SONGS FOR UKRAINE

The Songs for Ukraine Chorus was founded in spring 2023 by the Royal Ballet and Opera in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Now an independent choir, it brings together UK-based Ukrainians – from professional singers to newcomers, many displaced by war – to celebrate Ukraine’s rich musical heritage and enduring resilience. The Chorus is conducted by Bohdan Parashchak, a second-generation Ukrainian, professional musician, and graduate of the Royal College of Music. The Chorus has performed at leading venues including the Royal Opera House, St Paul’s Cathedral, the London Palladium, and Southwark Cathedral, and has been featured by the BBC, CNN, and ITV. In 2025, the Chorus performed at His Majesty The King’s Community Music Makers Reception at Windsor Castle.
On Christmas Day 2025, members of the Songs for Ukraine Chorus performed for millions across the UK and around the world, singing at the conclusion of His Majesty The King’s annual Christmas Day Broadcast – one of the most-watched programmes of the festive period in Britain. Recorded in the magnificent Westminster Abbey and broadcast on BBC One, the Chorus performed a new arrangement of Carol of the Bells, based on Shchedryk, originally composed by the Ukrainian composer Mykola Leontovych. The Chorus remains a powerful voice for the Ukrainian community in the UK, many of whom have been forced from their homes by war.

BOHDAN PARASHCHAK – main conductor Bohdan Parashchak A second-generation Ukrainian, Bohdan is a professional musician and conductor, and a graduate of the Royal College of Music. He has been part of the Songs for Ukraine Chorus since its founding in 2023, conducting and co-conducting erformances in London and Bradford. In 2025, Bohdan conducted members of the Chorus at His Majesty The King’s Community Music Makers Reception at Windsor Castle. Later that year, he had the honour of conducting Carol of the Bells for His Majesty the King’s annual Christmas Day Broadcast, performed by the SFU Chorus with members of the Royal Opera Chorus, military musicians, and the Royal Harpist. As Musical Director of Forward Opera, Bohdan has conducted productions of Mozart and Verdi at venues across London. He has also led a number of Ukrainian choirs in the UK and abroad, including the 70-voice Anniversary Chorus, which performed at Westminster Cathedral (2017) and at Saint-Sulpice, Paris (2019). His concert work includes appearances at the Montreux Festival, the Royal Academy of Music, and festivals in Strasbourg, Rome, and Canada. Bohdan also maintains an active career as an accompanist.

The Chorus