Watch: Mass band ensemble plays for Ukraine

• Entire Kelowna school district practiced for concert
• Proceeds supported humanitarian cause

Music students across an entire district had one more thing to do before summer holidays could truly begin: hold a benefit concert in support of Ukraine.

On Sunday, almost 400 students from 11 different middle and high schools met at Prospera Place to perform.

“It’s really hard to know how something of this scale is going to come together and if it’s actually going to be what you’re hoping for,” organizer and Okanagan Secondary music teacher, Megan Frederick told Kelowna10. “It 100 per cent did. It exceeded my expectations.”

Each of the 11 schools practiced for the same music, ‘Kyiv 2022’ written by American composer Brian Balmages.

It’s a sequel to a piece he wrote over a decade ago. The first one, called ‘Moscow 1941’ framed Russia in a heroic light. The latest iteration, prompted by the invasion of Ukraine, now reflects them as the aggressor.

It also represents the eastern European nation using their national anthem and a folk song called, ‘A prayer for Ukraine.’

Balmages announced he would donate all the funds from the sheet sales worldwide to support humanitarian causes helping the besieged nation.

Organizing the benefit show happened in a relatively short amount of time. Kyiv 2022 wasn’t released until after the spring break, so the musicians only had about a month and a half to prepare.

What started as getting a few bands together snowballed into bringing all of District 23 together.

Each school practiced separately. The only time every musician could rehearse the piece together before the show was the morning of.

The crowd of youth wore a sea of yellow and blue for the Ukrainian flag and performed using everything from brass to guitars to various percussion instruments.

A standing ovation followed the performance and Frederick was as pleased as the crowd was with the result.

“You work really hard to see the music come together and to not know what it’s going to sound like until they all combine on the day of, it’s very stressful,” she said.

“So, I’m very happy and I’m very happy with the turnout and the public support. It’s been a really neat way to end our school year.”

The event also saw other performances like Ukrainian dancers and a craft fair with 30 vendors selling locally made goods while donating some of the profits.

Prospera Place contributed by offering the venue free of charge. Gorman Brothers Mill also helped out by donating over 500 ‘Kyiv 2022’ T-shirts in yellow and blue for the students, teachers, and volunteers to wear.

Proceeds from Sunday’s benefit concert went to Canada Ukraine Foundation and Kelowna Stands with Ukraine.

Frederick saw this event as a valuable lesson for the students.

“I think it’s so important to show students that they have the power to make a difference in the world and that it can be really overwhelming to see things happening in the world, especially as a young person,” she said.

“And so, showing them that they have the power to do good and that one small action can lead to a big change.”