Memento Odesa is an extraordinary project, which shows people an unusual and deeply human side of the story of the war which Russia has been waging against Ukraine for two years this past weekend.
The recording, released last week, on 16 February was made in Odesa Philharmonic Hall with its resident orchestra, Odesa Symphonic Orchestra, conducted by Volodymyr Dikiy, just a few days before 23 July 2023, the day when the Russians launched attacks on the Orthodox Cathedral, just a few blocks away from the hall.
And the project has also grown: between 2 March and 21 March, the strings of the Odesa Philharmonic Orchestra will perform a dozen concerts starting in Odesa, and then all over Germany, ending in the Church of the Resurrection in Munich.
The recording sessions for “Memento Odesa” were like no others. Trumpeter, composer and festival director of XJAZZ! Berlin, Sebastian Studnitzky, whom I interviewed via Zoom at his home in Berlin, talks about the experience a whole flood of different emotions come back to the surface. It was “scary but also magical”… ” a very special mixture of feelings “…”there was a curfew and nobody on the streets.” There was a paradox: “You see the war on the news, but then to go to Odesa and to see how normal life is was even more scary.”
Over two days they recorded, and the three movements “Memento Odesa” have just been released. Both Studnitzky and the producer of the concerts, are looking forward to them: “We want to communicate our message in a way that people will open their hearts,” says Odesa-born music producer Anastasiia Pokaz, who is one of the guiding spirits behind the “Memento Odesa” project. “We are motivated by the power of action, not just words,” addsAnastasiia. “For everyone involved in the project realization process, it felt like a tremendous source of inspiration. In the midst of exhaustion from the current state of the situation, this recording provided a breath of fresh air – an opportunity to taste a previous life where everything was filled with music and love.”
She says that the images of war have a way of turning people off, and making them feel distant from the reality of Ukraine. Studnitzky is of the same mind. “If an audience member meets a violinist and shakes hand with him/her, I know that they are going to feel a strong emotional connection. Music has the power to communicate across borders. It can create an atmosphere where people are more emotionally open to understand and connect. As a musician, I have a responsibility to use my talent and platform in a meaningful way”.
When speaking with both Studnitzky and Pokaz, their absolutely passionate belief and engagement in this project – and how different and human it will be for the audiences which attend the concerts – shines through in every word they say. Through the musical journey presented in “Memento Odesa”, listeners are immersed in the essence of Odesa, encountering the unfiltered emotions intricately woven into its cultural tapestry. The captivating melodies of this contemporary classical music EP narrate tales that resonate with both anguish and optimism. The EP serves as a testament to the potency of international collaborations, illustrating how artists, through their skills, outreach efforts, and sensitivity, lend support to communities in distress. Not to be missed…
Tour dates:
02.3. Odesa, Odesa Philharmonic Theatre
11.3. Bielefeld, Rudolf-Oetker-Halle
12.3. Hamburg, St. Marien-Dom
13.3. Kassel, Anthroposophisches Zentrum
14.3. Bremen, Die Glocke
15.3. Regensburg, Regensburg Theater
16.3. Potsdam, Nikolaikirche
17.3. Berlin, Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche
18.3. Bonn, Pantheon
19.3. Karlsruhe, Tollhaus
20.3. Stuttgart, Hospitalhof
21.3. München, Auferstehungskirche
