the bombs and the rockets and everybody’s life feeling like it’s about to end in five minutes.”

“In Ukraine right now, we don’t have electricity,” Kuchar says. “Many places don’t have running water. You come home in darkness.

“Russia’s cutting everything off. Russia’s bombing the electrical infrastructures. They’re bombing the gas depots. It’s a terrible situation.

“And if nothing else, this American tour is some kind of return to normalcy.”

Kuchar — who was born in New York City to Ukrainian parents — says he’s bringing 66 members of his orchestra. He’d hoped to have about 85-90, he says, but inflation and increased travel costs made that impossible.

During its tour, the 121-year-old orchestra will perform about 15 classical works, including symphonies and concertos from Beethoven, Brahms, Grieg, Sibelius and three Ukrainian composers: Myroslav Skoryk, Yevhen Stankovych and Thomas de Hartmann.

Ukraine orchestra part of Fort Myers' Community Concert Series

The Fort Myers concert is the second show in the 2023 Community Concert Series at Mann Hall , which opens Sunday, Jan. 8, with the New York Philharmonic String Quartet (more details on the season below).

The Lviv orchestra has a sterling international reputation, including a recent series of acclaimed recordings, says Mary Lee Mann, president of concert series organizers the Community Concert Association .

“They’re a world-class symphony,” Mann says. “We don’t bring in anybody that’s not ( laughs ).”

The concert was already planned before Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Mann says. But she worried the war would lead to the show being canceled.

Then she found out in March that the U.S. State Department was sponsoring the tour and it would indeed be happening. She broke the news at a Community Concert Series show, and the response was overwhelmingly positive.

“When I announced it that night, the audience broke into applause,” Mann says. “They were very supportive. …

“I think it shows our community’s — as well as our country’s — support for the indominable spirit of the Ukrainian peoples.”

The orchestra is based Lviv — pronounced you-VEEV — on the far western side of Ukraine. Since most of the bombs and battles are happening to the country’s east, Kuchar says, Lviv hasn’t seen as much warfare as other parts of the country.

“It’s as far west as you can go,” he says, “and it’s relatively safe compared to what is happening in the eastern half of Ukraine.”

Even so, the city only has power for a few hours a day, he says. And bombs still fall there. “It’s not as frequent, but it happens,” he says.

Kuchar sees the orchestra’s U.S. tour as having a double role: They’re sharing their music, but also serving as representatives from Ukraine and all it’s endured over the last year.

“We are coming, I believe, not only as cultural but as spiritual ambassadors of the Ukrainian nation,” he says. “We are presenting the Ukrainian mentality — and everything that America has been supportive of through our existence as a musical and cultural organization.”

Here’s more about the concert and the rest of the 2023 Community Concert Series:

New York Philharmonic String Quartet (Sunday, Jan. 8): The touring quartet features four principal musicians from the New York Philharmonic. They formed in 2017. They’ll be joined by acclaimed American pianist Drew Peterson, winner of the 2017 American Pianist Award.

The Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine (Monday, Jan. 16): The award-winning orchestra began in 1902 and frequently tours the world. It’s also known for its acclaimed recordings. The tour is sponsored by the U.S. State Department.

“A Celebration of Song – the Classics to Broadway” (Tuesday, Feb. 7): International soloists from four continents perform popular songs from grand opera, Broadway and pop with a live orchestra and an emcee. 

The English Chamber Orchestra (Thursday, March 9): The most-recorded chamber orchestra in the world. They’ve recorded many movie soundtracks, including scores for “Atonement,” “Pride and Prejudice” and several James Bond movies.

The Royal National Ballet: “Fire of Georgia” (Monday, March 27): The Republic of Georgia’s national ballet makes its American debut with this U.S. tour. They’ll perform dramatic folk dances — including stunts and acrobatics — with costumes and choreography.

All concerts start at 7:30 p.m. at Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall, 13350 FSW Parkway, south Fort Myers.

Single tickets are $25-$55. Season tickets are $65-$165 and will be available until Sunday, Jan. 8.

For single tickets, call 481-4849 or visit bbmannpah.com . For subscriptions, call 693-4849 or visit fortmyerscommunityconcerts.org .

