A NINE year old singer will be the star of the show at an evening concert of Ukrainian music due to take place on Saturday (October 8) at Ermysted’s Grammar School in Skipton.
Soprano Yesania Honcharova, from Kiev, sang songs of protest in front of the Russian Embassy in Moldova, where her family first fled at the outbreak of war. She and her family are now living near York, where they are being hosted by a family.
Yesania had been studying singing at a music school in Kiev, and continues to have lessons online. She will be singing five songs at the concert in Skipton, including the moving Prayer for Ukraine written in 1885 by the composer Mykola Lysenko.
In addition, the local ensemble Strings Attached and the pianist Tamsin Holding will be playing music by Ukrainian composers – music which is little known in England but deserves to be far more widely played.
A spokesperson for organisers of the concert said: “We have enormously enjoyed getting to know this music and we are sure that Skipton audiences will enjoy it too.
“Entrance is free, but donations to the Ukraine Appeal would be appreciated. We will be serving light refreshments and wine and soft drinks will also be available.”
Saturday’s concert at Ermysted’s Grammar School, Gargrave Road, Skipton, will start at 7.30pm and will raise funds for the Disasters Emergency Fund appeal for Ukraine.
For people who cannot attend, but would like to support the cause, there is a Just Giving page: https://justgiving.com/fundraising/ukrainian-music-concert
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