‘The Bell’ Symphony for Cello and Orchestra to support Direct Relief efforts in Ukraine

Premiered in November 2023, Ukrainian composer Victoria Polevá’s Symphony no.4 ‘The Bell’ for cello and orchestra features Israeli cellist Inbal Segev performing with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and conductor Kirill Karabits.

The work was co-commissioned by the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, and American Composers Orchestra, and aims to support Direct Relief’s mission to deliver medical supplies to Ukraine.

The daughter of composer Valery Polevoy (1927–1986), composer Victoria Vita Polevá was born in Kyiv, Ukraine and her work has been performed all over the world. Since the outbreak of war in Ukraine, Polevá has been displaced from her home and living abroad with friends.

’The war in my home country of Ukraine has left thousands without access to medical care,’ says Polevá. ’Direct Relief has provided more than 1350 tons of medical aid requested by the Ukrainian Ministry of Health, for people affected by the war, including those who have fled to neighbouring countries.

On the title of the work, Polevá says: ’For me, the idea of this music comes from the Latin bellum, which means “war”. A work written during the war and by the war. A bell announcing war, a funeral bell, a victory bell,’  The name is also associated with cellist Inbal Segev, whose name means ‘tongue of the bell’.

Learn more and donate to Direct Relief via the following link: https://donate.directrelief.org/thebell

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