All we’ve is our expertise: Ukraine violinists discover peace in Denmark

With three mates, all violinists like her, Nadia Safina fled the invasion of Ukraine to search out peace at a music college in Denmark, a horrific ordeal that took 10 days.

Now, “all we have is our talent. Not boots. Not clothes, not jewellery. Only our talent and our instruments,” the 24-year-old says, a weary look of despair in her eyes.

Safe however along with her “heart in pain”, she arrived this week in Stevns, an hour outdoors Copenhagen, removed from the bombs falling on her hometown of Kharkiv in japanese Ukraine, which she fled on the primary day of the struggle.

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The 4 girls are actually on the Scandinavian Cello School, which often welcomes artists from around the globe however is now focusing solely on bringing over Ukrainian musicians.

“We support them with exactly the same conditions as everybody else. We give them a place to study and to stay for free, and food,” the varsity’s director, Jacob Shaw says.

Thanks to his skilled community, he was in a position to prepare for the 4 girls’s exodus on the primary day of Russia’s invasion on February 24.

The college is now internet hosting six Ukrainian musicians who’ve fled the struggle, and three extra are anticipated within the coming days.

Nadia and her fiance Misha, each alto violinists, and his sister Ksenia Kusherova, additionally a 24-year-old violinist, had already deliberate to return to the varsity earlier than the struggle broke out.

“On February 24th, we woke up to the sound of bombs. It was scary. Really scary. Panic broke out everywhere in our dormitory, and we just packed up our stuff,” says Nadia, nonetheless shaken by the occasions.

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Their first cease was her mom’s place in Donets, a village within the close by countryside. Then the ladies went to Lviv, the place they picked up Ksenia’s household, and left for Poland.

They travelled by automobile, prepare and bus to succeed in Warsaw.

“In Lviv, we waited eight hours on the platform in zero degrees and we couldn’t get on a train.”

Like all able-bodied males aged 18 to 60, Misha was not allowed to depart Ukraine. He returned to his hometown of Kriviy Rig in central Ukraine.

Since then, Nadia has apprehensive for his security.

The two are in fixed contact.

“We send messages, we speak every day, every hour.”

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JUST WANT TO RETURN HOME

Nadia thinks again on her life earlier than the struggle.

“I had three jobs, my studies, my students, my colleagues. I had everything I needed. And I had very big plans for my life.”

The conservatory and college in Kharkiv have since been bombed, the devices destroyed.

Her professor continues to be there, in a shelter, caring for his disabled mom.

“We can’t imagine what the future holds because they don’t stop bombing us. We can’t plan anything,” she says despairingly.

“I just want to return home, I want God to save our friends and our families. That is my plan now,” she says.

“But Putin is crazy. He won’t stop anytime soon.”

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In Stevns, a pastoral oasis nestled between the ocean and countryside, she has a tidy room below the rafters.

She practises her alto violin, both in her room or within the music corridor in one other constructing on the grounds, previously a farm.

With their mates Olesia Kliepak and Marharyta Serdiuk, who needed to cover for a number of days in Kharkiv earlier than becoming a member of the others in Poland, Nadia and Ksenia now respect the tranquillity in Stevns, although they’re nonetheless sick with fear.

Just a few hundred metres away, the seashore gives some solace.

Denmark is understood for its ultra-restrictive asylum and refugee coverage, however it has welcomed Ukrainians with open arms, making exemptions to its strict curbs to facilitate their entry to the labour market, amongst different issues.

The Scandinavian nation of 5.8 million has mentioned it’s prepared to absorb as much as 20,000 Ukrainians.

Since the beginning of the battle on March 8, round 850 Ukrainians had sought asylum or utilized for a piece allow.

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