Art and Humanity in Wartime: The Musical and Pedagogical Legacy of Hanna Havrylets (1958–2022)

Abstract

This presentation examines the artistic and educational contributions of Hanna Havrylets, one of Ukraine’s most distinguished contemporary composers and teachers. Her passing on February 27, 2022, during the first days of Russia’s invasion, symbolized both a personal tragedy and a rupture in Ukraine’s cultural memory. Havrylets’ oeuvre—spanning symphonies, concertos, chamber works, and choral compositions—embodies a profound dialogue between tradition and modernity. Works such as Stabat Mater (2002), Chorale for Strings (2005), and Symphony No. 1 (1989) reveal her ability to transform folk elements and ritual incantations into contemporary idioms that resonate with themes of resilience and humanity.

Equally significant was her role as professor at the Kyiv Tchaikovsky National Academy of Music, where she mentored a generation of composers. Her pedagogy emphasized technical mastery, cultural responsibility, and the integration of national identity into creative practice. Through her teaching, Havrylets cultivated a community of artists who continue to shape Ukraine’s musical landscape, ensuring continuity even in times of war and displacement.

This study also draws on interviews with eleven Ukrainian women composers—Asmati Chibalashvili, Bohdana Frolyak, Hanna Kopiika, Kira Maidenberg-Todorova, Olena Morozova, Olena Ilnytska, Viktoria Polyova, Renata Sokachyk, Anna Stoyanova, Karmella Tsepkolenko, and Alla Zagaykevych—whose testimonies illuminate Havrylets’ influence as mentor, colleague, and cultural beacon. By situating her dual legacy within the broader context of conflict, the presentation highlights how art and education together sustain humanity, affirming the enduring power of cultural memory to resist erasure and nurture hope.