On 13 December, London’s St Pancras International hosted the charity concert Ukrainian Carols of Hope as part of the St Pancras International Carolling for Causes series.
The event featured Ukrainian musician Svyatoslav Vakarchuk, composer and pianist Mariya Yaremak, and the Lihtar Orchestra and Choir conducted by Maksym Levytskyy.
Funds raised during the concert will support the intensive care unit of Okhmatdyt Children’s Hospital in Kharkiv. The event was organised by Campaign for Ukraine in partnership with St Pancras International, with the support of the Embassy of Ukraine in the United Kingdom.
“Yesterday’s concert brought together more than a thousand people and became the largest audience ever for a performance at St Pancras International. For us, this was a truly special moment — Svyatoslav Vakarchuk and Mariya Yaremak presented Ukraine at this legendary London venue for the first time. It was not just a Christmas concert, but a powerful gesture of Ukraine’s cultural presence in the very heart of London and a sign of solidarity with Ukrainian children who urgently need support,” said Olena Ivashchenko, founder and director of Campaign for Ukraine.
St Pancras International is one of London’s key transport hubs and has previously hosted performances by global stars including Alicia Keys, John Legend, Tom Odell, Jeff Goldblum, and Norah Jones.
The first part of the programme was presented by Mariya Yaremak, accompanied by a string quartet and ethnic wind instruments played by Nazar Lekh. In her own arrangements, she performed Ukrainian folk melodies — Shchedryk, Podolyanochka, Vyidy, vyidy, Ivanku, Kotyku sirenkyi (Grey Cat Lullaby)— as well as her original compositions. Between the pieces, the musician spoke about the Ukrainian Fantasy project and the Musical Stories of Ukraine publication.
“This event showed what it looks like when we all come together. Everything happened at the very last moment. Rehearsals took place in a restaurant and in a Ukrainian church in London. It was incredibly moving for us to see people helping from all sides, and how everyone put in the effort to make this happen. The choristers and musicians all worked on their own initiative. Even during the soundcheck, an hour before the event, it was already impossible to get through to the stage,” Mariya Yaremak said.
The concert also featured the Lihtar Orchestra and Choir with a Christmas programme, while the culmination of the evening was the appearance of Svyatoslav Vakarchuk — first with a solo performance, and later accompanied by the choir and a string quartet. The finale brought together Ukrainian carols, international Christmas classics, and songs by Okean Elzy.
Last year, the Ukrainian Carols of Hope concert featured Stephen Fry, Kristin Milward and Mariya Yaremak, and received coverage from the BBC. The event united British and Ukrainian audiences through music and support for Ukraine amid the full-scale war.