Kyiv Art Sessions

03/06/2026

"Signs and Symbols" - New Season of Kyiv Art Sessions in Oxford and London
June 30 - July 2

Today, humanity is experiencing a time of profound existential crisis and global upheaval.

The world is undergoing tectonic shifts on every level of its existence — values, society, politics, culture, and climate.

We are witnessing events that are transforming the familiar order of things and forcing us to look anew at ourselves and the world around us. At such moments, it becomes especially important to find points of reference and support. Sometimes this requires looking at what is happening not only from within our own experience, but from a broader perspective — seeing the bigger picture and understanding the connections between events, causes, and consequences.

This is where art plays a vital role. Through images, sounds, and forms, it has the power to reveal a holistic vision of the world and help us comprehend the processes unfolding both around us and within us.

Symbols and signs become a special language that allows us to speak about what is complex, invisible, and often beyond words.

The new season of Kyiv Art Sessions, dedicated to the theme "Symbols and Signs", is a search for meaning, points of orientation, and new ways of understanding the world in a time of existential change.

The central event of the season will be Oleksandr Dubovyk’s exhibition "White Bouquet", presented from 1 to 10 July in Oxford as part of the prestigious Oxford Festival of the Arts.

It is symbolic that this year’s festival theme is also "Signs and Symbols", creating a unique space for dialogue between Ukrainian culture and the global context.

Oleksandr Dubovyk is an outstanding artist of international stature, a creator of remarkable intellectual breadth, a philosopher, and a poet who has developed his own unique system of symbols.

For Dubovyk, symbols and signs are neither decorative elements nor artistic metaphors. They are a philosophy and a way of thinking. A form of inner navigation. A journey through chaos toward wholeness and harmony.

Dubovyk’s signs and symbols function as a system of reference points; they initiate a process of seeing and conscious perception of our reality and the laws that govern the universe.

An important part of the exhibition will be "Dubovyk Fashion", a performance by the exceptional Ukrainian artist, fashion designer, and philosopher Fedir Voziianov.

"Dubovyk Fashion" offers an immersion into Oleksandr Dubovyk’s symbolic universe through colour, the texture of fabric, movement, and form, allowing audiences to engage more deeply with the artist’s world.

The theme of symbols and signs will continue in music.

The Kyiv Art Sessions programme includes the concerts "Labyrinth of Meanings" and "Symbols and Signs", featuring works by leading contemporary Ukrainian composers Валентин Сильвестров - Valentin Silvestrov, Victoria Vita Poleva, and Maxim Shalygin, performed by the brilliant and distinctive pianist Antonii Baryshevskyi.

It is especially significant that the theme of signs and symbols in the United Kingdom will be explored through the voices of Ukrainian artists.

Today, Ukraine stands at the very centre of global transformation. We are not merely observing these changes — we are living through them every day.

While enduring the dramatic realities of war, loss, and struggle, Ukrainian society is simultaneously forging a new sense of wholeness, new meanings, and a new responsibility for the future.

More details: https://kyivartsessions.com/en

21/05/2026

Vyshyvanka is not just a garment - it is our amulet.

Each pattern has its own melody of threads, its own story of love, strength and light.

Today, these embroidered stories unite Ukrainians around the world once again. So let this day be a little more beautiful and proud of what you have. And gratitude to all our friends who are with us.

Happy Vyshyvanka Day! From our KAS team✨

27/04/2026

Throughout the Kyiv Art Sessions 2026 season, we not only created a space for art but also brought people together around something truly important — charitable support for those who need it most.

On March 23 in London, within the walls of St John the Baptist Holland Road, the charity concert “Prayer for Ukraine” was held, performed by the Kyiv Chamber Choir / Камерний хор "Київ". Together, we raised 2500 British pounds (147,803 UAH) for the Voices of Children Charitable Foundation — one of the largest Ukrainian foundations that has been providing comprehensive psychological support for over 10 years to children and their families affected by the war in Ukraine.

We sincerely thank every concert attendee for your support!

It is especially meaningful to us that part of the donations came from people living in different parts of the world who were not physically present at the concert.
We are deeply grateful for this gesture of trust, solidarity, and heartfelt empathy for Ukraine.

In addition to entrance donations, an important part of the fundraising came from the purchase of the book Musical Ukraine by our guests. We sincerely thank its author, Myroslava Makarevych, for this contribution and for the opportunity to introduce Ukrainian classical music to a British audience.

