Okean Elzy: Ukraine Independence Day - 24 August 2017 - Kharkiv

Dear Friends & Readers,
I’m pleased to share with you today a few pictures and videos of the concert that took place in Kharkiv for Ukraine Independence Day… Enjoy!

Okean Elzy - Kharkiv, 24th August 2017
© Victoria Kvitka

Okean Elzy - Kharkiv, 24th August 2017
© Victoria Kvitka

Okean Elzy - Kharkiv, 24th August 2017
© Victoria Kvitka

Okean Elzy - Kharkiv, 24th August 2017
© Victoria Kvitka

Okean Elzy - Kharkiv, 24th August 2017
© Victoria Kvitka

Okean Elzy - Kharkiv, 24th August 2017
© Victoria Kvitka

Okean Elzy - Kharkiv, 24th August 2017
© Victoria Kvitka

Okean Elzy - Kharkiv, 24th August 2017
© Victoria Kvitka

Okean Elzy - Kharkiv, 24th August 2017
© Victoria Kvitka

Okean Elzy - Kharkiv, 24th August 2017
© Victoria Kvitka

Okean Elzy - Kharkiv, 24th August 2017
© Victoria Kvitka

Okean Elzy - Kharkiv, 24th August 2017
© Victoria Kvitka

Okean Elzy - Kharkiv, 24th August 2017
© Victoria Kvitka

Okean Elzy - Kharkiv, 24th August 2017
© Victoria Kvitka

Okean Elzy - Kharkiv, 24th August 2017
© Victoria Kvitka

Okean Elzy - Kharkiv, 24th August 2017
© Victoria Kvitka

Okean Elzy - Kharkiv, 24th August 2017
© Victoria Kvitka

Svyatoslav Vakarchuk at the Lviv Alfa Jazz Fest 2017

The 7th Alfa Jazz Fest took place in Lviv at the end of June. As usual, and because he is a big fan of jazz music, Svyatoslav Vakarchuk was invited to the shows by the organizers of this international festival...

Svyatoslav Vakarchuk
© Zefir.ua - 2017

Now, it's time to share with you some pictures of this event!

Svyatoslav Vakarchuk
© JetSetter.ua - 2017

Svyatoslav Vakarchuk
© Vogue.ua - 2017

Svyatoslav Vakarchuk
© Vogue.ua - 2017

Svyatoslav Vakarchuk
© Vogue.ua - 2017

Svyatoslav Vakarchuk
© Zefir.ua - 2017

Svyatoslav Vakarchuk
© Zefir.ua - 2017

Svyatoslav Vakarchuk
© Aleksandr Goncharov - 2017

Svyatoslav Vakarchuk
© Zefir.ua - 2017

Svyatoslav Vakarchuk
© Zefir.ua - 2017

And for those who love jazz improvisation, here is a very interesting video! Thanks to Igor Petrof for this. :) The recording took place on the 24th of June in a restaurant/brewery/«theatre» - I don't know how to call it! :)

By the way, did you know that Svyatoslav Vakarchuk moderated a discussion that took place in parallele to the Alfa Jazz Fest? The theme of this debate was "How to create trustworthy institutes?"
 
As a co-founder of the Centre for Economic Strategy - who organized this event -, Svyatoslav said that such discussions will be held each year. The purpose of the debate is to answer the challenges faced today by Ukraine. These dicussions should not be limited to politics and will be extended to cultural, social and economic topics.

So, if you're fluent at Ukrainian, if - like me - you're fond of that language or if you're just curious, I invite you to watch this video. :) Enjoy!

Svyatoslav Vakarchuk in Lviv for Women's World Chess Championship 2016

Yesterday, Svyatoslav Vakarchuk was in Lviv to support Chess Women’s World Champion Mariya Muzychuk...

Svyatoslav Vakarchuk & Mariya Muzychuk
© FIDE

Svyatoslav came with his father Ivan, professor of physics at Lviv University and former Minister of Education and Science in Ukraine.

