‘Notes of Freedom’ Concert in Seoul Celebrates 35 Years of Ukrainian Independence

A special concert celebrating the 35th anniversary of Ukraine’s independence and highlighting the country’s history and culture through music was held in Seoul.

Co-hosted by the Embassy of Ukraine in the Republic of Korea and the Department of Ukrainian Studies at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, the concert was held under the theme “Notes of Freedom.” The event featured a piano performance and lecture by Dr. Taras Filenko, a prominent Ukrainian pianist and musicologist.

The concert took place at 7:30 p.m. in Gangnam, Seoul.

Taking the stage, Filenko performed works by major Ukrainian composers while also introducing the historical and cultural contexts in which the pieces were created.

Rather than simply presenting a selection of well-known works, the concert was designed as a musical journey through the development of Ukrainian music, from the late Baroque and Classical periods to Romanticism and modern and contemporary music.

The program focused not on a single period or composer, but on the continuity of Ukrainian musical culture from the 18th century to the present day. It offered audiences an opportunity to explore how folk melodies, historical memory and national identity have been preserved and transformed through different musical languages across generations.

The event was presented in the form of a lecture concert, combining live performance with explanations of the history behind the works and the broader context of Ukrainian culture. The format allowed audiences to gain a deeper understanding of Ukrainian musical traditions, which remain relatively unfamiliar to many Korean listeners.

Filenko graduated from the Kyiv National Academy of Music, where he later served as a professor and vice dean of the Conducting and Vocal Department. He also earned doctoral degrees in historical musicology and ethnomusicology from the University of Pittsburgh in the United States.

A musicologist and performer with more than 40 years of experience, Filenko has pursued research in music history and ethnomusicology while also working as a pianist, organist, choral conductor and educator. A major focus of his career has been introducing Ukrainian composers and their works to audiences around the world.

Since 2022, he has continued to promote Ukrainian culture through concerts, lectures and masterclasses in countries around the world, using music as a form of cultural diplomacy.

His performances often go beyond conventional piano recitals by incorporating commentary on history and culture, as well as visual art and literature. He has also actively collaborated with local artists in the countries he visits.

Materials describing Filenko’s international activities characterize his work not simply as artistic performance, but as a multidimensional platform for cultural exchange aimed at introducing global audiences to the diversity of Ukrainian culture and history.

Filenko has performed and lectured in countries including the United States, India, Mexico, Armenia, Georgia and Colombia. In 2026, he continued his international activities in Uganda, Kenya, Mauritius, Botswana, South Africa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Mozambique, giving performances and lectures while collaborating with local musicians.

The Seoul concert was also held as an extension of these ongoing efforts to promote cultural exchange through music.

Amid the extensive damage suffered by Ukraine’s cultural heritage and artistic community during the Russia-Ukraine war, efforts to introduce Ukraine’s history and identity to the world through music have taken on even greater significance.

Held to commemorate Ukraine’s 35th year of independence, “Notes of Freedom” offered audiences an opportunity to look beyond images of war and tragedy and rediscover Ukraine through its centuries-old traditions of music and art, as well as the cultural identity embodied within them.