Connect with this reporter:  Charles Runnells is an arts and entertainment reporter for The News-Press and the Naples Daily News. Email him at [email protected] or connect on Facebook ( facebook.com/charles.runnells.7 ), Twitter ( @charlesrunnells ) and Instagram ( @crunnells1 ). You can also call at 239-335-0368.

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Despite more than a century of international turmoil, the Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra is still going strong. Over 250 art events have been held at the Lviv  Philharmonic since the beginning of  Russia’s full-scale invasion. These include both concerts in the philharmonic hall and street events specifically geared toward immigrants. In addition, the Philharmonic has begun proactively working on its sheet music archives since February, sending Ukrainian music out to all corners of the world and ensuring that their culture will never be forgotten. 

Program: Brahms Tragic Overture, Op. 81  |  Brahms Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 77  |  Dvorak Symphony No. 9 in E minor, Op. 95 “From the New World”

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The artistry of Ukraine: Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra comes to Jax

Ukraine's Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra will perform at the 22nd season of Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival on Jan. 17.

Their nation has been under attack by Russian forces for a year , their families and friends enfolded in a cold and dark winter again as rockets blast their homes.

Yet for one night, the explosions of war will recede as the soaring sounds of the Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine help ring in the 22nd anniversary season of the Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival .

Led by Principal Conductor Theodore Kuchar, the concert is at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 17 at First Baptist Church Amelia Island, 1600 S. 8th St. in Fernandina Beach, with music including Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1 in G minor and Beethoven's Symphony No. 7 in A major.

The orchestra has been touring the country for over a year, including one of its latest concerts on New Year's Eve at the Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester. But as the musicians tour through Florida on a State Department-sponsored concert tour so far from the battles battering their home, it is "extraordinary" that they approached the festival to play in Fernandina Beach, Amelia artistic director William Ransom said.

"The fact that it is happening now is in a sense even more important," he said. "It would have been a wonderful, wonderful concert given any circumstances. But now it will really give us a chance to show us the power of music to bring us together, to promote harmony and peace, and hopefully for both the musicians and the audience to have a little respite from the unimaginable time that country is going through."

The Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine was established in 1902 in the medieval city of Lviv, the largest city in western Ukraine. In 1933, the orchestra became incorporated as the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine, but it did not perform during the German occupation during World War II from 1941 to 1944.

Some of the most famous conductors in classical music have performed with the orchestra. Since 2018, Kuchar, an American of Ukrainian origin, has been the main guest conductor, then chief conductor as of last year.

The orchestra has toured in many countries around the world, including Poland, Italy, Spain, France, Switzerland, Germany, the Netherlands and China. And it had booked the Amelia Island concert for more than a year, so Ransom said it was planned "before the war was even on anybody's radar."

"As it turned out, the timing has been incredible," he said.

Tragically, that means none of the orchestra members have been home to see what has happened to their homeland and city, he believes.

"There's a great sense of pride at representing the very best of their country and the very best of humanity in this great music, performed by these musicians who dedicate their lives to perfecting their craft like this," Ransom said.

Ticket prices for the Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine range from $55 to $85 each. As of last week, about 700 tickets had been sold for a performance that can seat 950 people, Ransom said.

The chamber music festival opens at 7:30 p.m. on Friday with a performance by the Dover Quartet, at the Memorial United Methodist Church Sanctuary. Ticket prices are $65 each.

Tickets for these concerts and the entire season can be purchased at www.aicmf.org or by calling (904) 261-1779.

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UGA Presents

Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine

Monday, January 23, 2023 | 7:30 pm | Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall

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Theodore Kuchar, conductor Stanislav Khristenko, piano

From the Medieval city of Lviv on Ukraine’s western border with Poland, an orchestra dares to do the unthinkable: carry a message of hope across the world during a period of war and instability. The ensemble’s resilience stands as a testament to its determination and the timelessness of the great works it performs with vigor, distinction, and artistry. Led by the dynamic Ukrainian-American conductor Theodore Kuchar, the orchestra’s visit to Athens is sure to be a night to remember.

Read more about this performance here .

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Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine Theodore Kuchar, conductor Stanislav Khristenko, piano

BRAHMS: Tragic Overture GRIEG: Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 16 DVORˇÁK: Symphony No. 9, “From the New World”

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Center announces 2022-2023 Season

5/24/2022 12AM

Schedule offers pop, rock, classical, jazz, comedy, family fun and more

Series subscriptions on sale now at TheCenterPresents.org or (317) 843-3800

CARMEL, Ind. – The Center for the Performing Arts is gearing up for the most robust and diverse season in its history, starting in September with more than 50 performances already booked and more on the way.