Svyatoslav & Ivan Vakarchuk looking at the chess-board
signed by Maria Muzychuk & Hou Yifan
Photo: © Anastasiya Karlovich

Svyatoslav Vakarchuk made a first symbolic move instead of the Chinese chess grandmaster Hou Yifan...

Photo: © Anastasiya Karlovich

... and Ivan Vakarchuk answered instead of Mariya Muzychuk, the current Women's World Chess Champion!

Photo: © Anastasiya Karlovich

So, the 4th game of the Women’s World Championship Match could start...

Hou Yifan
Photo: © Anastasiya Karlovich

Mariya Muzychuk
Photo: © Anastasiya Karlovich

This 4th round of the 2016 Women's World Chess Championship match lasted only 21 moves and Hou Yifan now leads 2.5:1.5 with six games to go... We wish Mariya all the best for next steps of the competition! 



Eager to know more about Vakarchuk's thoughts on this event? Please watch his interview (from minute 5:20 to 18 of this video):

Okean Elzy France - 1st Forum of French-Ukrainian Associations, January 23 2016 : Photos & videos!

Many of you asked for more information about the 1st Forum of French-Ukrainian Associations that took place in Paris in the end of January... Finally, here are some pictures & videos of this event! 

It was an incredible day and a great experience. Within a few hours, more than 100 people visited Okean Elzy France's stand! I've talked the whole day about Okean Elzy's music and about my passion for Ukrainian culture... Honestly, I never expected that I would be so warmly received! :)

 Okean Elzy, music, Ukraine... I could go for hours on this!
Photo: © Alina Wolf

Waiting for the 1st visitors...
Photo: © OEFrance

From 11.00 am to 5.00pm, we received visitors throughout the day... 

Photo: © Alina Wolf

Photo: © OEFrance

It was incredible!

Photo: © OEFrance

Children had the opportunity to learn more about Pysanka, the traditional Ukrainian folk art of decorating Easter eggs...

 

Photo: © Alina Wolf

 And visitors enjoyed tasting Ukrainian traditional dishes... 

Photo: © Alina Wolf

But what would be an Ukrainian party without music?... :)

Photo: © Alina Wolf

Photo: © Alina Wolf

Visitors enjoyed listening to the performances of the "Ukrainian choir of St.Volodymyr":





And I had the pleasure to meet Mebo Nutsubidze (also known as Mebo Renard), a Georgian singer who lives in Paris and who was semifinalist of the reality singing competition "The Voice Ukraine" in 2015...

Photo: © Mebo Renard

Did you know that he was coached and supported by Svyatoslav Vakarchuk? :)  I'm so happy that he accepted my invitation to participate in this Forum!


And what a pleasure to listen to him when he sings this nice Ukrainian folk song!




What a day! :)

Because such 'intercultural meetings' have to be experienced 'from within' :) here is a video (in French & Ukrainian) that I'd like to share with you:

Thanks to all of you for making this event a success! Дякую! :)

Okean Elzy: Winner of the Best Rock Band award at 2016 Ukraine National Music Awards

On the 25th of February, Okean Elzy won the "Best Rock Band" award at the "YUNA-2016" - Ukraine National Music Awards...

© Okean Elzy Official

That evening, Kristina Solovii won the "Best Music Video" award for her song "Тримай - Trymay":

Kristina Solovii - YUNA 2016
Photogr. Unkn.

Congratulations! Вітаємо!  

For more information about the 2016 YUNA awards, click here!

Svyatoslav Vakarchuk: We need cyborgs in politics!

Last Saturday, Svyatoslav Vakarchuk was awarded with the Order of Liberty which honour special merits of citizens for strengthening the Sovereignty & Independence of Ukraine, consolidating Ukrainian society, developing Democracy, advancing socio-economic and political reforms, and advocating the Constitutional Rights and Liberties of Man and Citizen.

