{"id":15270,"date":"2025-05-30T14:49:36","date_gmt":"2025-05-30T12:49:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.jazzinstitut.de\/?p=15270"},"modified":"2025-09-26T13:30:30","modified_gmt":"2025-09-26T11:30:30","slug":"jazz-brief-international-aus-der-ukraine-mai-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jazzinstitut.de\/en\/jazz-brief-international-aus-der-ukraine-mai-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"Jazz Letter international from Ukraine (May 2025)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Jazz in Resistance: The Ukrainian Jazz Scene in Wartime<\/strong><\/h2>\n


\n<\/strong>\u00a0by Mariana Bondarenko, Head of Music at Ukrainian Institute
\n<\/em>\u00a0Kyiv, April 2025<\/p>\n

Since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine began on 24 February 2022, every aspect of Ukrainian life has been deeply affected \u2014 and the jazz scene is no exception. But even under constant threat, shelling, blackouts, and displacement, Ukrainian jazz has not only survived \u2014 it has found new strength, resilience, and international recognition.<\/p>\n

Before the full-scale invasion, jazz in Ukraine \u2014 like everywhere else \u2014 was largely about artistry, experimentation, and joy. Musicians explored the boundaries of sound, created grooves, played festivals, recorded albums, and shared them with their audiences. But with the outbreak of war, the very function of music shifted. It became more than art. It became a message, a weapon of truth, a shield for the spirit, and a bridge to the world.<\/p>\n

Music as Resistance and Healing<\/strong><\/p>\n

In the first months of the war, jazz musicians in Ukraine immediately took action. Some joined the military. Some organized benefit concerts in bomb shelters, train stations, and underground metro tunnels. Others took their instruments abroad, spreading the story of Ukraine through music. Initiatives like Music Battalion, which started back in 2014, Music Battalion<\/strong> continued their important work, bringing music to troops and civilians alike.<\/p>\n

In Lviv, the initative Music Cultural Front<\/strong> began by organizing jazz concerts at the railway station for refugees, later expanding to online and offline charity concerts, even from bomb shelters. In Kharkiv, Kharkiv Music Fest<\/strong> opened with a concert in the subway \u2014 a powerful symbol of cultural defiance.<\/p>\n

Due to the fact that many jazz musicians from various regions in Ukraine found shelter in Lviv, it resonated in a special program Jazz relocation at Jazz Bez festival in 2022 featuring musicians from Kharkiv, Dnipro, Kyiv and other cities. Moreover, several of them have also begun teaching at the Mykola Lysenko Music Academy in Lviv. Usein Bekirov, originally from Crimea and later based in Kyiv, now leads the jazz department, while Yakiv Tsvetinsky from Dnipro and Viktor Pavelko from Kyiv have joined as senior faculty members.<\/p>\n

Jazz clubs, once shuttered by the war, gradually began reopening in cities like Kyiv, Odesa, Rivne, Chernihiv, and Lviv. Even in the face of displacement, many festivals kept going \u2014 or reemerged with new strength. Jazz Bez, Art Jazz Festival in Rivne, Jazz Kolo, Lviv Jazz Days and Bouquet Kyiv Stage all returned with programming that blended local and international acts. Remarkably, Bouquet Kyiv Stage also established itself abroad, with winter and summer editions in London since 2022, and a Georgian edition in Tbilisi.<\/p>\n

Artistic Residencies as Safe Havens and Creative Hubs<\/strong><\/p>\n

International artist residencies offered Ukrainian jazz musicians not only physical protection during the war, but also creative continuity and access to new audiences. In Poland, Katowice City of Gardens<\/strong>, led by Martyna van Niewland<\/strong>, initiated a dedicated residency program for Ukrainian musicians. It provided resources, rehearsal spaces, professional contacts, and performance opportunities in the region.<\/p>\n

Similar initiatives took place in Sweden: Musikcentrum \u00d6ST<\/strong> in Stockholm launched a residency program that enabled Ukrainian artists to develop projects, collaborate with Swedish musicians, and participate in local festivals. In cooperation with Stim<\/strong> and the Stim Forward Fund<\/strong>, eleven musicians and music professionals from Ukraine were supported in Sweden during 2022\u20132023, with funding from the Postcode Foundation<\/strong>. Since 2024, the collaboration has continued through the capacity-building program Resonate UA<\/strong>. The first delegation of Ukrainian musicians will take part in jazzahead!<\/strong> in Bremen and present their projects to an international professional audience.<\/p>\n

Emerging Platforms and New Generations<\/strong><\/p>\n

Despite the mass displacement of Ukrainians \u2014 including students and young artists \u2014 music education in Ukraine has continued<\/strong>. Music academies remain operational, and a new student jazz club \u201c43\u201d<\/strong> has opened at the Kyiv Municipal Academy of Music named after R. Glier<\/strong>, nurturing the next generation of Ukrainian jazz musicians.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/a>Opening of Jazzclub \"43\"<\/a><\/p>\n

