Studnitzky | Memento Odesa

A project by Sebastian Studnitzky and Anastasiia Pokaz, recorded with the Odesa Philharmonic, raising awareness for Ukraine through music and German concert tours.

MEMENTO ODESA is a musical project initiated by Sebastian Studnitzky and Anastasiia Pokaz to raise awareness and support for Ukraine in light of the ongoing war and the hardships faced by the people of Odesa. In July 2023, Studnitzky collaborated with the Odesa Philharmonic Orchestra, led by conductor Volodymyr Dikiy, to record three powerful pieces in Odesa, accompanied by a music video documenting the trip, the recording sessions and the situation in the city at the time. Just days after the recording, Odesa's Orthodox cathedral - only a few blocks from the Philharmonic Hall - was severely damaged in a Russian missile attack, a sombre symbol of the war's destruction, and the city has since faced near-daily missile and drone attacks. Beyond releasing the album and video, Studnitzky and his team brought parts of the Odesa Philharmonic Orchestra to Germany for concert tours, continuing to raise awareness of the war's impact through the universal language of music. Of the album's songs, three were recorded in July 2023 with a full orchestra at the Odesa Philharmonic and six more live at a March 2024 concert at Berlin's Memorial Church.