Benefit Concert - Three Wishes for Ukraine

Thanks to your support, our GoFundMe campaign enabled us to produce this concert. We are keeping this page open in hopes of raising a little more funds for these families either through payments to GoFundMe, or the PREFERRED method of payment which is now by CHECK which should be written to "Good Samaritan Ministry" with "Ukrainian Musicians" in the memo line to ensure that all proceeds will go to these three families. checks may be mailed to:
Good Samaritan Ministry
910 Cross Gates Blvd
Slidell, LA 70461

You can view our benefit concert in its entirety here: https://youtu.be/7Lwo8Ecaj7U?t=267

and you will find photos from our event at this site: https://zenfolio.page.link/u3TNU

Although there is little we can do to stop the war in Ukraine or end the suffering there, we can at least try to help those in need. If I had a magic genie to grant me three wishes, I would use each wish to help the families of three Ukrainian musicians who are valued members of the Louisiana music community. Violinist Yaroslav Rudnytsky is a member of the Louisiana Philharmonic, violinist Dr. Iuliia Akers was a recent member of the Baton Rouge Symphony, and Dr. Liliia Oliinyk teaches piano at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts. Yaroslav is currently in Kiev and trying to get his wife and parents safely out of Ukraine, and although Iuliia and Liliia live in Louisiana, both their families are still in occupied Kherson.

 

Through your help, we held a benefit concert in New Orleans to raise funds for these three families featuring an orchestra of 20 professional musicians combined from the Louisiana Philharmonic and Baton Rouge Symphony orchestras performing music which Tchaikovsky composed in the Ukraine. Thanks to the generous support of Kailas Companies, Unique Weddings in New Orleans, and WWNO radio 89.9 FM, our benefit concert took place:

Wednesday, May 25 at 7:30 pm at the Capital on Baronne 
210 Baronne St Suite 100, New Orleans, LA 70112
https://capitalnola.com/


We were honored to feature renowned pianist Faina Lushtak, who was born in Odessa and is head of the piano division at Tulane University, performing on a Steinway piano.  Faina donated her service, and as a Steinway Artist, her performance was made possible through the support of Hall Piano Company.  Our concert also featured violin soloist Lin He (associate concertmaster of the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra), cello soloist Veronica Parrales (principal cellist of the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra and assistant principal cellist of the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra), violin soloist Benjamin Thacher (Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra), and Iuliia Akers and Liliia Oliinyk performed the famous Ukrainian "Melody" by Skoryk along with other Ukrainian music.

When I asked Liliia to briefly summarize how she would use the funds we raise for her family, this is what she wrote:

"My name is Liliia Oliinyk, I am a Ukrainian currently living and working in the USA. My hometown, Kherson, is currently under complete occupation by russian military forces. All of my Ukrainian family are still in Kherson. My two sisters and their husbands and kids (two girls aged 2 and 7, and a boy aged 12), my grandma, my parents (both of whom have suffered strokes) are all trying to survive under the horrific occupation in the middle of a war-torn city. The funds gathered from maestro Mauffray's special benefit concert will help to supply food and medicine to all of my immediate family in Kherson, Ukraine. I am forever grateful for your generosity and support."

 

You can watch Liliia's and Iuliia's recent violin and piano benefit recital here on YouTube: https://youtu.be/d_CdbSBcOok?t=358 

In the description of that video, you will find this link where you can also give online directly to Iuliia and Liliia's efforts at http://spot.fund/vKigC6

 

There, Iullia writes:

"Thank you for taking your time and considering to donate! My name is Iuliia and I am forever grateful to those who are helping us during these horrible times.  WE NEED HELP!!! I am raising money for my hometown Kherson, Ukraine that has been completely occupied by Russian troops. Trucks of humanitarian aid have been denied entry of Kherson region by Russian occupants. Seniors, children, expecting women and the rest of the population are cut off any flow of food or medication.  When it rains - it pours! When the WAR began and Russia attacked Ukraine, I got informed that the person close and dear to me was diagnosed with breast cancer. These news were DEVASTATING and HEARTBREAKING!!! I can’t explain the horror my family and friends are going through as they are still there and standing up for their FREEDOM!!! I am working directly with my friends who are volunteering and risking their life every minute. They deliver food and meds to those who are in need and THEY NEED HELP! They need gas and supplies to help. I’ve already raised money but it is not enough. All the money I will raise will be donated:

- Flour, bread, meat, poultry, rice, milk

- Medication, medical help, cancer treatment

- Gas for volunteer's cars

Please be advised that I don’t make any profit out of it and all the money raised will be donated and used directly on food and medication only.  Every little bit will help! We will win this together. Please share this with your friends and family and anyone else who is able to contribute. Слава Україні! "

 

You can watch videos of Yaroslav and his wife Katherine playing duets on her YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/user/katiujin 

and I particularly recommend this beautiful Meditation by Glazunov:

 

My hope is that with your support our benefit concert for these musicians can help raise funds for them as a demonstration of our gratitude for their music which has blessed our community.

 

Thank you for your help, and in closing, I am including a photo from the benefit concert we just performed for these Ukrainian families.

 

-Paul Mauffray

PS. Please be aware that when donating here on GoFundMe, the website automatically suggests adding a 15% tip for their service. This, however, is optional, and you can change that to Zero% to avoid that extra cost.