ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — When a choir sings, they do so side-by-side, as one. 

What You Need To Know

  • 30 musicians from the Kyiv Symphony Orchestra and Chorus (KSOC) perform for the Gibbs High School’s Women’s Chorus 

  • The touring musicians are all women because Ukrainian men are not allowed to travel outside their country during wartime

  • The KSOC is touring the southeastern U.S. to help raise funds for humanitarian aid for widows, orphans, and war victims

  • The show features classical and traditional Ukrainian music

Inside Gibbs High School, a blend of voices both mature and young shared that unity. The Gibbs High School Women's Choir were given a performance by the Kyiv Symphony Orchestra and Chorus. 

“I felt very honored to get to experience this today," said Kendal Rady, a senior at Gibbs High School. 

The blending of voice was beautiful, even though more than 5,660 miles away there is war. 

"It is like a horror, I don’t know. You are always thinking, 'I will wake up, and it’s not, it doesn’t exist,' but it is," said Maryna Zinevych, a Kyiv Choir member. 

Zinevych is 24 years-old. She is one of 30 or so women who came the U.S. to bring awareness to the war between Russia and Ukraine. 

“It’s like danger, but you know this is my country, this is my home," Zinevych said. 

Today she is safe, but half of the symphony is not here. 

The men in the symphony were not allowed to be part of the peace tour. They are not allowed to leave the country right now in case they are called to fight. 

“It’s a very dark, difficult time for them," Rady said, with tears in her eyes. "I mean nobody wants to go through that. It is just so difficult, I mean lives that get lost during times like these, it’s just so difficult.”

As the women performed, Rady cried. 

"It’s just so meaningful that they took time out of their days, to come here, away from their families and the people it the war to sing, and spread their message, and just spread the hope," she said. 

On the tour, the symphony members are trying to raise funds for humanitarian aid or widows, orphans, and war victims.

“The most important thing in life is peace. Ya know, we all need peace in our hearts, and in our countries. In our families," Zinevych said. 

They will return to Ukraine on Oct. 19.