On the eve of the second anniversary of russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Ukrainian musician and composer Dmytro Radzetskyi presents the musical project "Ukraine on fire".

On February 16, 2024, Dmytro Radzetskyi's single and music video "Ukraine On Fire" was released, video is here. This release is part of a large international project that unites world musicians who demonstrate their solidarity with Ukrainians, and also draw the world's attention to the war and the need for Ukraine's help.

On the eve and immediately after February 24, in different parts of the world, 30 pianists from 11 countries will perform the composition "Ukraine on fire", while the author of the composition, Dmytro Radzetskyi himself, will perform it in the heart of Kyiv as part of a quartet of four pianos.

Austria, Belgium, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Norway, Poland, Singapore, Switzerland, Georgia - this is an incomplete list of countries in which the song "Ukraine is on fire" will be played during actions in support of Ukraine, public events, concerts or simply in studios .

"While Ukrainians have been heroically repelling the onslaught of their aggressor neighbor for more than 700 days, the world is beginning to turn its eyes away from Ukraine. Our war disappears from the front pages and TV screens, people switch their attention to other topics. In order to win, we need help, and that's why I want to address people all over the world on a deep emotional level, in the language that does not need to be studied and is understood by everyone - the language of music," - Dmytro Radzetskyi says.

"Ukraine on Fire", a 5-minute piano piece written in the first months of the full-scale invasion, is the personal manifesto of a man experiencing war. Dmytro testifies to the egregious cases of violence and human misery that have engulfed Ukraine since February 24, 2022. The author compares the war in Ukraine to a fire that consumes everything in its path. The fire has no borders and can spread to any neighboring countries. Despite the tragedy of the story, at the end of the work there is hope that this fire can still be stopped - faith and mutual help can put out the fire.

Dmytro Radzetskyi recorded this piece while performing it solo using a loop station - equipment that records what a musician performs and then plays it back, allowing one musician to simultaneously sound like an ensemble of 5-6 instruments in real time. Photos.

Together with the Ukrainian music agency MUZIKA, the author invited world musicians to join the project. So far, 30 musicians have responded - Ukrainians living abroad and foreigners. The project will publish on its pages in social networks all the videos with the performance of this work around the world. In the future, it is planned to create a documentary film about the project "Ukraine on fire".

Andrii Dragan, a Ukrainian-Swiss pianist who lives and works in Basel, joined the project because he believes that "Ukraine is on fire" acutely conveys the emotions that the Ukrainian artist feels in the current reality. "The author successfully embodies the experience of horror and fear of war, in particular, in the rhythmic structure of the work and tense harmonic language. At the same time, anxiety and instability are combined with perseverance and indomitable resilience, which symbolizes the spirit of the Ukrainian people. In the context of war, the performance of Ukrainian music becomes an important symbol of solidarity with Ukraine and a way to express support and sympathy for those who are suffering. That is why I gladly responded to the invitation to participate in Dmytro's project, in order to draw the attention of the international audience to the life and creativity of Ukrainians in the conditions of war, together with Hanna Horobets and other participants. Such projects instill confidence in the victory of Ukraine and faith in a peaceful future, - Andriy  adds. Photos

Contact for mass media: Natalya Krasnenkova [email protected],

tel. +38 067 465 54 26

Project pages:

https://www.instagram.com/radzguitarist?igsh=cmxqZWgxdHZxOHlq

https://www.facebook.com/dmytroradzetskyi

More about the author

Dmytro Radzetskyi, graduated from the Dnipro Academy of Music and the Kyiv National University of Culture and Arts (specialization in classical guitar  and composition).

Laureate of many competitions in Ukraine as a guitarist and composer. A member of the experimental music project "Supremus", rock band "SUR Band", electro-acoustic guitar duo "Big Second" and "Radz". Founder, leader and conductor of the Ukrainian Improvisers Orchestra. The author of chamber, orchestral, electro-acoustic, rock compositions, music for short films, radio and television programs, etc. In various projects he collaborated with Tony Levin and Pat Mastelotto (KING CRIMSON), Fried Duhn (Ensemble Modern), Phil Minton, Fred Lonberg-Holm, Ed Mann and Danny Wally (Frank Zappa Band), "Bang on a Can All-Stars".

Dmytro Radzetskyi, together with his brother Serhii Radzetskyi, are the authors of the first rock opera in Ukraine, "Taras Bulba" (2021), based on the novel by Mykola Gogol, which describes the events of the Revolution of Dignity and the war in Ukraine.

Since 2017, with the composer Maxim Kolomiiets, co-founder of the art space "KORA" on the basis of the Oleksandr Dovzhenko National Center, whose activities include educational events and concerts of modern academic.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNA1q4dMEDv3x8zzEDCN_AQ

Andriy Dragan Ukrainian-Swiss pianist Andriy Dragan, who lives in Basel, regularly performs in Switzerland and Europe. He studied at the Basel Academy of Music with Professor Adrian Etiker.

Numerous successes at competitions achieved during his studies, in particular the Prix Credit Suisse Jeune Solistes and Kiefer-Hablitzel, opened the door for Andrii Dragan to the famous concert halls of the world. Andriy regularly performs as part of chamber formations, in particular with the Barvinsky Trio, which he founded in 2018 together with Vasyl Zatsikha and Alessio Pianelli.