More Initiatives are Launched to Assist Ukraine

The office of American conductor Leonard Bernstein wrote on Facebook: “We stand with the people of Ukraine, as they fight against this violent aggression. We encourage our fans to make a difference by donating to any of the humanitarian aid organizations listed here.”

The statement added that Bernstein’s parents were born and raised in Ukraine but had fled to the U.S. during the Russian pogroms, or mass anti-Jewish riots. In honor of his heritage, a plaque was put up in Russia during Bernstein’s centennial in 2018.

Moreover, Anna Skryleva, conductor and music director of Germany’s Theater Magdeburg, recently appealed to artists around the world to join her in a mass protest titled #ArtistsAgainstRussianWarCrimes.

Showing solidarity by having both hands tied, she wrote on Facebook, "I call all artists around the world to join this initiative!"

Also a pianist and composer, Skryleva was raised in Moscow, Russia, and is currently based in Berlin. She began studying at Moscow’s Tchaikovsky Conservatory when she was just 10 years old.

Record label NAXOS has also taken a stand to support Ukraine, where their online classical recording retailer ArkivMusic, has formed a collection of recordings showcasing the richness and depth of Ukrainian classical music.

“For every CD sold from this collection, ArkivMusic will donate $2 to Ukrainian people and artists in this time of need,” they wrote on Facebook.

Additionally, NAXOS partnered with Presto Music to create a humanitarian fundraiser for Ukraine. “Looking for a positive contribution we could make amid this catastrophe, we’ve been researching and exploring Ukrainian classical composers, and have discovered some fascinating stories and real gems,” wrote Presto Music’s CEO, Chris O’Reilly.

They also teamed up with record labels: BIS, Chandos, Delphian, Hyperion, and Toccata, who donated the stock for them to sell at zero cost. “We are absorbing the shipping and packaging costs ourselves, so that every penny of the income can go to supporting humanitarian causes in Ukraine,” O’Reilly added. “Neither Presto nor the record labels will take any money from the sales of these items.”