'I can't stop the war but music gives us hope'

For the last four years, British-Ukrainian composer Iryna Gould has been delivering musical instruments - violins, guitars, keyboards, ukuleles - to Ukraine. The instruments had been donated by people in the UK and beyond, and the aim was to get them to children in small towns and villages. These were places that didn't get a lot of media attention but where children were nevertheless keen to continue their musical education despite the devastation wrought by Russian soldiers. The children all craved having a few hours when they could focus on something other than the war. But even though Iryna’s journeys have always been carefully planned, she has repeatedly run into unexpected obstacles.

The recordings of Ukrainian children performing are from the Voice for Ukraine UK documentary Unbreakable Spirit. Iryna Gould’s work Tears is played by Dariia Chepizhna, Marta Stopina, Mariia Vakhnenko, Yevheniia Diachuk and Tetiana Zhuk-Siedova.

Ganesh Eshwar Bhatt is an Indian keyboard player who wouldn’t let his humble origins and his disability stand in the way of his desire to become a professional musician. Ganesh told writer Kavya Murthy why he patiently waited for four decades until the right moment came to devote himself fully to music. In the meantime, Ganesh learnt to play table tennis and became a competitive swimmer even though he has just two fingers.

Presenter: Shahidha Bari
Producer: Radek Boschetty

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(Photo: Iryna Gould, in a black coat and with her back to the camera, looks at the ruins of a church in Bohorodychne in eastern Ukraine, with the remnants of two large church spires directly in front of her. Credit: Valeria Kostiiushko)