The 2022-23 Center Presents Season sponsored by Allied Solutions includes new faces and returning favorites in a broad range of genres.

Making their Palladium debuts this year are the iconic West African singer Angélique Kidjo , R&B giants Trombone Shorty and Tower of Power , jazz-pop pioneer Herb Alpert with vocalist Lani Hall , Marie Osmond with an orchestra for the holidays, the Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine , a New Orleans music celebration led by Dumpstaphunk , tributes to Ella Fitzgerald and the Electric Light Orchestra , and comedians Lewis Black and Kevin Nealon , part of a growing list of comedy events.

Artists returning to the Center include legendary crooner Johnny Mathis , jazz diva Diana Krall , Hoosier-born violin virtuoso Joshua Bell , trumpeter Chris Botti , pop-soul belter Michael Bolton , saxophonist Boney James , songsmiths Marc Cohn and Shawn Colvin , Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox and the U.S. Army Field Band with a free community concert.

“We’re making a statement with our upcoming 12 th season,” said Jeffrey C. McDermott, President/CEO of the Center and the affiliated Great American Songbook Foundation. “Nothing can replace the experience of gathering together for live arts and entertainment, and this lineup should give everyone a reason to come and join us at the Center.”

Among the new offerings this season is a speaker series featuring experts from the pages of National Geographic , sharing their knowledge of wildlife and exotic corners of the world. Each of the three multimedia evening presentations is preceded by a free morning matinee for local students.

Subscription packages are on sale now for the Printing Partners Classical Series, the Drewry Simmons Vornehm Jazz Series and the Hoosier Village and The Barrington of Carmel Songbook Series, with benefits including discounts up to 20 percent off the regular ticket price. Another option is a Create Your Own subscription package, which offers similar perks for the purchase of any four or more events from the Center Presents schedule, including music, comedy and educational events.

Subscribers also are eligible for:

• Immediate purchase access to the entire 2022-23 Center Presents Season, before tickets go on sale to the general public
• Discounts up to 20 percent on other Center Presents performances
• Presale access and discounts up to 20 percent for new events added throughout the season.

Visit TheCenterPresents.org/SubscribeNow for more information on subscription packages and benefits. Purchases can be made online at TheCenterPresents.org, by phone at (317) 843-3800 or toll-free (877) 909-2787, or in person at the Palladium’s Fifth Third Bank Box Office, 1 Carter Green, Carmel.

Tickets for individual performances will go on sale later this year. Tickets for the U.S. Army Field Band will be available free in September.

2022-2023 Center Presents Season sponsored by Allied Solutions

The Center for the Performing Arts, 1 Carter Green, Carmel, IN 46032

Tickets: TheCenterPresents.org, [email protected] or (317) 843-3800

All performances will take place at the Palladium concert hall except * at the Tarkington theater.

Hoosier Village and The Barrington of Carmel Songbook Series

Songbook Academy in Concert – July 23

Johnny Mathis: The Voice of Romance Tour – Oct. 15

Ella: The Music of Ella Fitzgerald in Concert – Nov. 4

The Four Phantoms in Concert – April 21

Get Happy: Michael Feinstein Celebrates the Judy Garland Centennial – April 29

Printing Partners Classical Series

Joshua Bell and Peter Dugan – Sept. 29

Europa Galante with Fabio Biondi – Oct. 6

Wu Han, Benjamin Beilman and David Finckel: Schubert Trios – Nov. 13

Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine – Feb. 24

Abilene – April 15

Drewry Simmons Vornehm Jazz Series

Herb Alpert & Lani Hall in Concert – Sept. 22

Madeleine Peyroux: “Careless Love” & Paula Cole: “This Fire” – Oct. 20

Chris Botti – Nov. 5

Boney James – Feb. 18

Sammy Miller and The Congregation – March 3

Jonathan Butler – March 26

Katz, Sapper & Miller Pop/Rock Series

Jimmie Vaughan – Sept. 9*

Tower of Power – Sept. 30

Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox: Life in the Past Lane – Oct. 13