 

Svyatoslav Vakarchuk - January 2016
Photogr. Unkn.

This award has been given to the artist by the president of Ukraine, Mr. Petro Porochenko.

Photogr. Unkn.

Taking advantage of the occasion, Vakarchuk addressed him with a few words.
The full English translation of Vakarchuk's speech has been posted on Voices of Ukraine website. The original version (in ukrainian) is available on Novoye Vremya website.

Here are the  major points of this talk:
 
"Thank you for this award. It’s an honor for me to receive this award from the State, which I always have and always will hold as the nearest and dearest in the world. Unfortunately, awards alone will not solve the problems facing us."

"The enemy that erodes Ukraine from within – corruption, total injustice, ignorance, the low standards of the so-called elites – is much more insidious and dangerous than any external enemy.  To defeat this internal enemy, we also need heroes – heroes in Ukrainian politics and government."

"I would really like to conclude by saying that the country is waiting for changes, but the truth is, the country isn’t waiting for anything from the government, not anymore. People do not trust the government. Not because it is bad; but because [people in] the government are the same as all the rest. And today, we need people who are capable of great feats, we need supermen. "

"Neither power nor political battles interest me. I am telling you this because I care! I care about your reputation, I care about the reputation of the country, and about its future. This is my country, and I live here. Mr. President, regard my words seriously – they are not directed against you personally, they are not an attempt to tarnish you as an individual. These words are directed to all in the Ukrainian government. And it’s not just my individual voice – it is, literally, the voice of the people of Ukraine. And pay attention to them today, because tomorrow may be too late."

The Order of Liberty award

This Order of Liberty will remind me that every day, one must do more to ensure that one’s country is free. I will remember that I myself have not yet done enough to finally make our country better."

Translation: Voices of Ukraine

Okean Elzy France: About the meeting to be held in Paris on Saturday

As you may know, I will attend to the 1st Forum of French-Ukrainian Associations that will take place in Paris on Saturday. 

To me, this day is special because, for the 1st time, I'll have the opportunity to talk face-to-face and for hours about Okean Elzy's music. :)  And even if it is also a quite challenging event (there was a lot to do), I'm sure this will be a great experience!

Official poster of the 1st Forum of French-Ukrainian Associations
© Centre Culturel de l'Ambassade d'Ukraine en France

On top of meeting Okean Elzy fans and my Ukrainian friends, I'll will for sure create new contacts. It's an opportunity that I must seize!


I don't want to tell you that much about what I prepared for this meeting... but here are a few items that I can share with you today!

- First of all, I had to improve the design of the Okean Elzy France's logo. This picture will be published in a booklet which will list all the French-Ukrainian Associations existing in France.

Okean Elzy France logo
© Alexa Heinze - 2016

It was therefore important for me that people understand at a glance what I'm talking about:

• Okean Elzy
• Rock music
• France
• Ukraine

I then had to develop a recognisable visual identity and, from the 1st comments I get, it seems that I've managed to do so. :)

- I also had to create my own business card. How the hell can you build strong professional relationships without it?! :)

Okean Elzy France - Business card
© Alexa Heinze - 2016

Okean Elzy France - Business card
© Alexa Heinze - 2016

- I created an invitation card that I sent to my contacts and that I shared on social networks.

Okean Elzy France - Invitation card
© Alexa Heinze - 2016

- In addition, promotional, informational materials and different presents will be distributed... But this is a surprise action of my "communication campaign" that I won't tell you about yet! :))

Okean Elzy France - French communication campaign
© Alexa Heinze - 2016

More information to follow soon... In the meantime, I look forward to meeting you in Paris on Saturday. 

"Rendez-vous à Paris !"

PS - Believe it or not, but in French a "Rendez-Vous" is generally understood as a business appointment. :) Anyway, on Saturday we will speak about my first love stories which are music, poetry & Ukraine... All of that is about passion!