Olha Abakumova is an opera singer and a member of the Khmelnytskyi Regional Philharmonic and a music teacher. When she came to the U.S. with her daughter, she made sure to find room in her suitcase for her most treasured sheet music for Ukrainian arias that she sings.Olha Abakumova is an opera singer and a member of the Khmelnytskyi Regional Philharmonic and a music teacher. When she came to the U.S.
Olha Abakumova and her daughter Zlata, 8, recently immigrated to the U.S. from Ukraine. She's holding a family photo that shows her husband, Ihor, a tubaist with a symphony orchestra, who remains in Ukraine. Men ages 18 to 60 are as a rule not able to leave because they may be needed for military service.Olha and Ihor were determined to remain in Ukraine even while many of their neighbors fled. They believed the war would end quickly.
When mother and daughter arrived at Logan airport in Boston, Verbitsky was there to greet them and take them home. Soon after, Olha found a free piano advertised on Facebook. Verbitsky and Kachura arranged to get the piano for Olha's birthday. It's now in the children's playroom, where she practices and sings with her sheet music from Ukraine.
Olha Abakumova sang her country's national anthem at the Ukrainian Independence Day celebration held in August at Christ the King Ukrainian Church in Boston.Olha Abakumova sang her country's national anthem at the Ukrainian Independence Day celebration held in August at Christ the King Ukrainian Church in Boston.Her melodic voice carried across the churchyard, past a jungle gym full of playing children, through the tents where vendors were selling Ukrainian souvenirs and T-shirts.
My prayers are with you and your country. 🙏🌍💙