Jurij Fedynskyj, Founder of Kobzar Armada, comments:
“We, the Kobzar Armada, are travelling to Cambridge next week, with a very unique musical programme, aiming to help stop the war in Ukraine. Our group came together during Russia’s initial blitzkreig, almost three years ago. Back then we immediately went to Kyiv, to defend our country, singing songs of freedom and resistance. Since that harrowing time, we have given around 600 concerts around the world, half of which took place on Ukraine’s front lines. We revive the exterminated tradition of kobzars, blind bards from the east of Ukraine, many of them executed during the genocide of 1932-33. Today we make our own national instruments used by the bards: kobzas, banduras, and torbans. We sing the traditional songs of the kobzars, including spiritual hymns, epic and historical songs written by the greatest poets and bards of Ukraine. The spirit of these songs is the essence of Ukraine’s existential fight today, as we experience another genocide and face constant Russian bombs and terror. Our personal mission is to spread that spirit around the world, until we achieve world peace, especially to those free countries who are dedicated in their support of our defence, such as the UK. Our program is in English, geared toward building spiritual and cultural bridges between Ukraine and England. Through our union, we will help the world become a safer, freer, and better place for all citizens of our world!”
Andrii Smytsniuk, Cambridge Concert Organizer, adds:
“As a Ukrainian living in Cambridge, I see it as my duty to help people of Cambridge learn more about Ukraine. This country has so much to offer in terms of culture, and, especially, music! Jurij and Kobzar Armada represent the old tradition of Ukrainian music played with the assistance of ‘kobza’, a traditional Ukrainian instrument similar to a European mandora. It gained its widespread popularity back in early modern Cossack state (Hetmanate) and is something that everyone interested in the history of music must get a chance to listen to!”
For more information about the Kobzar Armada and their mission, visit their website:
Kobzar Armada Website
This event is organized with the support of Cambridge4Ukraine.
