“When I was a kid growing up, I saw light in him and still now, I see light when I see him.” Here, 'I' refers to Sergei Polunin, a brilliant Ukrainian ballerino, and “him” refers to the current Russian president, Vladimir Putin. In 2018, Polunin acquired Russian citizenship and tattooed President Putin’s face on his chest, breaking the hearts of his fans in Ukraine. Another famous Ukraine-born ballerino, Svetlana Zakharova, is a devoted admirer of President Putin and was awarded the title of People’s Artist of the Russian Federation. She also expressed her support for the Russian Federation’s annexation of Crimea.

Today, the two brilliant dancers have become images of traitors in Ukraine. Even the European dancing world has turned its back on them; scheduled performances, such as Polunin’s performance at the Arcimboldi Teatro and Zakharova’s at La Scala, are being canceled one after another. In addition, concerts scheduled at the New York Carnegie Hall for Valery Abisalovich Gergiev, a Russian conductor and a dear friend of President Putin, have also been canceled, and the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra dismissed him from his post. Such drastic measures are considered quite unprecedented in the western society that is known for its art-for-art principles, which is in contrast with the importance the eastern society places on causes and justification.

“The year I became a freshman at Berklee College of Music was the first year Professor Vadim started teaching at the school. Learning under Professor Vadim as my first music professor in America was one of the most remarkable experiences of my life. He truly poured his passion and heart into teaching us. The way he wholeheartedly devoted all his energy and passion was definitely moving. In every class, he told us, ‘You need to write your own music and find your unique color.’ At the end of each year, he would help us prepare our independent concerts with music that we wrote. The songs I wrote under Professor Vadim are actually included in my first and second albums.”

That is how Bae Ga-young, a jazz pianist, remembers Vadim Neselovskyi. On March 8, 2022, Bae performed her piano piece at the house concert at ADVART for Professor Vadim. Bae and other performers raised their songs of prayer for peace in Ukraine, Vadim’s homeland. When the great Russian artists keep quiet as a token of respect to their dear friend Putin, artists in Korea are lending their quiet voices for peace in Ukraine.

Pianist Jeong Eun-hye at ADVART’s house concert “Vadim’s Friends”(ⓒADVART)

At the concert, jazz pianists–and Vadim’s former students–Jeong Eun-hye, Park Gene-young, and Kang Jae-hun also performed with Bae. Vadim shared his gratefulness in a video: “I talk to my friends in Ukraine almost every day these days. It’s important for those suffering in Ukraine to know that many people around the world are praying for them and to feel that they are not alone. A concert like this is a great way to show support for them.”

The AVDART venue, where the concert took place, is located less than 100 meters from the Embassy of Ukraine. While the Councilor of the Embassy of Belgium–located next to the Embassy of Ukraine–attended the concert, staff from the Embassy of Ukraine, unfortunately, was unable to join due to pressing matters in Ukraine. Dmitri Ponomarenko, the Ambassador of the Embassy of Ukraine, said in a thank-you video that a similar concert may be held at the Embassy of Ukraine.

Choi Jong-ha, a translator of jazz literature and the CEO of Advart Music, gladly took upon the suggestion and hosted another concert, the , on March 18, 2022 in front of the Embassy of Ukraine. Video Director Choi Ji-seon and Audio Director Jang Min-soo helped to plan the concert. Over 100 guests, including staff from the Embassy of Ukraine, attended the concert despite the rainy weather.

After the concert was concluded successfully, Jazz Pianist Jeong Eun-hye said, “I learned about Ukraine through Professor Vadim. After Russia annexed Crimea, he wrote and played songs for Ukrainians and presented many songs longing for his hometown Odesa in Ukraine. Until right before the war broke out, Professor Vadim had been collaborating with Kyiv Orchestra, actively participating in musical and cultural exchanges. Knowing Professor Vadim, who was devoted to his country, the news of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was more than shocking. In respect of Professor Vadium and his country, I quickly composed a jazz piece, ‘Together We March On,’ and performed it at the concert. Music is a set of structuralized sounds. In other words, emotions, social behavior, worldviews, and more are embodied in the sound energy that is delivered to the audience. I hope that my music would offer solace to Ukrainians in this hour of deep anguish, as they are trying to overcome their national crisis.”

“Street Concert for the Peace in Ukraine” was hosted again by ADVART in front of the Embassy of Ukraine (ⓒADVART)

The house concert and street concert for Ukraine were proceeded as a collaboration project called the “Urgent Action of Culture and Art for Ukraine (hereinafter the “Online Action for Ukraine”).” The project was formed through Facebook Group on March 3, 2022, a week after Russia’s invasion began, as an informal unity of artists who are praying for the peace in Ukraine. Around 350 artists are collaborating to find ways to work towards the end of the war in Ukraine and the establishment of peace.

The objective of ‘Online Action for Ukraine’ is to show support for Ukraine in ways these artists can from their position. Soprano Jung Chan-hee created a video in which she sings the national anthem of Ukraine and posted it on YouTube, followed by Flamenco Dancer Choi Won-kyung who also created and posted a video of powerful choreography based on Ukraine’s national anthem to encourage Ukrainians. Then, Gayageum Zither Performer Ha Sora played ‘Gyemyounjo (tones of traditional Korean instruments)’ Melody of ‘Cheonnyeonmanse (Thousand Years of Life)’ as a prayer for peace in Ukraine.