Part of the charitable sum also included proceeds from beverage sales by Uawines UK and specialty coffee by Vadym Granovskiy — and we are grateful for their participation and support.

We thank St John the Baptist Church for the wonderful space and for providing the concert venue on a charitable basis.

Our gratitude goes to the Kyiv Chamber Choir and its conductor Mykola Hobdych for their exceptional artistry.
Art has a unique power — it brings people together.

At a time when the world often feels divided, moments like these show that, despite war and borders, shared values remain a point of connection.
And it is from them that real change begins.

25/04/2026

A few more backstage photos from the concert of Валентин Сильвестров - Valentin Silvestrov music performed by the Kyiv Chamber Choir / Камерний хор "Київ"

Photo: Christine Cadot

17/04/2026

There is a feeling of gratitude that is difficult to put into words — so deeply does it come from the soul.

But we will try.

This is exactly the kind of gratitude we feel toward the Kyiv Chamber Choir / Камерний хор "Київ" and its conductor and artistic director, Maestro Mykola Hobdych.

The choir’s international tour across the United Kingdom and France, as the opening of the Kyiv Art Sessions 2026 season, became a true triumph — powerful, convincing, and genuinely resonant.

For most listeners, it was their first time hearing Ukrainian music performed at the concerts, as well as their first encounter with the Kyiv Choir itself. Yet at every venue, the same phrase could be heard: "This is world-class!"

Many also shared that they had fallen in love with Ukrainian music and wished to experience the ensemble again and again.

Those fortunate enough to attend the Kyiv Choir’s concerts (more than 3,000 people!) discovered new names in music, new meanings, and a new Ukraine.

The Kyiv Choir prepared for the tour with great care and dedication. Over the course of the tour, the musicians presented three different programs of Ukrainian music. Notably, their preparation took place during one of the most difficult periods of this winter: the rehearsal space temperature did not exceed +7°C, while outside it dropped below –20°C. The musicians came to rehearsals every day, working in ski suits and hats. It is important to note the specificity of choral singing as well: for choristers, their voice is a delicate and refined instrument that requires care, warmth, and proper conditions.
worth mentioning that most of the works performed were completed
This story of the resilience of Ukrainian musicians and their devotion to art was shared before each concert.

It is also important to note that most of the work was performed after the full-scale invasion. Beyond their musical richness and high level of performance, composers and musicians conveyed their lived experience of war and their reflections on it — and this inner truth could be felt in every sound.

And, of course, the tour schedule was incredibly intense and demanding: over six days, there were five concerts, featuring three different programs across four cities in two countries.

The Kyiv Choir and Maestro Mykola Hobdych are more than music. They are an example of profound dedication, service to art, continuous growth, resilience, and true cultural diplomacy.

Thank you, dear Mykola Hobdych, the musicians of the Kyiv Chamber Choir, and Taisiia Yuryeva. We admire you, we are proud of you — and working with you is a great inspiration and a true joy.

17/04/2026

“Prayer for Ukraine,” performed by the Kyiv Chamber Choir / Камерний хор "Київ" under the direction of Mykola Hobdych, became the opening concert of the spring season Kyiv Art Sessions 2026 in London at St John the Baptist Holland Road

Photos of the concert - Victor-Manuel Ibáñez

14/04/2026

More about spring season of Kyiv Art Sessions 2026:

Kyiv Chamber Choir / Камерний хор "Київ"



http://mus.art.co.ua/kyiv-art-sessions-2026-kontserty-khoru-kyiv-u-velykiy-brytanii-ta-frantsii/?fbclid=IwZnRzaARLo1xleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEe180__oc0pWlHVBBNUDiTds67Q6BoyR5DU5e8uM837WVa8PWf2nt1lhmsKDk_aem_tuHqQPskD3qnJ_GwW0I6ew

Kyiv Art Sessions – сезони українського мистецтва за кордоном розпочали 2026 рік концертами Камерного хору «Київ» під орудою Миколи Гобдича

13/04/2026

There are figures whose very presence transforms the space and the people around them.

For the international tour of the Kyiv Choir, such an event was the participation of our beloved composer, a genius of our time—Валентин Сильвестров - Valentin Silvestrov.