Jon McLaughlin – Nov. 2*

Take Me to the River NOLA LIVE! – Nov. 18

The Mavericks: En Español World Tour – Jan. 27

Marc Cohn and Shawn Colvin Together Onstage – April 13

Evil Woman – The American ELO – May 5

Old Town Family Series

Voca People – Oct. 9

The Queen’s Cartoonists – Oct. 16

Charles Peachock, juggler – Nov. 5 (two shows)*

Ugly Duckling – Jan. 28 (two shows)*

Peking Acrobats – March 18

Telamon Passport Series

Angelique Kidjo – Oct. 23

Gilberto Santa Rosa – Nov. 11

Eliane Elias – Nov. 20

Dublin Irish Dance: Wings – Feb. 10

George Hinchliffe’s Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain – April 30

Faegre Drinker Encore Series

Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue – Sept. 23

Diana Krall – Oct. 11

National Geographic Live Series

Brian Skerry: Secrets of the Whales – Nov. 15

Lindsay Zanno: T. Rex Rises – Feb. 21

Filipe DeAndrade: Untamed – April 25

Holiday Series

All Is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914 – Dec. 2

Canadian Brass Christmas – Dec. 3

Luminare Christmas – Dec. 8

Dave Koz and Friends 25th Anniversary Christmas Tour – Dec. 9

Marie Osmond: A Symphonic Christmas Tour – Dec. 10

Michael Bolton: Greatest Hits & Holiday Favorites – Dec. 13

Celtic Woman: A Christmas Symphony Tour 2022 – Dec. 15

Comedy Series

Lewis Black: Off the Rails – Sept. 24

My Name Is NOT Mom – Oct. 14

Kevin Nealon – April 7

Special Events

Center Celebration 2022 presented by Krieg DeVault – Sept. 16

U.S. Army Field Band and Soldiers’ Chorus – Nov. 10

Get amped! Our season announcement will be coming up on May 23.

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Hemispheres

United Airlines Magazine

Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra Conductor on Representing Ukraine on U.S. Tour

By Ellen Carpenter January 13, 2023

War or no war, says Theodore Kuchar, Ukrainian culture has been greatly suppressed for centuries

What do you do for a living?

I am the music director and principal conductor of the Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine.

You’re launching a 40-date U.S. tour this month. What are some of the works the orchestra will perform?

We will be presenting approximately 15 works, including the works of two Ukrainian composers—the Chamber Symphony No. 3 for Flute and Strings (1982) by Yevhen Stankovych and the Violin Concerto by Thomas de Hartmann, a forgotten but known genius. Symphonies and concertos of Beethoven, Brahms, Bruch, Dvořák, Grieg, Sibelius, and the Ukrainian composer Myroslav Skoryk make up the remainder of the well-rounded and diverse menu.

Are there any particular performances you’re excited about?

One of the most important philosophies any performer must incorporate in their mentality is that whether you are making a debut at Carnegie Hall or the Sydney Opera House, whether this is performance number 27 of a 40-concert tour or whether you are performing Dvořák’s New World Symphony for the seventh time in nine evenings, as soon as one walks onstage and commences the performance, it is imperative that you have the attitude that this is the first and most important performance of your life.

Does the advent of the war make it seem even more important for the orchestra to share its music and message of hope with the world?

War or no war, Ukrainian culture and the extreme integrity of what takes place within the country has been greatly suppressed by the Russians for centuries. If nothing else, my colleagues and I represent the country and its culture as Ukraine’s preeminent cultural ambassadors.

What is your favorite concert hall in the world?

Very few venues inspire such nostalgia and provide such a great orchestral sound as where I was performing [this past fall]: the Cape Town City Hall in Cape Town, South Africa. I love that hall! I also have wonderful—indeed, priceless—memories from concert venues in Bayreuth, Buenos Aires, Cleveland, Lviv, Munich, Prague, and Sydney, among others.

Do you travel more for work or pleasure?

My work is my pleasure! After spending the first four hours of the day in front of the orchestra and, in the afternoon, walking along the rocks and collecting mussels or putting on a wet suit and catching your first crayfish—as the South Africans refer to lobsters—it is impossible for me to distinguish one from the other.

What’s your favorite United flight you’ve been on?

