«The Fifth Kharkiv»: from dream to mission. Public musicology in wartime: meanings and action

Abstract

The idea of the existence of the five Kharkivs belongs to the world-famous philologist Yury Shevelyov. He divided the periods of history as follows: pre-university (before 1805), colonial (19th-early 20th centuries), avant-gardes (1920s), Soviet (1960s-1970s). The philologist called the dream of the Fifth Kharkiv the time when the city would feel Ukrainian. Through the idea of Yu. Shevelev, the author of the report observes the development of Kharkiv's musical culture in the 18th-21st centuries and analyzes the processes of 2022-2025. Indeed, the invasion changed a lot in cultural policy, but made Kharkov a new intellectual center. What is the reason?

So, in Kharkiv, despite the constant shelling, during all this wartime many cultural events have been taking place. From the inspiring: it`s the KharkivMusikFest, whose concerts took place in the subway a month after the war started, when only in the subway it was safe;

- concerts in hospitals, volunteer centres;

- an action «Music as opposed to the war»;

- a creative landing (a series of concerts in the subway) «Skhid-Opera – to the city-hero Kharkiv»;

- these are concerts organized by Sergei Zhadan, a famous writer, translator, musician for the military, children, doctors;

 - a rock festival «Music of Resistance», which even musicians from other cities came to! In particular, Slavko Vakarchuk, who is now actively supporting the military;

- these are the performances of the Kharkiv Puppet Theatre for children in the subway; this is the opening of the Kharkiv Puppet Theatre for visitors directly in the theatre (very difficult, because the sirens-warning of air alarm are constantly on);

-it is the project «In the Streets of Kharkiv» by Denis Karatsevtsev (who played near the destroyed buildings and was collecting means for reconstruction with these records);

Now our stations are decorated by their creative work. And now ideas and creative projects continue to appear.It's important that now there is almost no situation «art for art's sake», all creative actions are aimed at helping Ukraine.

Finally, the Fifth Kharkiv is being formed right now, overcoming all previous challenges, shaping the art of the post-imperial era.