How a Student from Kyiv Is Coping with the War in Ukraine
16/03/2022
By
Alicia Taylor Bard
March 15, 2022
Valeriia Shemiatkina
Valeriia Shemiatkina is a second-semester music business student who plays piano, sings, and writes songs. However, she hasn't been able to do any of those things lately because her mind is preoccupied with the conflict in Ukraine. A native of Kyiv, she is heartbroken and worried about the safety of her parents, three sisters, brother, and her large extended family. She speaks to her family every day and, so far, they are safe. Her female relatives have fled the country while the men have remained behind.
After co-organizing a rally on campus last month to bring awareness to the conflict, Shemiatkina joined other students to sing the Ukrainian national anthem at a benefit concert held on March 11. In addition to her goal to manage musicians after graduating, shes planning to return to Ukraine to help others get an education and maybe even open a school.
We talked to Shemiatkina about how she's managing school in the midst of this crisis and the role music is playing in inspiring Ukrainians during this overwhelming time of stress and uncertainty.
What is it like being here in the United States while war is raging in your homeland? I feel absolutely terrible and each day it is getting worse. I can't study. The things that took me an hour to do before, now take me six hours to do. I'm trying to do whatever I can do here to bring awareness to what is going on in Ukraine. I would like to thank everyone who came out to support us on campus during our walk. It meant a lot to all of us.
There are less than a dozen Ukrainian students at Berklee. What can we do to help the Berklee students as well as the people of Ukraine? I feel like many students don't really know what is actually going on in Ukraine and what Russia is doing to my people. I don't know how much we can do here except continue to talk about it and spread awareness. If people have questions, they can ask me, and I will explain what's really going on.
Most Americans have not been to Ukraine and only know what they are reading, hearing, and watching online. What do you want people to know about Ukraine? I want people to know that our people are the greatest. They are kind even to Russian soldiers who are not kind to us . Our people are just incredible and everybody is just trying to help each other by delivering food to people who can't get any or delivering clothes to those who need it, including newborn babies. People are so supportive and we're working together, and I'm kind of sorry I'm not there to help. I've been crying a lot.
...[S]ongs are helping people get through this. They remind people of how it was before and how it will be, so they don't lose hope.
Valeriia Shemiatkina
Can you describe the music in Ukraine and what inspired you to want to be a musician? We listen to a lot of folk music that is blended with modern music. Some artists take old songs and add modern instruments to it. One of my favorite artists is Odyn V Kanoe. She went to Harvard and her voice sounds just like the wind, the land, or trees. She doesn't need to say words to let people know what she's singing about, and her talent inspires me.
What songs do you think your fellow Ukrainians are listening to during the conflict and why? I know they are listening to and singing our national anthem, now more than ever, because people are terrified. There's another song called Apta, which is very popular. It's about winning the war and it helps people deal with all the horrible things going on in the streets. Those songs are helping people get through this. They remind people of how it was before and how it will be, so they don't lose hope.
You sang the Ukrainian national anthem at a recent benefit concert. What did it mean to you to perform it? I am unable to help my people in Ukraine physically, but I can help them deal with everything they have to go through by sharing information with people here in America and showing how beautiful and strong Ukraine is. The national anthem describes and represents the Ukrainian spirit in the best way, so I am honored to sing it here [at] Berklee and tell people our story.
Watch: The Ukrainian national anthem, performed and arranged by Berklee students:
Related Categories
Keyed In
News
Most Popular
Berklee students perform Billie Eilishs Happier than Ever.
Image by Kelly Davidson
Billie Eilish Concert Film Celebrates Whats Possible at Berklee The hour-long video features 50 Berklee students performing a career-spanning collection of 23 Eilish songs.
Latest
Gary Bartz
Image courtesy of the artist
Saxophone Legend Gary Bartz to Perform with Berklee Artists at 13th Annual Global Jazz Summit The concert will honor BGJI alumni and include several performances dedicated to influential women in celebration of Women's History Month.
