Songs for Ukraine - Phase III

The Songs for Ukraine Music Bridge

“The singing enveloped me. It was furry and resonant, coming from everyone's very heart. There was no sense of performance or judgment, only that the music was breath and food.” - Anne Lamott

As many of you know, I’ve struggled to know how best to address the Ukrainian war with song. I knew instinctively that this was the piece I could offer - my bit of hope and support. My way of holding a candle aloft and declaring, “Love will find a way.”

Phase I
We began with live concerts in virtual space in honor of Ukraine. They were and are wonderful. If you are curious, visit Pass Along Songs blog and read each of the “Songs for Ukraine” posts. They are still going on every Saturday, and we would love to have you join us inworld, on the live stream, or via Facebook live.

“But how,” I wondered, “could I reach out to the Ukrainians themselves?” I wanted to give them the opportunity to listen and participate as well.

Phase II
Happily, a lovely young man named Oleksii Maksymov responded to me on Twitter. He suggested I contact Kateryna Voroniuk, a Ukrainian composer working out of Odesa. Kateryna agreed to let me interview her and introduced me to several other Ukrainian musicians. Suddenly, I had several interviews set up and was learning more and more about how the Ukrainians were experiencing the war on a daily basis.

One problem remained, however. I hadn’t found a way to empower all those who, like me, were watching helplessly as the war unfolded. We could and did donate money. We posted our outrage and shock and horror to social media and called for our governments to “DO SOMETHING!” But it wasn’t enough and we knew it.

It wasn’t enough because staying focused on the horrific things that were happening did no one any good. Time and time again I heard people tell me they felt shell-shocked and exhausted from the seemingly endless onslaught of negativity. We desperately needed a way to pour our love and support into something practical - something that would help us feel we were making a difference.

Phase III
Enter the “Songs for Ukraine Music Bridge.” This is a very simple but powerful concept. Everyone who wants to support Ukraine is invited to submit a piece of music to the chain. The only requirements are:

• You create or sing the music yourself (doesn’t have to be an original. Just performed by you);

• The music be a minute or less in length; and

• The music conveys something positive - love, hope, encouragement, peace, etc. - in support of Ukraine.

That’s it. The goal is to give everyone a voice and to raise our collective song in solidarity and support for the Ukrainian people.

You can learn the specifics about how and what to submit here at the link below:

Songs for Ukraine Chain: https://www.braidedlives.com/songs4ukraine-chain

The chain will begin with a Ukrainian musician on May 2, 2022 and will continue as long as we continue to receive submissions. We will be archiving the submissions as a playlist and post updates daily on:

Pass Along Songs:

The Braided Lives, “Songs for Ukraine Chain” page: https://www.braidedlives.com/songs4ukraine-chain

The Songs for Ukraine Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/658917051877064

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JenaiaMorane

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/braided_lives_jena/

If you would like to support the “Songs for Ukraine” initiative, please consider donating here: https://gofund.me/26920e97

Have questions, suggestions, or comments, please contact Jena Ball:

Email: JenaBall@CritterKin.com

Copyright 2022 by Jena Ball. All Rights Reserved.