Community members crowded into the Anderson Center’s Osterhout Concert Theater this past Saturday to watch the Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine perform. The orchestra was founded in 1902 and has performed for over 100 years, outlasting Soviet occupation and multiple wars. Today, they are led by their award-winning principal conductor, Theodore Kuchar.

The atmosphere upon entering the theater was full of excitement, as the audience chatted among themselves waiting for the show to begin. There was a wide array of people, from small children to college students to the elderly. Ukrainian flags were on display throughout the audience in a show of support for the country, which has been at war since February of last year.

Claps and cheers filled the concert theater as the orchestra filed in to begin their first piece, Yevhen Stankovych’s “Chamber Symphony No. 3 for Flute and String Orchestra.” The performance most prominently featured a flute soloist, who was incredibly talented. The piece was filled with varying emotions, transitioning from intense and suspenseful to hopeful, sad and somber seamlessly. It was an immediate attention-getter and set the bar high for the following pieces.

Right before the second piece — Max Bruch’s “Violin Concerto No. 1 in G minor, Op. 26” — began, a collective gasp came from the audience as violin soloist Vladyslava Luchenko entered the stage wearing a shimmering taupe-colored dress. Under the stage lights, Luchenko appeared to be a sparkling diamond. All eyes were on her as she began to play with the orchestra. Luchenko was mesmerizing to watch and listen to. She put her whole body into her playing, and it was obvious that her mind and body were perfectly in tune with the music around her. The control Luchenko displayed with her violin was impeccable, and the performance she gave was dynamic and enchanting.

This piece was stunning — it was as if the rest of the world did not exist outside of that theater for those moments. Following the end of this concerto was a boisterous standing ovation, as the audience cheered and waved their Ukrainian flags for the orchestra members.

After a short intermission, the third piece began, which was Antonín Dvořák’s “Symphony No. 6 in D major, Op. 60.” This piece of music, while having no soloist, did an excellent job at showcasing the talents of the orchestra as a whole. It was fascinating to watch Kuchar as he skillfully led the orchestra. Every section of the orchestra was highlighted at some point throughout this piece, and it was amazing to watch every one of them shine. The instruments all blended together beautifully, and it was delightful to listen to.

Afterward, Kuchar grabbed a microphone and addressed the audience. As the orchestra behind him raised a Ukrainian flag, he explained how it has been almost a year to the day since Russia invaded Ukraine. Kuchar remarked on how Russia had originally thought that the invasion of Ukraine would be swift — a couple days to a couple weeks at most. And yet, almost a whole year later, Ukraine is still fighting back.

“Ukrainians will stand fully united,” Kuchar said.

Kuchar also stated that every member of the orchestra, as well as every Ukrainian person, wholeheartedly believes in a Ukrainian victory. He then thanked the audience for attending, and expressed his gratitude toward the United States for their support of Ukraine in the war. As Kuchar concluded, he joked to the audience that it would be immoral and unethical of him to let us go home with the music of the Czech Republic, and surprised the audience with one final Ukrainian piece.

It was easy to see the joy from the orchestra with this final piece. The music was vibrant and powerful. The orchestra members themselves were letting loose a bit, having fun and showing off, taking the chance to be a bit flamboyant. A cellist gave their instrument a spin as a drummer headbanged in time with the beat. The final note the Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine left their audience on was one of unbridled joy and hope.

This sentiment was echoed by other attendees of the concert. Miron Sulicz, a 16-year-old from Vestal, remarked that seeing the joy emanating from the orchestra was a positive experience.

“[The concert] was a really hopeful moment for me,” Sulicz said. “I’ve been looking at the news and reading and I mean, I’ve just been seeing the horrible things that have been happening. But, going to the concert, it helped me see that there’s still hope.”