Yesterday, I flew the United Airlines nonstop flight from Cape Town to Newark. From Cape Town, the departure was scheduled for 20:50, meaning that falling asleep by 22:00 was a real possibility. When I woke up, my watch said 6:15. I took out one of the two books I brought with me, watched one movie, and we were in New York. That was relatively quick!

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Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine

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Previewing upcoming performances by the Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine

Classical 91.5 host and producer Mona Seghatoleslami is our guest host this hour and it’s one you won’t want to miss. The Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine will be in Western New York this month. The principal conductor is Theodore Kuchar, who is a faculty member at Houghton University. The orchestra is on a tour that includes 40 concerts in the U.S., including one at Houghton University and one at Kodak Hall at Eastman Theater in Rochester. The goal is to carry a message of hope across the world during Russia’s war on Ukraine.

This hour, we preview the performances and discuss the emotions behind them. Plus, we’ll hear about the latest in local efforts to help the people of Ukraine. Our guests:

• Theodore Kuchar , principal conductor of the Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine, and professor of orchestral conducting at the Greatbatch School of Music at Houghton University 
• Elena Dilai, board member of RocMaidan 

Ukraine Philharmonic musicians bring a nation’s spirit to Sarasota concert

The musicians of the Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine have had to work together in unusual ways to rehearse for concerts and their current 40-performance tour of the United States, including a Jan. 18 program for the Sarasota Concert Association.

Rehearsing amid a backdrop of missile attacks or air raid sirens creates challenges for the ensemble, but principal guest conductor Theodore Kuchar said they have “gotten off much easier” than people in other parts of the country. “Look at the destruction in places like Kharkiv or Donetsk.”

Lviv is on the Western side of the nation, close to the Polish border and far from Russia’s main attacks in the capital of Kyiv and the more eastern cities.

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“We have air raid sirens go off at least several times a day, and as soon as you hear the sound, the ground is buzzing,” he said. “Stores close. If there’s an opera performance going on, the opera stops right where it is and people go into an underground shelter. A concert stops and waits for the siren that says the alert is gone.”

The sirens don’t always mean that a rocket is heading for Lviv. “It means a rocket has crossed the border and could be coming from Belarus or coming from the center in Kyiv,” he said. “People always ask how can you practice, but you learn to live with it.”

Kurchar is a Ukrainian-American conductor who was born in New York and graduated from the Cleveland Institute of Music, but has had a long music career in Ukraine. In 1992, he was named the principal guest conductor of the Ukrainian State Symphony Orchestra, which changed its name to the National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine in Kyiv after the nation became independent from the former Soviet Union. He led that ensemble through dozens of recordings for Naxos Records. 

He chose to live in Lviv a few years ago to serve as a home base because of its proximity to Krakow, Poland and Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, where he could easily travel to other European cities for concert dates.

Not long after he arrived “whispers got out that I was in Lviv, and I developed a relationship with the Opera House and the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine in Lviv.

Music and military

The concert tour was “planned, discussed and formalized long before the war started. We started discussing it nearly two years ago,” he said. While most men in Ukraine can’t leave the country without special permission “because every male is a potential soldier,” those who are in political delegations or affiiliated with cultural institutions can get approval to travel.

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“You can leave as long as you come back,” but the travel is more of a challenge because it requires long bus trips between Lviv and Krakow. On one recent trip to the U.S., he missed three planes after leaving Ukraine 36 hours late, and then spent 36 hours at Newark International Airport because of a snowstorm.

But Kuchar is not complaining, and he is looking forward to leading the orchestra in a program that features Brahms’ Tragic Overture, Op. 81 and Violin Concerto (with soloist Vladyslava Luchenko) and Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9, From the New World.

The pieces fit together in part because Dvořák’s “symphonic output, his entire output from an architectural and musical sense, was most influenced by Brhams. Dvořák would never have become Dvořák had it not been for the musical presence of Brahms,” he said.

Kuchar said he is a big fan of Luchenko, who was born in Ukraine, but left at an early age to study in Europe.

“She has the most solid central European training and has been successful in several major competitions,” he said. “She’s just the most exceptional young violinist from Ukraine that I’ve worked with in the last five years so I felt it was essential for her to be with us on this tour.”

