Music School in Poland for Ukrainian Refugees
Continuing to Make a Difference
July 2024 UPDATE:
The music school is going strong; the refugees (both music teachers and students) are unfortunately still there. And Listen For Life is continuing to support this important program with your help!
Listen For Life is supporting the creation of a Ukrainian music school in Warsaw, Poland called Voloshka Music House, where refugee children who have endured the hardships of war can continue their musical education as they adapt to their temporary new home. At the music academy, Ukrainian refugee students ages 6-17 will learn to play Ukrainian folk musical instruments, sing Ukrainian songs, and keep Ukrainian musical traditions and culture alive. Students will also be taught other classical European music.
The director of Voloshka Music House, internationally acclaimed pianist Natalia Voloshko, previously founded a music school in Kharkov, Ukraine with the same name. Many of the children who learned music in Kharkov are now refugees in Warsaw, together with other Ukrainian musicians of all ages. Beginning in Fall 2022, Voloshka Music House will relaunch in Warsaw as part of the Children of Ukraine Education Center. The music academy will initially include 10 music classrooms and practice studios. In time, our goal is to raise enough funds to provide for a second building that would enable many more Ukrainian refugee children and teachers to participate. Voloshka Music House is named for the blue Voloshka flower that symbolizes the creative growth, beauty and blossoming talents of the Ukrainian children.
Voloshka Music House is a new fiscally sponsored project of Listen For Life. We see many positive outcomes for this project including:
- Ukrainian children resuming their music studies with replacement instruments for practicing, and benefitting from the emotional healing music can provide
- Professional Ukrainian musicians who are now refugees gaining purpose and fulfilment by once again teaching children music
- Helping preserve Ukrainian culture and musical traditions for future generations.
Please donate to help make this vision a reality! Your support will help fund practice instruments for students, salaries for teachers, the addition of a second building, and other project expenses. The Listen4Life Foundation is a 501(c)(3) tax exempt, all volunteer organization and 100% of donations for Voloshka Music House will be used to support this project.