Berlin Welcomes Musicians from Odesa

From May 11th to 17th, 2025, a special concert week in Berlin marked the beginning of a new partnership. For the first time, students from the Odesa National Academy of Music joined the programme. Violinist Yelyzaveta Koval and cellist Sofiia Malynovska collaborated with Berlin-based cellist Syon Najman and Danish violinist Adam Koch Christensen. Coached and tutored by Avri Levitan and Olena Bazan (vice-rector for scientific and pedagogical work and innovation activities, and professor of viola in Odesa) the musicians prepared a demanding repertoire. They performed trios by Schubert, Dohnányi, and Ukrainian composers, alongside a sextet by Brahms.

Over the course of five days, nine performances took place in settings far from traditional concert halls. These included a women’s correctional facility in Neukölln, a special-needs school in Kreuzberg, and a workshop for individuals with mental and physical disabilities in Reinickendorf, among others. In addition, the musicians played two concerts open to the public: one at the sold-out Ballhaus Wedding and another at the Dragonerareal’s Kiezraum, a familiar Musethica venue with a loyal audience.

The reactions were powerful. After a concert at the DRK psychiatric clinic for children and adolescents, the young audience was reluctant to let the musicians go — trying out instruments, asking questions, and spontaneously asking for autographs. “Musethica definitely broadens your perspective,” Syon reflected during a break. “It reminded me how many different realities of living exist out there.”

As the next step in this new partnership, a Musethica Session is planned to take place in Odesa. It will also be part of the EU co-funded initiative 1000+ Concerts: Innovating Higher Music Education Through Social Inclusion.