UA Days 2025 Commences with Classical Concert

On Friday 6 June 2025, the 3rd edition of the Ukrainian Days (UA Days) cultural festival, organised by LUkraine Asbl, kicked off at the Philharmonie in Luxembourg-Kirchberg with a classical concert.

This year’s theme, "Reviving the Silenced Arts," highlights works by Ukrainian artists whose voices were previously banned, repressed or nearly lost to history: 

The festival’s mission is to enlarge and promote the unity and solidarity of both countries, offering an opportunity to explore and appreciate Ukrainian culture while fostering cultural exchange between Ukraine and Luxembourg.

Opening Concert

The Opening Concert was held in the Salle de Musique de Chambre and featured piano quintets by composers Vasyl Barvinsky and Borys Lyatoshynsky; according to the organisers, such composers suffered censorship, yet their music still speaks of resilience. Their music blends national identity with universal emotions. The music was performed by the renowned Phoenix String Quartet, with celebrated pianist Violina Petrychenko.

Inna Yaramenko, Vice President of LUkraine Asbl, welcomed the 200+ attendees to the opening concert which ibcluded the Ambassadors of Japan, Belgium and Germany.

In her welcome address, she recalled the 1,200 days of full scale invasion, during which time culture remains an important role; she also addressed the importance of issues such cultural diplomacy and national identity, explaining that through literature, art, music and film, Ukraine tells its own stories, of resistance, freedom and European values, and reinforces Ukraine’s reputation as a modern, democratic nation.

"By defending its culture, Ukraine defends its freedom" she stated, and recounted that more than 2,000 cultural institutions have been damaged or destroyed, including 300+ museums and thousands of artefacts; however, the biggest loss is its people, either serving in the armed forces or civilians.

She also referenced thousands of Ukrainians killed during the Stalinist regime, and now it is happening again.

The UA Days celebrate Ukraine’s cultural heritage, with this year’s festival featuring “the revival of silent arts”; she also talked briefly about the other six events in this year’s festival programme taking place in various locations throughout the Grand Duchy, including Echternach and Esch-sur-Alzette.

She explained that the musicians have travelled from Ukraine; the quintet was founded in 2016 and has won international awards.

Anne Calteux, Head of the European Representation in Luxembourg, also spoke and mentioned it being sad that the war is still raging: she hoped that even when the war is finished, the UA Days festival will continue - which received spontaneous applause from those attending.

She talked about the soul of Ukraine and, thanks to the like of LUkraine Asbl, such actions and festivals have shown the depth of culture from Ukraine.

She concluded by stating “Culture can be the heartbeat of a nation… the war against Ukraine threatens its cultural identify, which unites the people…" and quoted Ursula Van Der Leyen "‘we will show solidarity with Ukraine as long as it takes’”.

The music

- Vasyl Barvinsky: Quintet for piano in G minor (17 mins)
- Borys Lyatoshynsky: Quintet for piano in "Ukrainien" chords, Op.42 (45 mins)

The artists: Mykola Haviuk (violin); Petro Titiaiev (violin); Anna Bura (viola); Denys Lytvynenko (cello); Violina Petrychenko (piano).

The Phoenix String Quartet, founded in 2006 in Lviv, Ukraine, brings together graduates of the Mykola Lysenko Lviv National Music Academy. The ensemble has performed at numerous international chamber music festivals and has been awarded the prestigious Liudkevych Prize for its artistic excellence. Since 2023, Violina Petrychenko has joined the quartet as a pianist, expanding it into a quintet to introduce Ukrainian chamber music to a broader audience.

Violina Petrychenko, born in Zaporizhzhia, studied in Kyiv, Weimar, Cologne and Essen. She has released six albums featuring works by 20th-century Ukrainian composers, earning multiple Opus Klassik nominations. As the artistic director of the “Sounds of Ukraine” festival and a soloist with the Lviv Philharmonic, she is passionately dedicated to promoting Ukrainian music worldwide.

UA Days 2025

UA Days in Luxembourg is an annual event illuminating Ukrainian culture and cross-cultural exchange with Luxembourg, organised by LUkraine Asbl. With the aim to open Ukraine for Europe, giving a chance to demonstrate the country’s beauty and uniqueness, the association offers this programme and encourages the public to discover, preserve and share these masterpieces because creativity transcends time, nations and borders.

The UA Days 2025 programme runs until xxxxx June and includes - in addition to the Oopening classical oncert - a concert-conference on Ukrainian classical music by Violina Petrychenko; a film screening; a live performance by Ukrainian rap artist Alyona Alyona; a Kyiv–Luxembourg connection event with arts, crafts, Ukrainian food and DJ music, in celebration of the naming of Boulevard de Kyiv; a candlelit carillon concert; and a jazz screening event.

For full details of UA Days 2025, see https://chronicle.lu/event/13398-ua-days-opening-concert or https://uadays.lu.