An outstanding initiative is the Drum Island Fest<\/strong>, launched in 2022 by drummer and composer Dmytro Khoroshun<\/strong> \u2014 as a response to the many displaced children in Kyiv. The festival creates a safe space for young drummers and today offers not only competitions but also masterclasses, jam sessions, and mentoring. In 2024, the team participated as a delegation in the \u00dcberschlag Festival<\/strong> in Hannover \u2014 facilitated by the Ukrainian Institute. In 2025, the festival will present its first international line-up featuring Alirio Torrealba<\/strong> (Venezuela) and Christin Neddens<\/strong> (Germany).<\/p>\n

Independent communities such as Fusion Jams<\/strong> have developed into creative hubs for modern jazz experimentation. It was here that the band Hyphen Dash<\/strong> was formed, saxophonist Andrii Barmalii<\/strong> presented his own compositions for the first time, and guitarist Yevhen Puhachov<\/strong>, keyboardist Yevhen Dubovyi<\/strong>, and drummer Mykhailo Halaktionov<\/strong> founded their own quartets. In March 2025, the scene celebrated its six-year anniversary with acts such as Hyphen Dash<\/strong>, Yevhen Puhachov Quartet<\/strong>, BITLO<\/strong>, and Aesthetic Combination<\/strong> \u2014 the voice of a bold new generation.<\/p>\n

Andrii Barmalii Quartet<\/a><\/p>\n

Inspired by the Swedish jazz network KNUTPUNKT<\/strong>, the 32 Jazz Club<\/strong> in Kyiv initiated the founding of the MayDay Art<\/strong> network for new jazz venues in Ukraine. In cooperation with the Ukrainian Institute, a Ukrainian-Belgian tour was organized in 2024, featuring four concerts and two masterclasses across four cities.<\/p>\n

Resilience on the Frontlines<\/strong><\/p>\n

Many musicians are not only cultural ambassadors but also active defenders of their country. Some are fighting on the front lines \u2014 among them saxophonist, composer, and bandleader Danylo Vinarikov<\/strong> from Dnipro, now director of the Dnipro Big Band<\/strong> of the Dnipro Philharmonic. After returning from the front, he founded a festival in 2024 in memory of Serhii Artemov<\/strong>, a fellow musician who was killed in the war. The Ukrainian Institute published a sheet music collection titled \u201cSerhii Artemov. In Memoriam\u201d<\/strong> featuring eight of his compositions, which have since been performed at concerts in Ukraine and abroad \u2014 including the NUEjazz Festival<\/strong> and the Hof Jazz Nights<\/strong> in Germany, as well as at a tribute concert in Montr\u00e9al. Further performances are planned.<\/p>\n

Culture Supporting the Frontlines<\/strong><\/p>\n

Since the beginning of the war, many musicians have been raising funds or donating their fees to support the Ukrainian army. One of the most sustainable initiatives is \u201cNaShapku\u201d (literally: \u201cFor the Hat\u201d) \u2013 a weekly benefit concert series<\/strong>, initiated by radio host Sonia Sotnyk<\/strong> together with the Svoi Foundation<\/strong>. Since 2015, more than 210 concerts have been held, raising over 6.7 million UAH (approx. \u20ac160,000). Proceeds have supported medical supplies \u2014 including one of the largest collections of oxygen concentrators during the COVID-19 pandemic \u2014 and now go toward medical aid for soldiers. Every Thursday, the NaShapku community gathers at the Pepper\u2019s Club<\/strong> in Kyiv to enjoy outstanding jazz acts.<\/p>\n

International Partnerships<\/strong><\/p>\n

Since 2022, the Ukrainian jazz scene has become part of the international discourse: Ukraine presented its own stand for the first time at jazzahead!<\/strong>, supported by the Ukrainian Institute. Acts such as Vadim Neselovsky<\/strong>, Ihor Osypov<\/strong>, LELEKA<\/strong>, GANNA<\/strong>, and DZ\u2019OB<\/strong> performed in showcase concerts. A national delegation of showcase artists was also present at WOMEX<\/strong>. Since then, Ukrainian delegations have regularly participated in both events.<\/p>\n

DZ'OB at jazzahead! 2024<\/a><\/p>\n

Another milestone was the Ukrainian Institute\u2019s accession to the Europe Jazz Network (EJN)<\/strong> in 2023. Since then, a directory of Ukrainian musicians in the diaspora has been published, and the Ukrainian jazz scene has been officially included in the EJN Jazz Panorama<\/strong>. Delegations now take part annually in the European Jazz Conference<\/strong> \u2013 a platform for exchange, new collaborations, and increased visibility.<\/p>\n

Ukraine at EJN<\/a><\/p>\n

Notable examples include:<\/p>\n