If you couldn’t find parking on Bucknell’s Campus on night of Friday, February 23rd, it was probably because nearly a thousand people had made their way to the Weis Center for the return of one of the finest symphony orchestras playing today. The National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine returned to Lewisburg for the first time since 2020 to an incredible and enthusiastic reception.
If you listened carefully over the hum of the full lobby, you’d hear this experience be called a “once in a lifetime” opportunity to witness artists in their peak form. The Weis Center was alive in all its glory on Friday night, as guests of all ages filled up nearly every seat in the auditorium. For the first time in 2024, the balcony was opened to make room for all in attendance.
Lead by conductor Volodymyr Sirenko and featuring pianist Volodymer Vynnytsky, the orchestra played three moving pieces with excellence, skill, and passion and were met with rapturous applause, standing ovations, and audible “wows.”
It was an incredible privilege for Bucknell to welcome back this incredible talent and the heartwarming, triumphant night was the perfect thing to help make it through the Lewisburg winter.
~Ana Eckert, Class of 2026