The concert is the second of two special programs to launch the 2023 Sarasota Concert Association season , which officially begins at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 30 with a farewell performance by the Emerson String Quartet, whose members plan to split up after nearly 50 years together.

The season also includes Pianist Awadagin Pratt Feb. 15 at the Riverview Performing Arts Center, Riccardo Muti leading the Chicago Symphony Orchestra March 1 at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, the English Chamber Orchestra on March 12 at Van Wezel, and JoAnn Falletta leading the Buffalo Philharmonic March 27 at Van Wezel.

Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine

Theodore Kuchar, principal guest conductor. 7:30 p.m. Jan. 18. Presented by Sarasota Concert Association at Venice Performing Arts Center, 1 Indian Ave., Venice. Tickets are $50-$115 but seating is extremely limited. For more information: 941-966-6161; scasrasota.org

Follow Jay Handelman on  Facebook ,  Instagram  and  Twitter . Contact him at  [email protected] . And please support local journalism by  subscribing to the Herald-Tribune .

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Lviv National Philharmonic of Ukraine

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THEODORE KUCHAR, Music Director

Vladyslava Luchenko, violin

Founded in 1902 in Lviv, the National Philharmonic of Ukraine was led by eminent artists such as Gustav Mahler, Richard Strauss and Ruggero Leoncavallo. This illustrious orchestra continues its two-century legacy in 2023 joined by violinist Vladyslava Luchenko under the baton of music director, the multiple award-winning Theodore Kuchar—the most recorded conductor of his generation.

Brahms Tragic Overture, Op. 81

Bruch Violin Concerto No. 1 in G minor, Op. 26

Dvorak Symphony No. 9 in E minor, Op. 95 “From the New World”

(Program subject to change)

Program Change—Violinist Vladyslava Luchenko in the Bruch Violin Concerto No. 1 in G minor, Op. 26 replaces the previously announced Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1 featuring pianist Oksana Rapita.

Lviv Orchestra of Ukraine performs at Radford University as part of U.S. tour

The Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine performed Tuesday night at Radford University, part of a two-month 40 concert tour across the United States.

The tour was planned before the Russian invasion, but the war abroad was on the minds of the musicians, said Principal Conductor Theodore Kuchar. “I know that many of them are very distracted with what’s going on at home.”

Kuchar said every musician in the orchestra knows someone who’s been killed or wounded in the war and many check in several times a day with their family back home. “Whether it’s their 5-year-old daughter, whether it’s their handicapped elderly parents.”

Kuchar said some even feel a sense of guilt. “That they are here, off the hook, of what’s actually going on back home. But within two weeks, they are going to go right back to it. And nobody knows what the immediate future has in store.”

The orchestra began their tour last month in Florida. Kuchar, who is Ukrainian-American and has traveled the world as a conductor, said the responses from audiences have been unlike anything he’s seen before.

“What amazed me from the first performance, as soon as the orchestra started walking on stage, the public was on its feet,” Kuchar said. “They had Ukrainian flags in their lapels and in their pockets. They were waving them.”

At Radford, they performed three works by Ludwig van Beethoven, Max Bruch and Ukrainian composer, Yevhen Stankovych.

“To have an orchestra of their caliber that’s getting to tour the U.S— that’s a really great experience for the students and our community here in Radford,” said Stephanie Caulder, Dean of Visual and Performing Arts at Radford University.

The Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine will perform several more times over the next two weeks, in Missouri , Kansas and Iowa .

This report, provided by  Virginia Public Radio , was made possible with support from the  Virginia Education Association .

Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine presented by the Vail Series

The Vail Series welcomes Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine.

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Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine planned their current tour of the U.S. more than two years ago, well before the Russian invasion of Ukraine. These concerts have taken on more meaning as an artistic response to the brutal war imposed on their home country. On today's show, we'll take you to a recent concert at the University of Georgia in Athens to hear the Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine play the Tragic Overture by Johannes Brahms.

