KENT, Ohio – The Kent United Church of Christ is hosting Jurji Fedynskyj, a Ukrainian-American musician, as part of the Around the World music series on July 6.

Fedynskyj is from North Carolina but his parents are from Ukraine, who left the country to escape Soviet oppression, according to a press release for the event. After the fall of the USSR, he felt compelled to return to his roots and returned to Kyiv to pursue a career in music.

There he learned Ukrainian instruments and built a successful career as a performer in the central region of Ukraine.

Since the Russian invasion of the country in February 2022, Fedynskyj has decided to use his talent and team up with other local musicians to travel around the country and perform in the cities hardest hit for soldiers fighting. the war.

Since returning to the United States, he has embarked on a tour of 14 states and two Canadian provinces to raise funds for his home country.

He will play instruments he has built in his home workshop located in Poltava, Ukraine.

The evening will begin at 7:30 p.m. with a prayer service featuring traditional Ukrainian poems and songs, followed by the concert following the service.

This event is free and all donations made during the concert will be sent to the Pltava Kobzar Guild in Ukraine to help fund their efforts to revive Ukrainian folklore and war.

You can find more information about the event here.

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