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https://www.positive.news/society/deadly-russian-rocket-is-transformed-into-musical-instrument-of-hope/>
"A Ukrainian composer has crafted a pitch perfect message of hope and defiance
by turning a Russian missile into a musical instrument.
Roman Hryhoriv, one of Ukraine’s most celebrated contemporary composers, took
an unexploded Uragan MLRS bomb, which fell on his homeland in 2022, and had its
explosive contents replaced with cello strings.
He went on to compose ‘Hell’s Arrow Voice’ and ‘Song of the Unborn’ for the
instrument. Its sound has been described as haunting, metallic and funereal,
and Hryhoriv said that playing it was a “ritual of purification”.
“This isn’t just an instrument to me; it transcends music and the idea of a
concert,” he explained. “It symbolises the horror experienced by the Ukrainian
people. No other instrument can come close to its power and outpouring of pain.
The stories woven into its creation and our shared struggles make it truly
extraordinary.”
Hryhoriv played the instrument for the first time in the UK at an Oxbridge
Foundation gala dinner held for Ukraine in October. The event was organised to
benefit the country’s young students who are accessing education in the UK and
US.
He performed alongside the Kyiv Camerata orchestra, led by artistic director
Bogdana Pivnenko and music director Keri-Lynn Wilson.
“This is not just a performance for the sake of creating art,” said Hryhoriv.
“It is using an artefact of war to bring some good to my country, to help raise
funds for Ukraine, and to advance educational opportunities for young
Ukrainians. In the future, I’d like to see the instrument displayed in a
museum. I want the world to see that we are a strong nation and that we have
overcome this brutal history.”"
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
