NEW TO YOUTUBE | Swedish Orchestras Play for Ukraine

Sweden's Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra has collaborated with the think-tank Unga Tankar om Musik to create a digital performance in which multiple Swedish orchestras show their support for the people of Ukraine. Nine orchestras took part, each recording their performances in their own concert halls.

The music featured in the video is a Ukrainian folk song titled "Ridna Maty Moya" (My Dearest Mother), which is based on a poem by Andriy Malyshko. The song follows the story of a young man who is leaving home for the first time. His mother gives him a rushnyk, or embroidered cloth, to remind him of her motherly love and to symbolize the progression of his life.

"We are very grateful for the initiative for this joint demonstration," said Katrine Ganer Skaug, the Director of the Helsingborg Concert Hall. "Symbolic actions also play their role in these times."

"At a time when millions of people are suffering terribly in war, it is extra-important to show the power of cross-border cooperation," said in a joint statement by Henning Ruhe, the Artistic Director of the Göteborg Opera, and Andreas Lönnqvist, the opera's Orchestra Manager.

"We are pleased and proud to be able to participate in this important collective demonstration of support for Ukraine. Together we are strongest," they added.

The orchestras involved are as follows:

• Gävle Symfoniorkester
• Göteborgs Symfoniker
• Kungliga Filharmonikerna
• Musica Vitae
• Kungliga Hovkapellet
• Göteborgsoperan
• Sveriges Radios Symfoniorkester
• Malmö Operaorkester
• Helsingborgs Symfoniorkester

You can watch the performance below.