Oh Yu-kyung, a former KBS newscaster, created a video where she recites a poem by Taras Shevchenko, a folk poet and the spiritual mainstay of Ukrainians. Chief Director Son Byung-hui of Seoul Min Art created the melody for Oh’s poem recital. Son, who is the head of the ‘Songs of K Democracy’ project, translating the protest songs of Korea into English, suggested ways in which the artists can help Ukrainians: “Progressive arts should be able to soothe people’s minds. Rather than confining our interest to domestic matters, we should also pay more attention to what is happening around the world and take part in active performances for the causes. I hope the value of the ‘Korean Wave of Democracy’ will spread to the world.”

Other cultural artists also participated in the move. Photographer Kim Jin-seok donated the photos he took in Ukraine and Calligrapher Kim So-young also provided her calligraphy of ‘Ukraine’, both to be used in the ‘Online Action for Ukraine’. Ko Gyoung-il, a cartoonist and professor at Sangmyung University collaborated with members of Urimana Association and created a cartoon series that demonstrated people’s hopes for peace in Ukraine. Twenty-five cartoons will be presented at the Antiwar Exhibition at Donuimun Museum Village.

“Cartoons in the Hopes of Peace in Ukraine” by Urimana Association(ⓒUrimana Association)

While the performance was not directly a part of the ‘Online Action for Ukraine’, indie bands also organized a concert to raise funds to help Ukraine. Indie bands including ‘Strange Bar’, ‘Scribbling Alice’, ‘MUSTBE’ and ‘ACIDROSE’ performed at the Live&Loud Theater on March 12 and 13, 2022, and raised 1,500,000 won (approximately US$1230), which was donated to the Embassy of Ukraine.

The members of ‘Online Action for Ukraine’ also communicated with Ukrainians residing in Korea with the help of Grace Hong, who is a mediator for foreigners residing in Korea. Artists from the organization had a zoom meeting with young Ukrainians Yevgnyevich and Nana and shared notes about what the organization is doing to support Ukrainians. In the same meeting, Yevgnyevich and Nana told the Korean participants about the tense situation in Ukraine, asking for support in any way possible.

The Ukrainians in Korea also delivered news on the Russian-Koreans in Ukraine. Currently, there are about 20,000 descendants of the Russian-Koreans who were deported to Ukraine during the Stalin Period, and Yevgnyevich and Nana expressed their willingness to check on them on behalf of the ‘Online Action for Ukraine’. One of the well-known Russian-Koreans in Ukraine is Vitaliy Kim, the governor of Mykolaiv Oblast, Ukraine, who is currently defending the frontline against Russia.

While the Ukrainian community in Korea is not well structured, they often communicate through a Facebook group. Active participants in the Ukrainian community in Korea took part in a demonstration near the Russian Consulate and Embassy against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Katrina, an international student at Kyung Hee University, sang the national anthem of Ukraine and ‘My Dear Mother’ at the street concert. Olena Shchegel, a professor of Ukrainian at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, is leading the Ukrainian community in Korea.

Professor Shchegel has decided to have the in collaboration with the Ukrainian community based on Composer Yang Seung Ryul’s idea. Yang explained the purpose of the concert as follows: “There are many great composers from Ukraine, and it would be very meaningful for the Russian musicians in Korea to play songs by Ukrainian composers and pray for peace. The is expected to take place at Gyeonggi Arts Center under the initiative of Ukrainians residing in Korea.”

Nikoli Kapustin, a jazz and classical music composer, Sergei Prokofiev, composer of the soundtracks of Segei Einstein’s movies, Valentyn Silvestrov who defied the Soviet Union, and Vladmir Horowitz, a classical pianist, are among the many great musicians of Ukraine. Ukraine is a cultural powerhouse, and its well-known Kyev Ballet School had presented many performances in Korea as well. Taras Shevchenko National Opera and Ballet Theatre of Ukraine, to which the Kyev Ballet School belongs, was one of the three greatest theaters in the former Soviet Union along with the Bolshoi Theatre of Moscow and the Mariinsky Theater of St. Petersburg.

Many Ukrainian musicians are also quite active in Korea. Upon receiving the news of Russia’s invasion of their home country, they returned to Ukraine to protect their land. Contrabassist Juchin Dmitri, Trumpeter Matviyenko Constantin, and Violist Leu Keller of Seoul Pops Orchestra, who are all friends from their time at the Kyev Conservatory, returned to Ukraine recently. The Embassy of Ukraine has agreed to contact Ukrainian musicians in Korea for the .

There is one song that I would like to request for the Russian musicians to play at the . The song is ‘The Russians Do They Want War?’ an antiwar song written based on the poem of Antiwar Poet Yevgeny Yevtushenko from the Soviet Union, and I would like to end this column with lyrics from this song.

“The Russians do they want war? / Ask the silence that hovers / On our plowed fields and our plains, / Ask birches, poplars. / Just ask the soldiers / Who lie beneath the birches! / Their son will tell you: The Russians do they want … / The Russians do they want … / The Russians do they want war?”