On December 6th, 2024, Berlin will be illuminated by a powerful event “Ukrainian Female Voices” celebrating the strength and resilience of Ukrainian culture, featuring three exceptional female voices from Ukraine at the historic Grüner Salon of the Volksbühne. This evening is more than just a performance; it’s a moment to honor the unbreakable spirit of a people whose voices rise even in the face of the war. Since 2022, Ukraine has faced immense hardship, but its artists, like its people, have continued to sing, creating music that carries a message of hope and strength far beyond its borders.
These three female artists, Anastasiya Voytyuk, Dana Vynnystka, Ganna Gryniva, each a unique talent in her own right, will share their stories through music, intertwining traditional Ukrainian songs with modern compositions, reflecting the enduring and evolving essence of their homeland. Each singer will present a solo performance, offering the audience a window into her personal journey and a broader glimpse into Ukraine’s cultural landscape. The night will culminate in a moving ensemble performance, directed by Ganna Gryniva, where their voices will come together in shared songs that symbolizes unity, resilience, and the power of music to heal and inspire.
This event is not just a concert; it’s a gathering that transcends music. It’s a chance for the audience to feel the pulse of Ukraine’s cultural heartbeat, to witness the strength of its women, and to understand that even in the darkest times, the human spirit can shine brightly through art. Supported by the Ukrainian Institute and curated by Mariana Bondarenko, (Head of Music of Ukrainian Institute) with artistic direction by Yalda Yazdani from (Transmusikale Association), the event will create a space where music becomes a bridge—connecting different communities, telling stories that must be heard, and planting seeds of peace.
“Ukrainian Female Voices” is a call for unity and solidarity, inviting everyone to join in celebrating not just the beauty of these female voices, but also the unyielding courage they represent. Through shared stories and melodies, the audience will be reminded that together we are stronger, and that by coming together in celebration of life and peace, we pave the way for a better future. This is a night to remember, a moment when the power of music will carry a message far beyond Berlin, reminding us all that no war can silence the song of hope. Join us for an evening that will leave you inspired and uplifted, as we honor these female voices that refuse to be silenced and celebrate the power of music to bring light even in the darkest times.
Artists:
Anastasiya Voytyuk
Anastasiya Voytyuk, singer, promoter of Ukrainian folk culture and virtuoso of bandura - Ukrainian origin instrument. Anastasia collaborated with many different musicians and artists and combined bandura with percussion, keyboards, saxophone, guitar, clarinet, experimental brass, electronic music, tabla, zheng and many other instruments. She became the author of soundtracks for several plays and performances with which she traveled to Canada and Lebanon. She toured many countries of Europe, Africa, Middle East and North America with the bandura as part of various bands. This Summer she was nominated to take part in Global Music Workshop in New England Conservatory in Boston, where she collaborated with 70 musicians from all over the world. Anastasiya leads Ukrainian folk fusion band Troye Zillia. They give a new breath to Ukrainian folk songs from various regions of Ukraine, releasing the archaic polyphonic singing in contemporary musical forms. The work of Troye Zillia is a real fusion - the sounds of bandura and singing with folk notes are accompanied by jazz drums, keyboards and synthesizers, and in the current incarnation also bass and clarinet. In the band's repertoire you will find both lively and melancholy songs. Since its inception, the line-up has played several hundred concerts on the stages of Europe, North America and the Middle East, winning awards and distinctions at reviews and competitions, in the country and abroad. The last album (2019) entitled ENDORPHINS is a selection of Ukrainian songs about love from various regions of the country. The original sound, sophisticated ethno motifs and positive charge of compositions, mixed with driving styles of R&B, D&B, afro-cuban, jazz, create a special style of the album - folk fusion.
Dana Vynnystka
Dana Vynnytska – singer and pianist, composer. He comes from Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine; graduate of the Lviv Academy of Music (Department of Composition in the class of Professor Wiktor Kamiński); winner of many prestigious awards and scholarships. In Poland, she is known in particular as one of the leaders and co-founder of the Polish-Ukrainian group DagaDana (the band was awarded the Fryderyk award for the album of the year folk/world music in 2011). Dana with her band DAGADANA has performed around 1000 concerts on four continents in 33 countries, played concerts in places such as Moroccan deserts, The Forbidden City in China, at the Brazilian Virada Cultural, legendary Glastonbury, and at numerous other spots, collecting excellent reviews from both the critics and the audiences. Involved in many musical projects reaching for ethnic music and combining it with other styles, such as jazz or electronics (including bands: Babooshki, Shockolad).
Ganna Gryniva
Anna Gryniva is a singer and composer based in Berlin. In 2002, she emigrated from Ukraine to Germany with her parents. Today, Ganna is considered “one of the most impressive singers and musicians in the European jazz and world music scene” (Mirjam Jessa, Ö1 Radio, Austria). Her new album, HOME, was released in November 2022 on BERTHOLD Records and was celebrated by the music press as “Album of the Year” (Ulrich Habersetzer, DLF Kultur) and a “Jazz Highlight of the Year” (Roland Spiegel, Bayerischer Rundfunk).In her music, she explores her diverse cultural roots. With her multinational ethno-jazz quintet GANNA and in her solo program for loops and electronics, she blends Ukrainian folklore with jazz, improvisation, and experimental music. Inspired by folklore research trips to various regions of Ukraine, Ganna is actively engaged in promoting Ukraine’s cultural heritage internationally. On October 20, 2023, BERTHOLD Records released the debut album of her solo project KUPALA, created in collaboration with Swiss drummer Julian Sartorius, Ukrainian poet Tanja Maljartschuk, and London-based producer Tomáš Kašpar.Recent highlights include performances at the XJAZZ Festival in Berlin, Stockholm Women’s International Jazz Festival (SE), Nefertiti Jazz Club Gothenburg (SE), Jazz in the Park Festival Cluj-Napoca (RO), Green Hours Jazz Festival Bucharest (RO), Jazzopen Festival in Stuttgart, Rudolstadt Festival, Ingolstädter Jazztage, Volksbühne Berlin, Schauspiel Hannover, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Konzerthaus Berlin, Voicingers Festival in Paris (FR), and Riga (LV).In 2020, Ganna collaborated with Kurt Rosenwinkel, Louis Cole, Michael League, Pedro Martins, and Daniel Santiago on the project Heartcore for Ukraine, a Heartcore Records initiative by Kurt Rosenwinkel and Michaela Bóková. In August 2020, Double Moon Records and JazzThing Next Generation released the debut album of the GANNA ensemble, Dykyi Lys (Wild Fox), which received critical acclaim from the international music press.
Artists: Anastasiya Voytyuk, Dana Vynnystka, Ganna Ensemble (Ganna Gryniva: Vocalist, Povel Widestrand: Piano, Felix Henkelhausen: Double bass, Mathias Ruppnig: Drums)
Program:
19:00 - Doors open
19:30 -20:00 - Panel Talk
Guest speakers: Katetyna Rietz-Rakul, (Head of the Representative Office of the Ukrainian Institute in Germany) & the artists, Anastasiya Voytyuk, Dana Vynnystka and Ganna Gryniva moderated by Yalda Yazdnai
20:00- 22:30 - Concerts
The team:
Artistic Director: Yalda Yazdani
Curator: Mariana Bondarenko
Musical Director: Ganna Gryniva
Project Manager: Sofia Surgutschowa
Location: Grüner Salon
Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz 2 - 10178 Berlin
Ticket info: volksbuehne.berlin
This project is supported by Ukrainian Institute in cooperation with Transmusikale association in Berlin
