Page 172 - Aldeburgh Festival 2022 FINAL COVERAGE BOOK

It’s not only financial issues that are at play for musicians in the Ukrainian
Freedom Orchestra. When applying for a visa needed to enter the UK, each
musician has to send off their passports as part of their application, which
means their documents could be out of their hands for up to six weeks.

This would not only hinder their travel during their European tour, but also stop
them from applying for their US visas. The Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra are due
to tour America later this year, which has been organised by The Metropolitan
Opera.

Pemberton explained to Classic FM: “They’re doing a concert in Carnegie Hall,
and touring America. Now, the trouble is, they also have to apply for a US visa,
and they can’t do that if their passports are stuck in a UK visa processing centre.

“If the orchestra are unable to come because of these logistical and financial
issues, honestly, it will be embarrassing for our country.”

Read more: Donbas music school destroyed by Russian shelling in Eastern
Ukraine

Canadian-Ukrainian conductor, Keri-Lynn Wilson, leads the orchestra and has
made multiple videos for her Facebook page (watch one above) with first-hand
stories from the musicians in the Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra.

Many of the musicians say they jumped at the chance to be part of the orchestra,
as they see it as their way of supporting Ukraine “in the fight against Russian
aggression”.

“It’s not just about doing concerts,” Pemberton reiterated to Classic FM. “They’re
raising awareness and flying the flag for their country. Any profit from the tour
will go back into supporting their nation.

“This tour means it means everything to these musicians. And charging them
£18,000 to come play in our country just seems to me, to be morally wrong.”