The fifth Osokins Freedom Festival will take place in Riga and elsewhere in Latvia from 5 April to 12 May. Festival will offer special concerts with Latvian and Ukrainian artists, a day of documentary films and discussions, a musical instrument playing camp for Ukrainian children from Chernihiv and other war-affected areas, and other events.
Festival programme will feature artists like Citi Zēni, Zigfrīds Muktupāvels, the Kyiv Chamber Orchestra of the National Philharmonic of Ukraine, Ukrainian pianist Maria Bobryk and clarinettist Nazar Hizhy, flutist Liene Denisjuka-Straupe, violinist Madara Pētersone, cellist Magdalēna Ceple, actresses Zane Daudziņa and Madara Botmane, journalist Ieva Vārna and others. Full programme here.
Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the festival has been dedicated to supporting the Ukrainian army and civilians, and this year, will focus also on Ukrainian children, as well raise funds for the parents of seriously ill children in Latvia.
Andrejs Osokins, the author and the implementer of the idea of the festival, says:
"I am really happy that for the third year we can bring together such outstanding artists, professionals and companies from other fields to unite in support of Ukraine and now also of seriously ill children in Latvia. I believe that the Festival events will become a place not only to get inspiration, energy and heart-warming emotions, but they will also motivate us to do meaningful work for our country and Ukraine."
During the Festival and its prelude, from 14 March to 12 May, 12 different events will take place. The Festival programme, which will include academic and non-academic music, works by renowned classical composers and premieres, will deeply integrate Ukrainian themes and artistic values.
On 13 April, a concert "Ars longa, vita brevis" (Latin for "art is long, life is short") will take place at the House of the Blackheads in Riga, featuring a quartet of soloists from the Kyiv Chamber Orchestra of the National Philharmonic of Ukraine, actress Zane Daudziņa, ethnomusician Viktorija Prituļaka and Andrejs Osokins himself. The concert is dedicated to their memory and to the memory of all the brave victims of the Ukrainian people, each of whom fought for the ideals of Ukrainian freedom.
The Festival will continue on 17 April at St. Savior’s Anglican Chuch with a concert "Landscape with Birds" by a trio of Ukrainian-Latvian musicians and Andrejs Osokins. The trio consists of pianist Maria Bobryk, clarinettist Nazar Khizhy and flutist Liene Denisjuka-Straupe. The concert programme includes works by P. Vasks, J. Mediņš, D. Aperāne, C. Debussy, M. Lisenko, F. Chopin and other composers. It is supported by the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Riga.
On 28 April, the “Splendid Palace” cinema will screen for the first time in Latvia the feature-length documentary "Culture vs War" ("Культура vs війна", 2023). The protagonists are renowned Ukrainian artists and cultural figures who joined the Ukrainian Armed Forces after the Russian invasion of Ukraine and are actively involved in volunteer work. The documentary film "War in Ukraine. 730 Days" (2024) by journalists Ieva Varna and Sergej Medvedev, offered by TV3 news service, will also be shown.
A special concert for the Ukrainians who have received asylum in Latvia - "Music with Ukraine" - will take place on 14 March at the Riga Support Centre for Ukrainians (Pāles iela 9, Riga). The concert will feature violinist Madara Pētersone and cellist Magdalēna Ceple of “Kremerata Lettonica”, ethnomusician Viktorija Prituļaka, musician Anastasija Vasiļenko, singer Anastasija Jačmenkina, pianist Andrejs Osokins and others. Ukrainians can apply for invitations to this concert here.
This July, as a follow-up event to the Festival, a musical instrument masterclass camp for Ukrainian music school children from Chernihiv and other war-affected areas will take place. During the camp, children whose everyday life and musical opportunities have been severely affected by the war will be able to improve their skills under the guidance of professional teachers and feel a respite under the peaceful skies of Latvia.
The proceeds from all tickets to the Festival events and the donation campaign "Osokins’ Freedom Festival for Ukraine and Latvia" on Ziedot.lv will be used to support Ukrainian people and parents of seriously ill children in Latvia. More information about the campaign is available here.
Tickets for the concerts can be purchased at all "Biļešu Paradīze" box offices and online.
