ABOUT US

MISSION

Kyiv Symphony Orchestra

Founded in 1979 as the State Pop and Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine, the ensemble received its current stage name Kyiv Symphony Orchestra (KSO) in 2019 and has since become one of the leading orchestras of the country. The orchestra is consistently committed to preserving and promoting Ukrainian musical heritage and plays an important role in representing Ukraine on the international music scene.

Since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in April 2022, KSO has been on an extended European tour, performing in EU countries and presenting Ukrainian culture to a wide international audience. During this period, the orchestra has given hundreds of concerts and gained recognition as an important cultural ambassador of Ukraine worldwide.

Since 2023, the Kyiv Symphony Orchestra has been under the official patronage of the Berliner Philharmoniker.
In official materials of the Berlin Philharmonic, KSO is described as one of the leading orchestras in Eastern Europe.
Performances of KSO in Berlin regularly present programmes with a special focus on Ukrainian composers.

Over the past three years, the orchestra has performed in major European concert halls:
Wiener Konzerthaus, Berliner Philharmonie, Elbphilharmonie, Gewandhaus Leipzig, Cité de la Musique (Paris), Rudolfinum (Prague), Warsaw Philharmonic, Isarphilharmonie (Munich), Kulturpalast Dresden, Berwaldhallen (Stockholm), Alfredo Kraus Auditorium (Gran Canaria), Tenerife Auditorium, Meistersingerhalle (Nuremberg), Tonhalle Düsseldorf, Congress Center Rosengarten Mannheim, Kurhaus Wiesbaden, Konzerthaus Freiburg, Kuppelsaal Hannover, Stadtcasino Basel, as well as giving an exclusive concert for more than 40 heads of NATO states during the Alliance summit in Madrid on 29 June 2022.

The orchestra has participated in renowned international festivals, including:
Grafenegg (Austria), Wiener Festwochen, Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival, 39 Festival Internacional de Música de Canarias, Kunstfest Weimar, Musikfest Berlin, Friedensfest Augsburg, Prague Sounds, MACHT MUSIK Festival, among others.

The repertoire of KSO covers music from the 17th century to the present - from Baroque and Classicism to premieres by contemporary composers, with special attention to Ukrainian symphonic music.
For its outstanding interpretation of new music in 2022, the orchestra was awarded the Musical Contest Prince Pierre Foundation (Monaco).

The Kyiv Symphony Orchestra collaborates on a regular basis with the world-renowned Ukrainian conductor Oksana Lyniv as its Principal Guest Conductor, with the distinguished opera and symphonic conductor Felix Krieger, as well as with outstanding young conductors — Christian Blex and Jascha von der Goltz, both first-prize winners of prestigious international competitions.

In Ukraine, the orchestra has repeatedly performed at major state events, including:
• a concert dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the Constitution of Ukraine near the Verkhovna Rada (Parliament);
• a concert marking the 30th anniversary of Ukraine’s Independence at NSC Olimpiyskiy.

Kyiv Symphony Orchestra became the first orchestra of independent Ukraine to perform Richard Wagner’s “Tristan und Isolde” - both at the National Opera of Ukraine and at the Musikfestspiele Königswinkel (2021). The ensemble also premiered the opera "Night" by Ukrainian composer Maksym Kolomiyets.

In May 2025, KSO took part in the production of Giuseppe Verdi’s “Otello” in Bilbao (Spain), giving four successful premiere performances at the Euskalduna Bilbao concert hall.

In addition to concert activity, the orchestra is actively engaged in educational initiatives - children’s concerts, open rehearsals, interactive events and outreach programmes.

Since August 2024, the Kyiv Symphony Orchestra has held a three-year residency in Monheim am Rhein (Germany) and works within the structure of Monheimer Kulturwerke GmbH.

During the longest continuous tour in the history of symphony orchestras, KSO presented more than 80 works by Ukrainian composers to international audiences. As Berliner Morgenpost noted:

“Kyiv Symphony Orchestra has long become one of the most important musical formations in Germany, opening the Western world to Ukrainian music, which for decades remained overshadowed due to the dominance of russian repertoire.”

Mission of the Orchestra

We bring Ukrainian music closer and more accessible to international audiences, representing Ukraine in Europe and beyond.

Kyiv Symphony Orchestra integrates Ukrainian repertoire into the global musical context, connecting it with the world’s classical tradition.

We create concerts, cultural events, collaborations and educational programmes that present Ukraine as a modern European country speaking to the world through the language of music - a language capable of supporting, uniting and strengthening trust.

We believe that music can be an instrument of dialogue, understanding and peace, helping people respect and love one another and feel human connection even in extremely challenging times.