Ukrainian voices resonate in the Sibelius Academy Symphony Orchestra
Donations enable shared learning and orchestral experience in the shadow of war.
In February 2026, four young Ukrainian music students joined the Sibelius Academy Symphony Orchestra on the stage of the Helsinki Music Centre. For them, performing in Helsinki is far more than just another concert.
A shared starting point led to diverse international paths
The Ukrainians who took part in the concert have travelled different routes across Europe, yet their starting point is the same. Violinist Oksana Butrynska now studies in Vienna but hails from Lviv. Violinist Maryna Honcharenko studies at the Odessa National Music Academy. Violist Demyd Buzko studies in Switzerland but originates from Kharkiv, a city located only a few dozen kilometres from the Russian border.
All of them found their way to Helsinki and into the Sibelius Academy Symphony Orchestra through the Youth Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine.
Oksana took part in a similar collaboration with the Sibelius Academy already two years ago, when young Ukrainians performed alongside Sibelius Academy students in a charity concert conducted by Dalia Stasevska.
“It’s fascinating to return here after a short break. We grow as musicians, but also as people. Coming back in a completely different life situation, with a different programme from two years ago, makes the experience feel entirely new,” Oksana says.
For Maryna, too, the collaboration with the Sibelius Academy Symphony Orchestra is a unique opportunity.
“I had heard about the Sibelius Academy and Finnish music education, and I wanted to see it with my own eyes,” she says.
As for Demyd, he was especially drawn to the concert programme: Richard Strauss’s Ein Heldenleben, Kaija Saariaho’s Ciel d’hiver and Einojuhani Rautavaara’s flute concerto Dances with the Winds. Strauss’s work in particular demands both technical precision and a powerful collective breath from the orchestra.
“This is a hugely important experience for us as young musicians. A massive and challenging piece like Heldenleben is incredibly educational for orchestral skills, and it’s rare to have the chance to play in an ensemble of this size,” Demyd says.
“We also get to perform Finnish contemporary music under a Finnish conductor – that’s something really special!” Oksana adds.
Musicians as messengers of hope
In a country at war, one might imagine culture being the first thing to fade from people’s daily lives. Yet the young musicians’ experiences tell a different story: despite the harsh conditions, people crave music and continue to attend concerts regardless of the circumstances.
“It’s about survival in situations where culture and music keep hope alive. I like to think that those of us who take part in various projects around the world get to represent Ukraine and act as the country’s messengers in global communities. We have the opportunity to learn so much here, but also to serve as a voice for our own culture,” Oksana reflects.
Learning together
One word keeps coming up in the students’ conversations: tutti, which is Italian for all. Playing together lies at the heart of orchestral work and it is also what the students look forward to most during their visit to Finland.
“It’s incredibly valuable to play this music at such a young age and alongside other highly talented musicians who are at the same stage in their careers. This experience will help us enormously as musicians in the future,” Oksana explains.
Demyd is particularly excited about stepping onto the stage of the Music Centre and experiencing the acoustics of a large orchestra. Eight French horns, a massive sound and a space that carries every detail form a once-in-a-lifetime experience for many students.
“I’ve never played in an orchestra this large before,” he says.
Echoes of Dalia Stasevska’s alum project
In spring 2024, Dalia Stasevska, conductor and the Uniarts Helsinki Alum of the Year 2022, conceived a charity concert at the Helsinki Music Centre to support Ukrainian music education. By decision of the rector of Uniarts Helsinki, the concert’s proceeds were donated to three Ukrainian music higher education institutions.
In addition, the Sibelius Academy has received a donation it can use to support the development of young Ukrainian music students. [MS1] In line with Stasevska’s vision, Ukrainian students are offered the opportunity to play in the Sibelius Academy Symphony Orchestra and to learn orchestral playing alongside Finnish students. This promotes connections with Ukrainian partner institutions and helps realise the original purpose of the donation: to provide Ukrainian students with concrete learning opportunities in difficult times.