This is a chamber concert at the Lviv National Philharmonic, which will take place on June 26, 2026, at 5:00 PM on the Chamber Stage. If you are interested in Ukrainian vocal music with a living history, a good lyrical nerve, and without pathos, but rather with a sense of returning to forgotten names, this event may resonate with your mood.
About the Event
“Ukrainian Music Through the Ages: Mykhailo Haivoronsky, Ostap and Nestor Nyzhankivsky” is the second concert in a series where artists from the Lviv National Philharmonic introduce listeners to composers whose legacies have long remained in the shadows, and during the Soviet era often sounded without authorship or with altered texts. The official page of the philharmonic emphasizes that this series aims to return the composers their names and showcase their music as part of the living Ukrainian cultural memory.
The concert is announced as live sound, and among the performers listed on the page are Oksana Savitska, Vasyl Ponayda, Vitaliy Holubnych, Oksana Matsehora, Marianna Laba, Nina Karpinets, Liliya Vikaruk, Natalia Hranovska, Ulyana Tokarivska-Vertehel, and Olena Vladyslavska on piano. The evening's host is Oksana Mota, and the idea's author and director is Lyubov Fitio.
Plot and Mood
This is not a narrative performance, but a musical program gathered around the songs and works of three composers: Mykhailo Haivoronsky, Ostap Nyzhankivsky, and Nestor Nyzhankivsky. The program features both lyrical intonations and folk song motifs, as well as more chamber, delicate song poetry — in other words, the evening sounds like a journey through various shades of Ukrainian music from the first half of the 20th century.
The emotional tone of this program is not heavy, but rather light-somber. Such music is best listened to attentively: it does not require prior preparation, but rewards those who love text, melody, and voice as a way to tell a story. If you enjoy concerts that leave you wanting to reflect quietly on the way home, this event is just like that.
- The program includes works by Mykhailo Haivoronsky, including "Oy Vpal Strilets," "Oy Kozache Mii," "Serenade," "Oy Kazala Mati," and "Synia Chichka."
- Songs by Ostap Nyzhankivsky are also featured, including "I Molylasya Ya," "Oy Shumila Lishchyna," "Lyublyu Dyvitysya," "Vernitstse Sny Moi," "Proshchay, Podruho Moyeyi Vesny," "Nad Ozerom," "Ah De Zh Toy Tsvit," and "O, Ne Zabut."
- In the block of Nestor Nyzhankivsky, there are "Bohorodytsye Divo," "Zasumuy, Trembito," and "Ne Spivay Povesni."
Production
The philharmonic presents this evening as a concert with a distinct educational framework: here, not only do they sing, but they also return context, explaining why these names are important. The event description separately highlights the dramatic biographies of the composers: Haivoronsky was associated with the Legion of Ukrainian Sich Riflemen and later became the chief conductor of the UNR Army, Ostap Nyzhankivsky went from fighting for the right to engage in music to authoring dozens of works, and Nestor Nyzhankivsky, after a hand injury and Soviet occupation, effectively lost the conditions for his creativity.
That is why this concert appears not as "just an evening of songs," but as a carefully assembled musical narrative with a human face. According to the official announcement, the focus is on hearing in these works not museum antiquity, but living emotion — melodiousness, lyricism, and memory of the native land.
How to Get There, Duration, and Intermissions
The event will take place at the Lviv National Philharmonic at 7 Chaykovskoho Street, Lviv. Specifically, this program is announced for the Chamber Stage, which usually means a closer, more intimate sound and contact with the performers than on the large stage.
On the official event page, the duration and number of intermissions are not specified, so it is more honest to orient oneself to the format of a chamber vocal concert: such evenings often last about an hour to an hour and a half, sometimes with a short break, but the exact timing is better clarified directly before the visit. It is convenient to arrive at the philharmonic building a little early to avoid rushing and calmly take your seats.
Prices and Audience
The event page features a ticket purchase button, but the specific cost is not provided in the official description. For similar chamber concerts in philharmonics, tickets usually cost from several hundred hryvnias, but the exact price depends on the seats and the date of purchase.
This evening is well-suited for those who love Ukrainian academic music, chamber vocal programs, and concerts with historical context. For a date, it can be a very good option if you want a quiet, meaningful evening without fuss; for a family outing — also not bad, if you have listeners who can appreciate not pop, but classical formats. However, if you are looking for a light "put it on in the background and relax" format, here, there will likely be too much attention to words and nuances, so it may only be boring for those who do not enjoy listening attentively.
Tips for the Audience
It is best to arrive at such concerts at least 15–20 minutes before the start to calmly find the hall and prepare for listening. It is appropriate to choose neat and comfortable clothing: this is a philharmonic evening, but without the need for a very formal dress code.
During the intermission, if there is one, it is most pleasant not to rush, but simply to rest and discuss which works resonated the most — this is exactly what you want to do after the first few numbers in this program. And if you love leaving a concert with the feeling that you have discovered not only music but also an entire layer of Ukrainian history, isn’t that exactly the kind of evening you want the most?
