The ‘Maryna Krut with Symphony Orchestra’ project

The project ‘Maryna Krut with the Symphony Orchestra’, realised in 2025, became one of Mariia Yaremak’s most ambitious collaborations as a composer, arranger and pianist. As part of this collaboration, a unique orchestral programme was created for the Ukrainian bandura player and singer Maryna Krut.

The Christmas concerts, entitled ‘Take Me to Your Home for Christmas’, took place at the country’s main venues:

20 December – Kyiv, ‘Ukraine’ Palace.

21 December – Lviv, FestRepublic (two consecutive concerts due to huge demand).

All three performances were sold out.

Mariia Yaremak was responsible for creating the entire orchestral programme for the concerts, working to an extremely tight deadline – the scores were composed in a matter of days. The composer recalls that she was even finishing off the orchestral parts during a sleepless night on the journey to Kyiv. Mariia also enlisted the help of her colleagues Dominic Carrington, Jackson Seib, Mai Nguyen Van and student Akim Sytnyk to write the arrangements for several pieces.

The musical accompaniment was provided by the LUMOS Orchestra. In addition to the main programme, Mariia appeared as a guest performer and performed her own compositions. One of the most poignant moments of the evening was a song performed in memory of Mykhailo Klymenko (ADAM). The pieces ‘Night in the Carpathians’ and ‘Legend’, arranged by Mariia, were also performed.

The concerts had a strong charitable element. Together with the audience, they raised and donated around 660,000 UAH for the needs of the Ukrainian Armed Forces (in particular, for the purchase of buggies). As part of the evening at the ‘Ukraine’ Palace, a charity auction was held in support of the defenders. Mariia notes that this project has become an example of how music can work towards a great common goal and unite people in the most difficult of times.