Category: News

Not so long ago, the official awards ceremony for the prestigious urban planning award, LUN City Awards 2026, took place.

The National Philharmonic of Ukraine, which was nominated in two categories this year, unfortunately did not win an award. However, for the team, this was not a cause for sadness, but a powerful incentive for further development.

Simply being nominated in two categories of such a significant award is already a substantial recognition and confirmation that our initiatives are noticeable and important for society and the urban space. Making it to the shortlist among many progressive projects indicates that we have chosen the right course.

“For us, the main award is the trust of our visitors and the opportunity to change the space around us for the better,” said the General Director of the National Philharmonic of Ukraine, Mykhailo Shved.

The team expresses sincere gratitude to the organizers of the LUN City Awards for their attention to cultural locations, as well as to all partners and audiences who rooted for and supported the National Philharmonic of Ukraine on this path.

Ahead are new projects, discoveries, and undoubtedly, future victories!

If you’re planning to attend a concert at the National Philharmonic of Ukraine but aren’t sure which seat to choose, here’s what you need to know.

The Philharmonic is located in a historic building that appeared on Kyiv’s map in 1882. Designed by the renowned architect Volodymyr Nikolayev, it was originally built as the Merchants’ Assembly Hall and quickly became the finest concert venue in the city, known for its exceptional acoustics.

Today, the venue hosts a wide variety of musical events almost every day, which we regularly share on our website.

The magical sound can be heard from every corner of the Column Hall thanks to its excellent acoustics. However, not every seat offers a perfect view of the stage.

Some seats provide only a partial view of the stage.

Others offer a view of the organ only.

These are the details we’d like to draw your attention to.

When you visit the Philharmonic’s website and click “Buy Ticket” for any event in the Column Hall, you’ll see a seating chart. It uses colours and symbols to indicate important features:

Grey marks the columns.

Red marks seats with a restricted view due to the columns.

Purple marks seats with no view of the stage, but a great view of the organ.

All seats with no direct view of the stage are located on the second floor. However, this doesn’t mean you’ll only hear the concert, you’ll also be able to watch it on large screens installed there, which broadcast every event.

Tickets for seats marked in red and purple are significantly cheaper.

So please check the seating chart carefully when purchasing tickets and choose the seat that will be most comfortable for you.

We look forward to welcoming you to the National Philharmonic of Ukraine.

On 16 February 2026, a festive concert marking the 108^th anniversary of the Restoration of the State of Lithuania was held in the Column Hall of the National Philharmonic of Ukraine.

The evening featured the Orchestra of the Liatoshynskyi Capella under the baton of Lithuanian maestro Alexandras Šimelis. The event brought together representatives of the diplomatic corps, members of the Government of Ukraine, and Lithuanian and Ukrainian cultural communities.

In her address, H.E. Inga Stanitė-Toločkienė, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Lithuania to Ukraine, spoke about Lithuania’s challenging path to statehood – its struggle for freedom, the strength of national unity, and its unwavering commitment to democratic values.

Vice Prime Minister for Humanitarian Policy and Minister of Culture of Ukraine Tetiana Berezhna also addressed the audience. She expressed sincere gratitude to the Government and people of Lithuania for their steadfast support of Ukraine, emphasizing that the Ukrainian–Lithuanian partnership is grounded in shared values, mutual trust, and a common aspiration for freedom.

The National Philharmonic of Ukraine joins in congratulating the people of Lithuania on the 108th anniversary of the Restoration of the State and expresses its profound gratitude to the Lithuanian people for their continued support of Ukraine during russia’s full-scale invasion.

On January 24, 2025, the Concert for Freedom and Solidarity, dedicated to the Presidency of the Republic of Poland in the Council of the European Union, took place at the National Philharmonic of Ukraine.

The event was organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland, the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Ukraine, and the Polish Institute in Kyiv.

The National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine, conducted by Polish maestro Paweł Kotla, performed works by Ukrainian composer Maksym Berezovsky and Polish composers Henryk Mikołaj Górecki and Andrzej Panufnik. The featured soloist was Justyna Khil.

Among the  guests were Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland Anna Radwan-Röhrenschef, Deputy Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Olena Kondratiuk and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Oleksandr Mishchenko, as well as members of the diplomatic corps in Kyiv.

The concert was recorded and broadcast on Medici.tv, an international platform for classical music, opera, ballet, and jazz. The recording received widespread viewership and was honored with a Gold Medal at the Global Music Awards.

“This award reflects the exceptional artistry of the National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine and the masterful conducting of Paweł Kotla, as well as the significance of Polish-Ukrainian musical dialogue,” said the Polish Institute in Kyiv.

The National Philharmonic of Ukraine congratulates all participants and continues to support events that promote cultural exchange and strengthen cooperation between Ukraine and the Republic of Poland.

The Chief Conductor of the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine, Maestro Theodore Kuchar, has been named one of the 2025 TOP PROFESSIONALS OF THE YEAR by Musical America Worldwide ⮕ https://www.musicalamerica.com/pages/?pagename=2025_top_professionals .

 This honor celebrates individuals who, in the publication’s words, “go above and beyond to keep the arts alive and thriving.”

