LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – It has been 1,681 days since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and this Sunday, residents in Lubbock can hear directly from women living through the reality of war.
The Kyiv Symphony Orchestra and Chorus is scheduled to perform at 7 p.m. Sunday at LakeRidge Methodist Church, presenting academic traditional Ukrainian music and serving as cultural ambassadors.
The touring group consists of 29 Ukrainian women traveling across Texas and the eastern United States this fall. The chorus usually consists of men and women, but the men cannot leave the country because of the war.
Greg Kannon, CEO of the faith-based nonprofit Music Mission Kyiv, said the concerts bring both joy and emotion to audiences.
“Just getting a lot of responses of, ‘I don’t know how they can bring that much light and joy in knowing their husbands, their sons, their fathers are willing to sacrifice themselves on behalf of independence,’ which we as Americans might take for granted,” Kannon said. “We see a lot of smiles, laughter, and we see a lot of tears. The compassion of our American audience having just a glimpse into the daily threats of missiles and bombs in Kiev, and yet seeing how beautifully these ladies represent not just Ukraine, but the music world.”
Mission and aid efforts
Music Mission Kiev was established in the early 1990s by founder Roger McMurrin, who brought sacred classical music to Ukraine after 70 years under communist rule.
“And as he began to tell them the biblical stories of where this music comes from, he told them that we’re going to take up an offering to give to the poor,” Kannon said. “And they said, Roger, we are the poor. And he said, well, we’re going to find people more poor. And we learned in Ukraine that is widows and orphans.”
Today, the nonprofit assists widows, orphans, and people internally displaced by the war. Kannon said 14 million people lost their homes when the war began, including 450,000 in Kyiv.
“So, every day when they go to bed, they don’t know if they will be alive in the morning. It is that personal and present in Kiev,” Kannon said. “We’ve had one of our pensioners killed three weeks ago in the missile attacks. It was in the news that the science building was hit this week earlier, which is one block from our offices, and the operetta house that some of them sing, and some of their friends’ homes were destroyed this week. And so every morning I wake up not knowing which of our girls is going to be upset because of the news that they’ve received overnight.”
Community performance details
Gershom Garcia, director of worship and music at LakeRidge Methodist Church, said hosting the group offers the community an opportunity to connect with their experiences.
“Knowing everything that’s been going on over there with the war, I thought what an opportunity to be, to have this group come to Lubbock to perform for us, to hear their story not only spoken but also sung,” Garcia said. “When we consider our faith, God calls us to serve others and to love others and this is a great way for our community to show that support and that love, considering everything that these ladies and their families have been through… So, we would love to pack this place.”
The concert is free to attend, though donations will be collected. Garcia noted that a donor has pledged to match contributions up to $5,000 toward the symphony’s $10,000 goal.
Copyright 2026 KCBD. All rights reserved.