
Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra
Introduction
Created in 2022 by Keri-Lynn Wilson, in collaboration with the Metropolitan Opera and the Polish National Opera, the Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra is an ensemble composed of leading Ukrainian musicians from inside the embattled country, as well as recent refugees and Ukrainian members of European orchestras. It was formed to defend Ukraine’s cultural legacy as the country fights for its freedom. Its inaugural tour took place in Europe and the United States in the summer of 2022 and included performances in Warsaw, the BBC Proms in London, the Edinburgh Festival, the Les Chorégies d’Orange festival in France, Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, Dublin, Amsterdam, New York City (Lincoln Center’s Damrosch Park) and the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. Maestro Wilson serves as its music director. Now under the patronage of Ukraine’s First Lady, Olena Zelenska, the Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra will come together each summer to tour capital cities and festivals of the world.
Connect
Tours
- Aug 2025 - Aug 2025Europe
Keri-Lynn Wilson Rachel Willis-Sørensen (soprano) Alexandra Conunova (violin) Programme 1: Kolomiiets Suite from “The Mothers of Kherson”, Strauss Four Last Songs, Beethoven Symphony No. 5 Programme 2: Kolomiiets Suite from “The Mothers of Kherson”, Wagner Prelude and Liebestod, Beethoven Symphony No. 5 Programme 3: Kolomiiets Suite from “ The Mothers of Kherson”, Bruch Violin Concerto, Wagner Tannhauser Overture, Wagner – Prelude and Liebestod Programme 4: Poleva Bucha Lacrimosa, Strauss Four Last Songs, Dvořák Symphony No. 8 Lucerne Festival, Lucerne | Vilnius Festival, Vilnius | Dzintari Concert Hall, Jurmala | Enescu Festival, Romania (25 August) | Enescu Festival, Romania (26 August) | Concertgebouw, Amsterdam | Cadogen Hall, London
Photos
News
ON TOUR: The Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra reunites

Following last year’s critically-acclaimed debut performances, the Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra reunites this week for a second tour of major European festivals and concert halls, in collaboration with Askonas Holt, The Metropolitan Opera and the Polish National Opera.
Under the patronage of First Lady Olena Zelenska, the 74-piece orchestra of Ukrainian refugees and members of European orchestras is led by conductor Keri-Lynn Wilson as they come together for the two-week tour.
Soloist Valeriy Sokolov joins the orchestra for Stankovych Violin Concerto No.2 as part of a programme that includes Verdi’s Overture to Forza del destino, Skoryk’s Melody and Beethoven’s Symphony No.3 ‘Eroica’’. Concerts in Warsaw and Berlin will feature Beethoven’s Symphony No.9 with soloists Olga Kulchynska, Nicole Chirka, Dmytro Popov (Warsaw), Vasyl Solodkyy (Berlin) and Vladyslav Buialskyi.
After performances in Warsaw and Gdansk, the orchestra will be joined by the newly-formed Ukrainian Freedom Chorus to mark Ukrainian Independence Day on 24 August with a free concert held in the gardens of Berlin’s Schönhausen Palace with thousands expected to attend. From Berlin they head to the Lucerne Festival, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Elbphilharmonie Hamburg and Snape Maltings before finishing at the Barbican Centre in London.
Watch the Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra perform the fourth movement of Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9, From the New World, recorded live at Lincoln Center in 2022.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5tsmJQ9Gjk
© The Metropolitan Opera
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