At the gallery of the Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art in Chicago, one of the first days of the new year was marked by an inspired charity concert by two bright young musicians — violinist Yuliia Perehozhuk and pianist Myroslav Mykhailenko. The event became convincing evidence that Ukrainian musical tradition is not only preserved, but continues to evolve, finding new resonance in a contemporary cultural context.
This was reported by Radio UA Chicago.
The concert opened with a blessing from Father Pavlo Drozdiak, who noted that those present had gathered for a “spiritual supper, where we will partake of special food for the soul — music as a unique and profound art form.”
Orysia Kardoso, Chair of the Institute’s Board, warmly welcomed guests and performers, emphasizing that the Institute nurtures and presents young talents whom the distinguished audience had the honor of hearing that evening.
The first part of the program featured works by Johann Sebastian Bach and Camille Saint-Saëns. The audience was deeply moved, captivated by the performers’ high level of technique, musical maturity, and expressive playing.
The second half of the concert was dedicated to Ukrainian music. Listeners enjoyed “Ukrainian Dance” (from Six Ukrainian Folk Songs) by Markiian Melnychenko and “Ukrainian Rhapsody” by Ivan Levytskyi. The arrangement of the Ukrainian folk song “Plyve kacha po Tysyni” was heard with the audience standing, many with tears in their eyes. The concert concluded with particular emotional intensity with “Melody” by Myroslav Skoryk.
The audience enthusiastically applauded Yuliia Perehozhuk and Myroslav Mykhailenko after each piece. Among those present were more than a dozen listeners educated at the Lviv and Kyiv conservatories, making their prolonged applause an especially meaningful professional recognition of the young performers.
The musical evening also had a charitable component. During the preparation and performance of the concert, $1,000 was raised for the Syniahovskyi Orphanage in the city of Zinkiv, Poltava region.
The Institute, which has for many years consistently supported young talents, once again demonstrated how a vibrant cultural space is formed in the diaspora — one that unites music, art, and literature while passing the Ukrainian cultural voice to future generations.
Background
Yuliia Perehozhuk is a laureate of numerous prestigious music competitions. Her performances have been broadcast on WFMT, and in 2023 she performed at Carnegie Hall as a winner of the American Protégé Music Competition. She is a recipient of the Frank Little Merit Scholarship Award (2020–2024) and the Academy Merit Scholarship Award (2022–2023) at the Music Institute of Chicago. For eight years, she was a member of the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra and served as concertmaster during the orchestra’s tour of Spain. In 2025, she performed at Lollapalooza. She is currently a student at Benet Academy.
Myroslav Mykhailenko is a pianist pursuing Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in music at the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University. He is a laureate of the Chicago International Music Competition (2022) and the Concours International de Piano Ville de Gagny (2017). He has performed in Washington, D.C., and on WFMT. Active as a soloist, accompanist, and chamber musician, he frequently collaborates with Yuliia Perehozhuk and other performers. He previously studied at the Midwest Young Artists Conservatory and was a scholarship recipient at the Academy of the Music Institute of Chicago.
Photo: Radio UA Chicago
Author: Danylo Pievchev