Episode Playlist

Fanny Mendelssohn: Andante Soave Beatrice Rauchs, piano Album: Fanny Mendelssohn: Piano Music BIS 885 Fanny Mendelssohn: String Quartet in E-Flat Major Geoffrey Herd, violin | Eliot Heaton, violin | Hillary Herndon, viola | Max Geissler, cello Geneva Music Festival, Froelich Hall Gearan Center for the Performing Arts, Hobart & William Smith Colleges, Geneva NY Margaret Bonds: from Three Dream Portraits: Movements 1-2 Bonnie Pomfret, soprano | Laura Gordy, piano Album: De Toda la Eternidad ACA Dana Wilson: A Thousand Whirling Dreams STRATA The Ulster Chamber Music Series, Church of the Holy Cross, Kingston, NY Scott Joplin, arr. Rick Benjamin: Treemonisha: Act 3: A Real Slow Drag Janinah Burnett, soprano | Anita Johnson, soprano | Paragon Ragtime Orchestra and Singers | Rick Benjamin, conductor Album: Scott Joplin: Treemonisha Anthology of Recorded Music, Inc.

Johannes Brahms: Sonata No. 1 for Clarinet & Piano: Movement 3 Jon Manasse, clarinet | Jon Nakamatsu, piano Album: Brahms: Clarinet Sonatas Harmonia Mundi 907430 Joel Thompson: In Response to the Madness, for string quartet Members of the Minnesota Orchestra: Rui Du, violin | Cecilia Belcher, violin | Sam Bergman, viola | Minji Choi, cello Minnesota Orchestra, Orchestra Hall, Minneapolis, MN Frederic Chopin: Piano Sonata No. 2 in B flat minor, Op. 35 Charles Richard-Hamelin, piano Quebec Summer Festivals, Concerts aux Iles de Bic, Quebec, Canada Johannes Brahms: Tragic Overture, Op. 81 Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine | Theodore Kuchar, conductor University of Georgia Performing Arts Center, Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall, UGA Performing Arts Center, Athens, GA

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Yurui "Rain" Hou loves how chamber music is like conversation and how the composer gets to construct the conversation note by note. Hou is 19 years old and a student at Columbia University in New York City, but don't discount her music because of her age. On today's show, we'll hear a piece Rain Hou composed for the Emerging Composers Intensive in Carmel Valley, California.

Judith Weir: 'Musicians Wrestle Everywhere'

In 1860, Emily Dickinson wrote a poem about how there is a deep metaphorical kind of music that is everywhere, all the time. It might be the spark of life, but we're often so caught up with activity that we don't hear it, yet when we stop and listen, that music is always there. On today's show, we'll hear music inspired by Dickinson's poem: 'Musicians Wrestle Everywhere' by Judith Weir.

PT Weekend: Julia Perry

As a teenager, Julia Perry found her passion in composition. In her 20s, Perry spent five years studying composition and conducting in Paris and Rome. She had a powerful sense of her place in the world; she signed her passport: "Julia Perry, Composer." On today's show, we'll hear the world premiere recording of the Violin Concerto by Julia Perry.

Deborah Borda

We are honored to announce that Deborah Borda is our 2024 PT Classical Woman of the Year. So many things we love about today's classical music world wouldn't be what they are without her work. Deborah was chosen for her tireless advocacy and support for the arts and her vision of making classical music accessible for generations to come. On today's show, learn why she has been—and still is—one of the most influential players in the classical music world...and we'll get to hear from Deborah Borda herself!

Concierto de Aranjuez

Spanish composer and pianist Joaquin Rodrigo was blind from age three. He wrote his music in Braille, and his wife Victoria helped translate it to traditional notation. Remarkably, Rodrigo did not play the guitar…yet he wrote one of the world’s most iconic guitar concertos. On today's show, guitarist Jason Vieaux plays Joaquin Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez, backed by the Williamsburg Symphony Orchestra and conductor Michael Butterman.

About Performance Today®

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American Public Media’s Performance Today® is America’s most popular classical music radio program and a winner of the 2014 Gabriel Award for artistic achievement. The show is broadcast on hundreds of public radio stations across the country, including at 1 p.m. central weekdays on Minnesota Public Radio. More information about our stations can be found at APM Distribution . Performance Today® features live concert recordings that can’t be heard anywhere else, highlights from new album releases, and in-studio performances and interviews. Performance Today® is based at the APM studios in St. Paul, Minnesota, but is frequently on the road, with special programs broadcast from festivals and public radio stations around the country. Also, each Wednesday, composer Bruce Adolphe joins host Fred Child for a classical musical game and listener favorite: the Piano Puzzler.

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