Kharkiv Philharmonic hosts the concert-recording “The Revolt of Organs: Art Unconquered by War”, during which, for the first time in Ukraine’s history, five organs played simultaneously — the pipe organ Alexander Schuke and four digital organs brought from different regions of the country. The ensemble was conducted by Armed Forces officer, head of the communications unit of the 5th Separate Assault Brigade, Senior Lieutenant Serhiy Lykhomanenko.
The event was officially registered in Ukraine’s National Record Register in the category “Largest Organ Ensemble,” the 5th Separate Assault Brigade reported.
The concert programme featured symbolic works by Ukrainian composers — the Ukrainian Anthem, Mykola Lysenko’s Prayer for Ukraine, Mykola Leontovych’s Shchedryk, Viacheslav Nazarov’s White Symphony, among others.
Sharing the stage were representatives of different generations of the Ukrainian organ school:
• Stanislav Kalinin, master of the Kharkiv organ tradition;
• People’s Artist of Ukraine Iryna Kalynovska;
• International award-winning soloist Olena Bolyukh;
• Young organist Polina Chorna.
A unique arrangement for the five-organ ensemble was created by composer and organist Yevheniy Zhaku.
“‘The Revolt of Organs’ became a true cultural assault on Kharkiv — a city that holds the line every single day. The organs sounded here as voices of memory, prayer, and resilience. The recording will become part of a multimedia archive of ‘organ music of wartime’ and will be presented to both Ukrainian and international audiences,” the 5th Assault Brigade reported.
The project was implemented with the support of the Ukrainian Cultural Foundation.
UPDATE from 4 November 2025. The full video version of the concert is now available online, published by the National Guild of Organists on its YouTube channel. Each composition is dedicated to cities under attack, fallen heroes, and all those who defend Ukraine.
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The Territories of Culture project is produced in partnership with Persha Pryvatna Brovarnya and is dedicated to researching the history and transformation of Ukrainian cultural identity.