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Artists will perform in a benefit concert for Ukrainian families

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Many people watching events in Ukraine feel helpless. For one Ukrainian-born musician, it's especially painful.

MARTA KRECHKOVSKY: Ukraine is my home country. It's where I took my first steps. It's, you know, where I learned how to play the violin from my father. So it is very hard to put into words what I feel, how I feel and how all of the Ukrainians feel in the world.

(SOUNDBITE OF VIOLIN PLAYING)

INSKEEP: Marta Krechkovsky is a violinist based in Pittsburgh.

RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:

In recent weeks, she's been sharing that sense of powerlessness with fellow Juilliard graduate Natalia Kazaryan, a pianist living in Washington, D.C. Natalia says what Marta is going through now is similar to how she felt when Russia invaded her home country of Georgia in 2008.

NATALIA KAZARYAN: I was not in Georgia at the time of the invasion, but my relatives were and my friends and my community. And I just felt hopeless as I watched with horror, and the images of tanks rolling into the city is just so triggering for me.

(SOUNDBITE OF PIANO PLAYING)

INSKEEP: As you would imagine, Marta has been thinking a lot about her friends and family. Her cousin is also a violinist. He's with the National Opera of Ukraine. And he's joining the Border Guard defending his country, like other Ukrainians who've never held a gun before.

KRECHKOVSKY: He just so strongly wants to help, and this is why he joined. And right now he's just waiting until he gets notified and called for whatever duty that might be.

MARTIN: Marta says her cousin and other Ukrainian civilians who are joining the fight are an inspiration.

KRECHKOVSKY: Just to see how strong Ukrainian people are, how much they want to defend their country - and they're fighting so hard - it brings hope and some kind of comfort.

MARTIN: Natalia Kazaryan was also inspired to try and make a difference. She's organizing a benefit concert next month to raise funds for women and children in Ukraine. She hopes that the music will also be a way to heal from the horrors of war.

KAZARYAN: Music can do what words can't. And it's also a way for artists to feel like they can help, they can contribute, they can bring people together.

INSKEEP: And the Washington Arts Ensemble concert will be held at Natalia's home in Washington, D.C., April 3, with a second one planned a few days later.

(SOUNDBITE OF NATALIA KAZARYAN AND MARTA KRECHKOVSKY PERFORMANCE OF FAURE'S "VIOLIN SONATA NO. 1 IN A MAJOR, OP. 13:11 ANDANTE") Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.

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SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.