The very fact that the Maestro came to France and was among us gave everything a special meaning and depth. With Valentyn Sylvestrov’s presence, the space itself seemed to retune: it became more attentive, more delicate, filled with that inner light so palpable in his music.

When the author of the music is present alongside it, the music seems to lose its distance and becomes even more fragile and authentic. One senses the direct presence of the source—and every sound acquires a special depth, transparency, and the silence from which it is born.

Our communication with the Maestro took place not only in the concert hall, but also beyond the stage—in those unforgettable conversations where one could especially feel his intonation, the sharpness of his thought, and his sense of humor. These were moments of rare closeness to the composer’s way of thinking and perceiving the world. Communicating with Valentyn Vasylovych is always a joy and a privilege, after which one feels a desire to be oneself—true both in music and in life.

A truly remarkable event was the concert of Sylvestrov’s music in the iconic space of Rouen’s Notre-Dame Cathedral, where its sound раскрылася with particular depth. The Maestro was present in the hall. The Kyiv Chamber Choir prepared for this performance with special excitement and responsibility, well aware of Valentyn Sylvestrov’s high demands regarding intonation, purity of sound, and the inner truth of performance.

Equally important and symbolic was the award ceremony conferring upon him the title of Honorary Doctor of Paris VIII University—long-awaited and undoubtedly well deserved. A true gift for all present was the opportunity to hear the Maestro himself perform—a fragile and at the same time extraordinarily powerful moment that will remain in memory for a long time.

We are sincerely grateful to everyone who made this encounter with genius possible: Kostiantyn Sigov—for his tireless work and dedication to promoting the composer’s творчості both in Ukraine and abroad; his colleagues at Paris VIII University; and the Ukrainian Institute in France—for enabling this event within the Kyiv Art Sessions 2026 season.

13/04/2026

Thank you INSTITUT FRANÇAIS for the wonderful memories!
Kyiv Chamber Choir / Камерний хор "Київ"
Валентин Сильвестров - Valentin Silvestrov



https://www.facebook.com/share/r/18byFWN9Un/

10/04/2026

**Acknowledgment to Partners**

Kyiv Chamber Choir / Камерний хор "Київ" tour of Great Britain and France, with great success and resonance, opened the new season of Kyiv Art Sessions 2026!

We sincerely thank our dear partners for this experience and success!

“Prayer for Ukraine,” performed by the Choir "Kyiv" under the direction of Mykola Hobdych, became the opening concert of the season in London.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to our London partners — the Embassy of Ukraine to the UK, and personally to Inna Yehorova, as well as St John the Baptist Holland Road—a bright, open, welcoming, and humane space—and personally to Daniel Gable, Office Manager of the United Benefice, to Deacon Jenny Davenport, and to Assistant Priest Revd Dana English.

Kyiv Chamber Choir / Камерний хор "Київ" then traveled to France, where two unforgettable events took place: a concert of music by Valentyn Sylvestrov in Rouen at the Notre-Dame Cathedral of Rouen, and the “Soul of Ukraine” concert in Saint-Denis at the Basilica of Saint-Denis. Both concerts were held as part of the season; for us, it was a great honor and responsibility.
We sincerely thank the Ukrainian Institute - Український інститут, Institut ukrainien en France, the French Institute, and personally Liuba Morozova, Natalya Guzenko-Boudier, Francky Blandeau, and Constantin Sigov for our collaboration.

With “Prayer for Ukraine,” we concluded the Kyiv Chamber Choir / Камерний хор "Київ" tour and the first season of Kyiv Art Sessions 2026 in the city of Rennes, the capital of Brittany, at the Cathédrale Saint-Pierre.
Here we met incredible partners— the association Solidarité Bretagne-Ukraine, which organized the event at the highest level.
Our heartfelt thanks to Solidarité Bretagne–Ukraine, its President, Pierre Le Foll; to Nataliia Khomenko, Vice-President; to Ivanna Kushnir, Co-founder; to Olivier Gazeau, Vicar General; to Étienne Lorta, Rector of Saint Peter’s Cathedral; and to all the volunteers of the organization.

This was our first, unforgettable experience of partnership, which laid the foundation for further cooperation!

We thank Myroslava Makarevych for covering the season, as well as for her book *Musical Ukraine*, which inspired British audiences to purchase it immediately after the concert, with proceeds donated to the Voices of Children charitable foundation.

We thank Natalia Krasnenkova for the informational support of the KAS 2026 season.