It is a privilege for the National Philharmonic to collaborate with Maestro Kuchar, an artist of extraordinary talent whose dedication and artistry inspire all who work with him. We are proud to count him among our Philharmonic family and look forward to many more performances that move audiences at home and abroad.

We warmly invite music lovers to join us on January 9 for the opening concert of the Borys Liatoshynsky Music Festival, LIATOSHYNSKY SPACE 2026: Rediscovery. On this special evening, audiences will have the opportunity to hear Borys Liatoshynsky’s Symphony No. 3 conducted by Maestro Kuchar. He first recorded this work in the early 1990s, at a time when the composer’s symphonic legacy was still largely unknown internationally. That recording marked a significant step in bringing Ukrainian symphonic music to the global stage and helped establish Liatoshynsky as one of the major symphonists of the 20th century.

Tickets are available here:
https://philarmonia.com.ua/product/event311610/

The news was reported by the State Agency of Ukraine for Arts and Art Education.

This year, the members of the Award Committee chosen  the following winners:

In the nomination  “Concert and Performing Arts” category: Maksym Shadko is a pianist and a faculty member at the departments of chamber ensemble and special piano at the Ivan Kotlyarevskyi Kharkiv National University of Arts. Since 2023, Shadko been a soloist with the National Philharmonic of Ukraine. He received the award for his concert programs of 2023-2024.

In the nomination “Composer Creativity” category: Chornyi Oleksandr is a composer, pianist and curator of youth classical music projects. For consideration by the Committee, he submitted the following works:

• Concerto for viola and orchestra (2023)
• Living Trees – for reader, ensemble, and electronics (2023) to the text of Miroslav Layuk
• Two Material Etudes (2024) for solo violin
• Umbra for violin and multi-channel electronics (2023)

We congratulate the winners and wish them continued creative success!

From February 20 to 26, the lobby of the National Philharmonic of Ukraine (Volodymyrskyi Uzviz, 2, Kyiv) will host a unique photo exhibition titled “Evacuation Chronicles.” This documentary almanac showcases the efforts of the East SOS Charitable Foundation from May 2022 to August 2024. Please note that admission is exclusive to concert attendees.

The photographs captured in Dnipro, Pokrovsk, Kramatorsk, Chasovoy Yar, Bakhmut, Lyman, Avdiivka, Kherson, Gulyaipole, Uman, Sumska Oblast and Kherson Oblast depict the fight for survival amid wartime conditions. Photos represent the stories of individuals rescued by evacuation teams, memories of cities devastated by russian invaders and the narratives of compassionate souls who offered hope for salvation.

February is special for the whole country. The musical program of the National Philharmonic of Ukraine will include concerts dedicated to the following memorable dates:

 February 20. The concert: Mass of Angels, dedicated to  the day of Heroes – Heavenly Hundred(100 killed demonstrators February 2014 Kyiv).

 February 21. The program: She was born free (songs of the liberation movement of the Ukrainian people from the 16th to the 21st centuries).

February 24. Bohdana Frolyak’s symphony-requiem:Righteous Soul on the words of Taras Shevchenko. Symphony-requiem will be performed by the Symphony Orchestra of the National Philharmonic of Ukraine and the National Chapel of Ukraine – DUMKA to the third anniversary of the full-scale war. The work was written during the Maidan-2014 events and has an important message for Ukrainians in the current wartime: unite, fight, respect each other.

February 26.  Dedication concert: Idee Fixe by the Honored Academic  Exemplary-Demonstration Orchestra of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

The art of music and singing combined with the documentary truth of the photographs by Evacuation Chronicle at the National Philharmonic. Exhibition will remind us of the meaning of Ukraine’s struggle and how important it is to guard each and every one.

The exhibition – Chronicles of evacuation is implemented by the BF East SOS, within the project – Support of war-affected vulnerable population groups and residents of remote areas of Ukraine(with the financial support of the EU).

Dear Belmont Music Publishing team and Arnold Shönberg’s family! National Philharmonic of Ukraine want to support you with your recent loses because of Palisades Pacific fires.

Belmont Music Publishing takes care of the full range of works by Arnold Schönberg – one of the most influential composers of the early 20th century. In particular, Verklärte Nacht and Pierrot Lunaire, which are fundamental to the classical repertoire of the 20th century.

On 13 of September 2024 Kyiv Chamber Orchestra performed Arnold Schönberg’s Verklärte Nacht dedicated to the 150 anniversary of Arnold Schönberg at the festival of One Day.

Today, as a sign of support, we would like to present you a recording of an excerpt from this concert performed by the Kyiv Chamber Orchestra under instrument of maestro Natalia Ponomarchuk.

The team of the National Philharmonic of Ukraine is grateful to you for preserving the memory of Schönberg and his great contribution to the world musical heritage.

We understand this loss better than anyone, since in 1988 one of the best sheet music libraries in Kyiv, located in the Philharmonic Hall, was also lost due to a flood.

National Philharmonic of Kyiv also on the same path to digitizing our archives, in particular sheet music.

Thank you for your work and for the fact that you show an example of indomitability and optimism! Such a message resonates with the musicians of Ukraine!