The Omni Quartet, composed of members of the Cleveland Orchestra, is one of several Cleveland-area groups slated to take part in “Sonyashnyk,” a musical benefit for Ukraine.
“They couldn’t take up arms, so they took up violins and cellos. They couldn’t get to Eastern Europe, so they planned a concert here in Cleveland. Thus was born ‘Sonyashnyk’ (‘Sunflower’), a musical benefit for the people of Ukraine” on April 8, writes Zachary Lewis in Monday’s (4/4) Plain Dealer. “ ‘We felt passionately about this, right from the start,’ said Ralitsa Georgieva, one of the event’s principal organizers and a staff pianist at the Cleveland Institute of Music…. ‘Everyone we’ve asked has been ready to jump in and help.’ … Georgieva, along with pianist Lorenzo Salvagni, and Case Western Reserve University lecturer Narcisz Fejes, tapped a large number of friends and members of Apollo’s Fire, the Cleveland Orchestra and Piano Cleveland. They also found colleagues at CIM, helpful documents from Cleveland’s Ukrainian Museum-Archives, and a bevy of willing Ukrainian folk dancers and singers…. They even landed pianist Emanuel Ax [born in Lviv, Ukraine], the next guest of the Cleveland Orchestra …. All revenue will be shared by … Cleveland Maidan Association, the Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund, and World Central Kitchen…. All three organizers hail from European nations that have known the effects of war—Bulgaria, Hungary, and Italy.”
