On 9 December, the Ambassador of Ukraine to Switzerland, Iryna Venediktova, attended the chamber concert of Sinfonietta Sankt Gallen at SQUARE—an event that brought together Ukrainian and Swiss musical traditions.

Founded in 2022 by Ukrainian violinist Olena Neff Zhunke, the ensemble has become a platform for collaboration between Swiss musicians and Ukrainian performers who have found refuge in Switzerland.

The program featured:

• Maurice Ravel’s Sonata, performed by Olena Neff Zhunke and Pierre Deppe,

• the emotional “Le Grand Tango” by Astor Piazzolla, performed with accordionist Hennadii Rotar,

• contemporary works by Volodymyr Runchak and Stéphane Fromageot, written specifically for this trio,

• and the finale was enriched by Piazzolla’s poignant “Oblivion” and Myroslav Skoryk’s “Melody.”

Cultural initiatives like this one serve as an important bridge between our countries. We thank Sinfonietta Sankt Gallen for supporting Ukrainian culture and for the unifying power of music.