UNF School of Music perform in solidarity with Ukraine

Nathan Turoff and Carter Mudgett

It was a warm and sunny Monday afternoon when the Wind Symphony, Orchestra and choral ensembles assembled its instruments in front of the Fine Arts Center. They were all ready and tuning their instruments at 3:10 p.m., with a performance time of 3:15 p.m. As tour guides walked along the Green and students sat in anticipation, the choral ensemble walked out in front of the orchestra. 

Shortly after, Erin Bodnar — one of the conductors — took a microphone and explained her disdain for the attack on Ukraine. This showing, however brief, was the performers’ way of standing in solidarity with a country in crisis.

They began their full performance of the Ukrainian National Anthem with the grand music of the full orchestra resonating across the entirety of the Green and beyond.

Despite being only a few minutes, the procession was beautiful and poignant. After a round of applause, they returned to the Fine Arts Center.

The State Anthem of Ukraine: ‘Ukraine Has Not Yet Perished

The glory and freedom of Ukraine has not yet perished
Luck will still smile on us brother-Ukrainians.
Our enemies will die, as the dew does in the sunshine,
and we, too, brothers, we’ll live happily in our land.

We’ll not spare either our souls or bodies to get freedom
and we’ll prove that we brothers are of Kozak kin.

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