Global Summit on Ocean Sciences Features Student Compositions Pieces composed in Jennifer Beauregards Environmental Science course were featured at the Ocean Sciences Meeting 2022.
ADOY performs for the first time ever in the U.S. at the Business of K-Pop and the Korean Wave Symposium.
Image by Dave Green
Korean Music and Culture Take Center Stage at Berklee's Business of K-Pop and the Korean Wave Symposium Performances from the Korean Culture Student Association and synthpop sensation ADOY punctuated an in-depth panel discussion with K-pop industry influencers.
Read All
Subscribe The latest sounds, stories, and ideas, sent to your inbox weekly.
LINK: | https://www.berklee.edu/berklee-now/news/a-berklee-student-from-ukrain... |
See more stories from berklee |
Most recent headlines
04/08/2024
Dalet Appoints Santiago Solanas as CEO to Lead Next Era of Growth and Innovation
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, is excited to announce Santiago Solanas as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO)....
03/06/2024
Dalet and Veritone Reach Agreement to Distribute, Transact and Monetize Media Archives
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, a...
19/05/2024
TV Techs Weekly Product Wrap-Up
Missed any of our product coverage during your busy week? The TV Tech weekly product and services news wrap-up provides links to all of our coverage from May 13...
19/05/2024
The CW Shares Its 2024-2025 Lineup
LeVar Burton will host the new game show Trivial Pursuit on The CW, while Raven-Symon will host Scrabble....
19/05/2024
Biden, Trump Agree to Debates on CNN, ABC
President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump have agreed to debates, set for June 27 on CNN and September 10 on ABC....
19/05/2024
End of the Line for Young Sheldon' on May 16
Young Sheldon signs off after seven seasons on CBS, when the series finale airs Thursday, May 18. Jim Parsons and Mayim Bialik reprise their roles as Sheldon Co...
18/05/2024
If Bundling Is Back, What's the Ideal Bundle?
PORTSMOUTH, N.H. Bundling is back in a big way, with all the major streaming companies and many pay TV operators exploring ways to simplify the consumer experie...
18/05/2024
FCC to Vote on LPTV Rules during June Open Meeting
WASHINGTON, D.C. Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel has announced a tentative agenda for the June Open Commission Meeting schedule...
18/05/2024
Matthews Launches New Multipurpose Grip Rail Telescopic Grid Pipe Solution
Matthews Studio Equipment has introduced Grip Rail, which the company said offers a better way to mount equipment on location, in the studio, or on the fly....
18/05/2024
IAB Tech Labs, Google Partner on New First Party Data Solution
In a notable development in the industry-wide effort to address privacy concerns while improving efficacy of marketing efforts in a cookieless ad landscape, IAB...
18/05/2024
TV Tech Weekly Product Wrap-Up
Missed any of our product coverage during your busy week? The TV Tech weekly product and services news wrap-up provides links to all of our coverage from May 13...
18/05/2024
DHD Elevates the Art of Podcast Production
DHD Elevates the Art of Podcast Production Brie Clayton May 17, 2024 0 Comments Hero image: the DHD DX2 base and expansion modules Latest-generation ...
17/05/2024
Aerojet Rocketdyne's Camden Site Leverages Modernization Investments to Accelerate Solid Rocket Motor Production
Aerojet Rocketdyne has worked to modernize facilities at its Camden, Arkansas, l...
17/05/2024
FCC Plans to Revise LPTV Rules
The FCC has issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that would revise rules governing low power TV stations (LPTV) in a number of areas, including online ...
17/05/2024
Demystifying Post-Production: Introducing Cinema 4D Particles Week 4
Demystifying Post-Production: Introducing Cinema 4D Particles Week 4 Brie Clayton May 17, 2024 0 Comments With the spring release of Maxon One, we...
