Maryna Krut, Bandura

The Russian invasion of Ukraine transformed Bandura virtuoso Maryna Krut from being a singer and performer updating a beautiful tradition of music to being a witness testifying around the world about the devastating war in her homeland. From her temporary home in the west of Ukraine, she travels to the front lines of the war to perform for soldiers. In Ukraine, Krut gained a national following after appearances on that country’s versions of “The X Factor” and “The Voice,” as well as placing in Eurovision. She now also travels abroad with her bandura—a Ukrainian string instrument that looks like a cross between a lute and a zither—relating what she has seen, and thanking audiences for their support of the Ukrainian people.

Join students from United for Ukraine in the lobby after the show for cultural activities.

Tickets: $30 general public | $20 Middlebury ID holders/PASS Members | $10 youth (under 21) | $5 Middlebury students. Reserved seating. Tickets on sale in September: http://go.middlebury.edu/tickets

Approximate running time: 80 minutes, no intermission

About the Artist:
The Russian invasion of Ukraine transformed Maryna Krut from being a performer updating a beautiful tradition of music to being a witness testifying to people around the world about the devastating war in her homeland.

These days, the 30-year-old musician leads a double life. From her temporary home in the west of Ukraine, she travels to the front lines of the war to perform for soldiers. And she also travels abroad to perform, relating what she has seen—and thanking audiences for their support of the Ukrainian people.

Maryna plays the bandura, a Ukrainian string instrument that looks like a cross between a lute and a zither. Steeped as a child in her country’s traditional music, she now incorporates some non-traditional elements into her playing, principally jazz, using it both as a solo instrument and to accompany her powerful singing.

In Ukraine, she gained a national following after appearances on that country’s versions of “The X Factor” and “The Voice,” as well as placing in Eurovision. Now she is expanding her audience as she brings the story and culture of Ukraine to the world. Learn more about Maryna Krut: https://www.riotartists.com/artist-roster/marynakrut/

Program: Ukrainian folk tunes for bandura and/or voice, plus original works

Sponsored by the Performing Arts Series, the Paul Nelson Performance Endowment, United for Ukraine, and the Rothrock Family Residency Fund.

Learn more about the artist:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100007853202392
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bandura_krut/?hl=en
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCe_e8EgFGXmMCDNMnQfH0Kw
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1Bmaz25pIQGUjunO4d1a9Z
Watch a video:  https://youtu.be/A8OPs-k2WmU?si=J27Pu1IZi6XSfiTq

Performance subject to change.