Glebs Story
"Favorite instruments will be evacuated"
Music has always had a special place in our lives. We loved attending concerts at the Philharmonic as a family, and music was always played in our home. We are a family orchestra. Mom and little Maria play piano, Gleb and Sophia play saxophone, and Maria’s twin brother Mikhail plays guitar and accordion.
But on February 24 explosions and whistling of rockets replaced the sounds of music. We lived very close to the Gostomel airport. That’s why we heard the sound of war right at the beginning. Explosions and gunfire. Fighter jets and helicopters flew over our heads. For three days we all sat together in our two-by-two meter cellar. On the very first day, the electricity failed. Accordingly, there was no more heating, light, water or Internet.
A neighbor gave us a ride in his car out of the city. Since the space was so limited, they asked our children to take only the most necessary things. And Gleb took his saxophone with him. That’s how it is in Bucha – favorite instruments will be evacuated.
I remember how music saved us in the most difficult moments. We went to Lviv by evacuation train. 20 hours – without light, without a single stop. We didn’t sleep all night, it was cold and the children were exhausted and worn out. In Lviv volunteers found us a place to spend the night. It was a large restaurant that the owners had set up as a refugee camp. Up to 80 people stayed there at the same time. In the evening Gleb organized a small concert and he played for everyone on the saxophone, which had arrived with us from Bucha.
From Lviv we had a long way to Austria. We stayed overnight in many camps for refugees – in Poland, in Germany. And music always supported us, wherever we were: in cafes, gyms, schools – Gleb played small concerts on the saxophone to comfort other ukrainians and thanks to those who welcomed us. The willingness to help us on our way was incredible.
When we finally arrived in Austria on April 1, we were asked about urgent needs. We asked for clothes and… musical instruments for children. The Austrians were pleasantly surprised and happy to help us. Only three days after our arrival the children received a guitar and a small synthesizer. Now we can finally all play again. We practice online with their teachers from the local Buchan School of Arts.
We thank the donors for the provided equipment and the generator, now the teachers are always in contact with our children and music is what helps us to survive these terrible times – with dreams and hope!
We are waiting for the end of the war and we are eager to go home.