Dear Friends,

Back in 2016, Ovations brought to Portland one of the most unforgettable ensembles we’ve ever presented: the self-described Ukrainian folk-pop punk quartet specializing in ethnic-chaos known as DakhaBrakha. Three women, one man, soaring vocal ranges and harmonies, myriad of instruments that span the globe – all rooted firmly in Ukrainian culture. The band sings with pride and passion for their homeland and its peoples; and in protest of oppression. Last spring, we brought DakhaBrakha back for a virtual encore performance as part of Ovations’ One Night of globalFEST. That evening in April 2021, musician Marko Halanevych shared with us a special greeting from his home in Kyiv and his grandmother’s borscht recipe. Today, the band and their countrymen, women and children are running for their lives. Many, many have already been senselessly lost. Last week “The New York Times” was able to reach DakhaBrakha in Ukraine. You can read their experience in their own words here.

Sharing in live performance and connecting with artists is a wholly humanistic experience. These are the moments when we learn about each other, our cultures and ourselves. With each connection, the world becomes both more expansive and a little bit smaller. Once the curtain comes down, the equipment put away, the lights off, after everyone goes home — we are still together.

Ovations stands with the people of Ukraine and against the violent oppression wrought upon them. There are many ways to provide help to the people of Ukraine, World Central Kitchen is one of them.

Aimée M. Petrin
Executive & Artistic Director