17/05/2024
Takashi Yamazaki Film Godzilla Minus One Graded with DaVinci Resolve Studio
Takashi Yamazaki Film Godzilla Minus One Graded with DaVinci Resolve Studio Brie Clayton May 17, 2024 0 Comments Hero image credit: 2023 TOHO CO., LT...
17/05/2024
Sterling Event Group Streamlines Live Event Productions with AJA
Sterling Event Group Streamlines Live Event Productions with AJA Brie Clayton May 17, 2024 0 Comments Live event productions only happen once, which ...
17/05/2024
Meet the product manager
Muster Ngobi, product manager at LYNX Technik tells TVBEurope how the ever-evolving media industry provides a truly dynamic working environment By Matthew Corr...
17/05/2024
TV, Streaming Schedule for 2024 NFL Regular Season Is Released
NEW YORK As declines in linear TV viewing make the ongoing popularity of live sports, particularly football, central to financial success of the TV industry, th...
17/05/2024
Netflix Ad Tier Hits 40M Monthly Active Users
During Netflixs second Upfront presentation to advertisers, Amy Reinhard, Netflix's president of advertising, walked advertisers through the continued growt...
17/05/2024
Scripps Promotes Jeff Kiernan to VP, Local News
CINCINNATI The E.W. Scripps Company has added to its leadership team for news by promoting Jeff Kiernan a veteran journalist and general manager of Scripps'...
17/05/2024
Survey: New Disney-Fox-WBD Sports Streamer May Hurt Pay TV Sub Counts
Top executives from Disney, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery have consistently insisted that their joint venture to launch the Venu Sports streaming bundle in the...
17/05/2024
Caitlin Clark's WNBA Debut Set Viewing Records
ESPN has announced that its coverage of Caitlin Clark's WNBA debut in the Indiana Fever versus the Connecticut Sun season opener was the most-watched WNBA g...
17/05/2024
ATEM Mini Extreme ISO switcher and Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K
ATEM Mini Extreme ISO switcher and Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K Brie Clayton May 16, 2024 0 Comments Blackmagic Design announced today that Yoic...
17/05/2024
Pixomondo's Virtual Production Academy Expands with Programs at Sony PCL, Vook, and Vancouver Film School
Pixomondo's Virtual Production Academy Expands with Programs at Sony PCL, Vo...
17/05/2024
WBD Upfront Show Offers Peeks at House of the Dragon,' White Lotus,' Biden-Trump Debate
The Warner Bros. Discovery upfront presentation took place Wednesday, May 15 at ...
17/05/2024
The Black Keys, Jelly Roll, Kate Hudson Set To Perform on The Voice' Finale
Season 25 of The Voice wraps on NBC Tuesday, May 21, with performances from The Black Keys, Jelly Roll, Kate Hudson, Lainey Wilson, Muni Long, Thomas Rhett and ...
17/05/2024
CNN Boss Mark Thompson's Plan Includes More News in More Categories on More Devices (Upfronts)
New CNN CEO Mark Thompson spelled out his plan for the struggling news network d...
17/05/2024
Netflix To Launch In-House Advertising Tech Platform
Netflix, a newcomer to the advertising business, said it plans to launch an in-house advertising technology platform....
17/05/2024
Netflix Plots TV Takeover at Upfront Presentation
Netflix shared some programming projects at an upfront presentation in New York. Those include the basketball-themed comedy series Running Point, a Mindy Kaling...
17/05/2024
Plex Geek Week Sale Offers 20% Off Plex Lifetime Pass
Plex is offering movie and music collectors a 20% discount off its Lifetime Plex Pass as part of its Geek Week sale....
17/05/2024
GroupM Names Toby Jenner as President, GroupM Clients
Giant media buyer GroupM said it named Toby Jenner as global president, Group M Clients, a new position at the company....
