Music From Free Ukraine: A Musical Salon

Today, defending the idea of free Ukraine has taken on profound urgency, and Ukrainian musicians have been battling tirelessly on the musical front. As the war of Russian aggression grinds on in Ukraine, one of the strongest vectors for strengthening and even expanding Ukrainian cultural identity has been viral musical moments, which have coined, recycled and rejuvenated anthems and slogans into markers of patriotism and resistance. But this centrality of music to the definition of post-Soviet Ukrainianness is nothing new: in her award-winning book Wild Music: Sound and Sovereignty in Ukraine, Maria Sonevytsky tracked discourses of belonging in Ukrainian popular music—from the Eurovision Song Contest to reality TV, from Indigenous radio to the revolution stage—during the volatile decade of Ukrainian political history bracketed by the 2004 and 2014 revolutions. In his The Humorless Ladies of Border Control: Touring the Punk Underground from Belgrade to Ulanbaatar, a New York Times “Best Travel Book of 2021,” musician and writer Franz Nicolay explored the complexities of politics and idealism in the DIY and punk communities of the post-Communist world. Acclaimed poet and translator Boris Dralyuk will host a wide-ranging discussion (and musical performance) on the sonic messages which launch out as—in the words of “ethno-chaos” band DakhaBrakha—”musical ambassadors from free Ukraine.” Option to attend virtually or in person.