KENT, Ohio — The Kent United Church of Christ is hosting Jurji Fedynskyj, a Ukrainian American musician, as part of the Around the World Music Series on July 6.
Fedynskyj is originally from North Carolina but his parents are from Ukraine, who left the country to escape the Soviet oppression, according to a news release for the event. Following the downfall of the USSR, he felt compelled to return to his roots and moved back to Kyiv to pursue a career in music.
There, he learned Ukrainian instruments and has built a successful career as a performer in the central region of Ukraine.
Since the Russian invasion of the country in February 2022, Fedynskyj decided to use his talent and join forces with other local musicians to travel around the country and perform at the hardest-hit cities for the soldiers fighting the war.
Since he has returned to the United States, he has begun a tour across 14 states and two Canadian provinces fundraising money for his home country.
He will perform with instruments he built in his home workshop located in Poltava, Ukraine.
The evening will begin at 7:30 p.m. with a prayer service featuring traditional Ukrainian poems and songs, then the concert following the service.
This event is free and all donations made during the concert will be sent to Pltava Kobzar Guild in Ukraine to help fund their efforts to revive Ukrainian folklore and the war.
You can find more information about the event here.
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