17/05/2024
Clients of Independent Agencies Boost Programmatic Buying
Smaller advertisers are increasingly buying connected TV programmatically, according to a new report from FreeWheel, Comcast's ad-tech unit....
17/05/2024
TCLtvPlus Adds Streaming Music Channels From Vevo
TCLtvPlus, the streaming app on smart TVs made by TCL, has added live linear channel from music-video programmer Vevo....
17/05/2024
StackAdapt Adopts Data From Samba TV for Programmatic Campaigns
StackAdapt said it made a deal to integrate data from Samba TV into its programmatic advertising platform....
17/05/2024
Tonight on Skeem Saam: Lehasa gets a rude awakening when Kgosi blackmails him
Tonight on Skeem Saam: Lehasa gets a rude awakening when Kgosi blackmails himDon't miss Friday, 17 May's riveting episode of South African soapie Skeem ...
17/05/2024
Tonight on House of Zwide: Dorothy is blown away by Ona's sketches for her wedding dress
Tonight on House of Zwide: Dorothy is blown away by Ona's sketches for her w...
17/05/2024
Tonight on Scandal: Dintle has a visit from her past that leaves her very unsettled
Tonight on Scandal: Dintle has a visit from her past that leaves her very unsett...
17/05/2024
Save Time and Money with WO Traffic v24.0
WO Traffic provides a solid foundation from which stations can manage, execute, and scale end-to-end ad trafficking and sales, both today and into the future. W...
17/05/2024
Broadcast Innovation in India: How AI and Automated Production Helps Smaller Sports Grow
Broadcast Innovation in India: How AI and Automated Production Helps Smaller Spo...
17/05/2024
SVG Sports Cloud Production Forum Gives Refresher Course on Cloud-Based Tools, Ecosystem
SVG Sports Cloud Production Forum Gives Refresher Course on Cloud-Based Tools, E...
17/05/2024
WNBA Tip-Off 2024: Scripps Sports Constructs New Studio for Second Season of WNBA Friday Night Spotlight on ION
WNBA Tip-Off 2024: Scripps Sports Constructs New Studio for Second Season of WNB...
17/05/2024
SVG College Summit 2024: Auburn's War Eagle Productions Breaks Down How They Produce Live Gymnastics Broadcasts
SVG College Summit 2024: Auburn's War Eagle Productions Breaks Down How They...
17/05/2024
Netflix & Shondaland Announce the Song List and Soundtrack for 'Bridgerton' Season 3: Part 1
Back to All News Netflix & Shondaland Announce the Song List and Soundtrack for...
17/05/2024
Skeem Saam: Thursday's episode, 16 May 2024 [video]
Skeem Saam: Thursday's episode, 16 May 2024 [video]Missed an episode of Skeem Saam? No problem! Watch the latest episode of your favourite South African soa...
17/05/2024
Prison Journalism: Letter to my mothers
Prison Journalism: Letter to my mothersThabo Mthembu was incarcerated in Pollsmoor Prison from 2014 to 2019. Read Thabo's story by Thabo Mthembu 17-05-20...
17/05/2024
Paul McCartney becomes UK's first billionaire musician
Paul McCartney becomes UK's first billionaire musicianMusic icon Paul McCartney has become the UK's first billionaire musician, according to the Sunday ...
17/05/2024
Tonight on Smoke and Mirrors: Sakhile advises Tiny against sabotaging Petunia
Tonight on Smoke and Mirrors: Sakhile advises Tiny against sabotaging PetuniaDon't miss Friday, 17 May's riveting episode of South African soapie Smoke ...
17/05/2024
RT'S Operation Transformation comes to a close after 17 seasons
RT has today announced that Operation Transformation (OT) is to end after 17 seasons. As series come to an end each year, RT undertakes an editorial review to...
17/05/2024
Studio One: Your Binaural Beats Lab
By Craig Anderton When I heard about binaural beats, I was interested-I like beats, and I'm into binaural audio. But this has nothing to do with either o...