At the end of September 2025, Kyiv and Lviv hosted Music of Senses, an inclusive project that brought together people with and without disabilities to perform on one stage as equals. German horn player Felix Klieser, born without arms and renowned for playing the horn with his feet, headlined the project. Children with disabilities from the Children’s Music School No. 39 in Kyiv performed on stage under the baton of Polish conductor Vincent Kozlovsky, together with musicians from the Liatoshynskyi Capella and its Early Music Ensemble of the National House of Music and the INSO-Lviv Orchestra.
We invited Natalia Subbotina to cover this initiative. Read more about the project in this article.
Music is a universal language — one that unites people by allowing them to share unique experiences and emotions. These experiences sometimes differ greatly from our own but, when shared, they enrich us and help us see the world from different perspectives.
Music of Senses became a platform for such exchange of experiences through communication and collaboration. It featured concerts at the National Philharmonic of Ukraine and the Lviv National Philharmonic, a master class by Felix Klieser, an eco-art event, and a discussion club at the Kyiv Children’s Music School No. 39 in Pushcha-Vodytsia.
From idea to large-scale event
The author of the project and composer Yevhen Petrychenko emphasizes that the primary goal of Music of Senses is social, to promote inclusivity and accessibility of the artistic scene. Yevhen Petrychenko states:
“There is a problem for people with disabilities and special educational needs to obtain access to major stages in Ukraine, particularly in the academic music environment.”
The idea for the project developed gradually. Yevhen Petrychenko first encountered Felix Klieser’s performance at the Ravenna Festival in 2022 and decided to invite him to Ukraine. A year later, Yevhen Petrychenko met Polish conductor Vincent Kozlovsky in Lviv. The conductor has been associated with Lviv orchestras for many years. Vincent Kozlovsky recalls:
“We met at the Contrasts Festival. Yevhen Petrychenko came to Lviv with the Liatoshynskyi Capella — they performed his Concerto Grosso with Positivity. I was very impressed by the concert, fell in love with this ensemble, and wanted to perform in a joint project.”
Yevhen Petrychenko also maintained a long-standing relationship with a school that serves children with special educational needs, Children’s Music School No. 39. The idea for the project was born from his desire to help these children showcase their talents on a professional stage.
Music of Senses grew into an artistic and educational social project thanks to the support of the Ukrainian Cultural Foundation and the Goethe-Institut in Ukraine.
Premiere of the work
Music of Senses is not only the name of the project, but also the title of Yevhen Petrychenko’s composition, which had its world premiere on September 2, 2025, at the National Philharmonic of Ukraine. This work, for soloists, choir, and orchestra, weaves together poetry and music, vocal solos and readings, and the sounds of historical instruments such as the theorbo and viola d’amore, and modern instruments.
The piece is based on texts by writer and scholar Oleksandr Kozynets. His poetry invites listeners to see the world through a prism of the experiences of children with various disabilities — visual, hearing, speech, and more. Each poem tells a unique story. Yevhen Petrychenko says:
“These stories are sincere and candid. They are not fictional, but true. In addition to being a poet, Oleksandr works in the field of education for children with special educational needs, so he conveyed the experiences of real people in a poetic form.”
The soloists featured in Music of Senses included artists from the National House of Music, members of the Liatoshynskyi Capella and its Early Music Ensemble, as well as students from Children’s Music School No. 39. When composing the piece, Yevhen Petrychenko wrote with specific performers in mind. The composer explains:
“I always write music for people I know and trust, and for people who impress me. I had very positive experiences working with the soloists of the Early Music Ensemble. We held auditions to select participants from among the students of 39th music school in the spring of 2025.”
The children performed on stage at the Philharmonic alongside professional musicians for the first time. One of the students, Volodymyr Kozhukhivsky, played the accordion part in the piece. He shared his impressions:
“For me, participating in the project is, above all, a rare opportunity to gain experience playing in an orchestra. Before this, I only listened to orchestral performances. It wasn’t difficult to play because I had been preparing since the end of June, practicing with recordings at home. My teacher spelled out the notes for me so that I could type them in Braille and learn them.”
Bohdan Koshla, who sang solo in three parts of the piece, said:
“Music of Senses is a very important project and it should be translated into English so the whole world can learn about it. I am glad that I was selected at the audition. Among other things, I enjoyed rehearsing with our soloists, Roman Melish and Nataliya Khmilevska, and how they worked with us and encouraged us.”
One of the movements in Music of Senses, dedicated to a girl with speech impairments, was written for Natalia Khmilevska, soloist at the National Music House and director of the Liatoshynskyi Capella: Early Music Ensemble. Natalia Khmilevska also acted as a coach working with children on the project. The musician says:
“From the very beginning, I was involved in the process of preparing the children for the concert. When working on the piece, I applied the same principles as I would with an amateur choir or students at a regular music school. There were certain specifics of the work that prompted me to look for different ways of interacting with the choir. For example, I had to apply more verbal explanations and use my voice for those who couldn’t see my movements. But the decisive factor was the children’s motivation and their desire to fulfill their dreams and hopes. These children are very determined, very hard-working, and they put a lot of effort into making the project happen.”
During the preparation of the project, the Music of Senses team consulted with experts and conducted training sessions on how to effectively communicate with people with certain disabilities, including training from lecturers at the Museum in the Dark, Three After Midnight.
The entire concert was accompanied by sign language interpretation by Maryna Liferova. She also taught the choir and soloists to perform some lines from the text in sign language, in accordance with the author’s intention. Natalia Khmilevska says:
“The consultant didn’t just show us the movements — she explained the meaning of each word and why it was conveyed in that way. We realized that gestures could convey not only information about meaning, but also emotions and attitudes toward a particular word. Sign language is not a mere demonstration of words; it is truly a separate language. We studied it like any foreign language.”
The adult performers of Music of Senses emphasized that participating in the project and communicating with children and their parents has changed them and helped them see a world they had not noticed before.
The project’s headliner
This was Felix Klieser’s first visit to Ukraine. Despite the air raid sirens, he said he felt comfortable here.
“Sometimes I have to travel to places that are not very safe — there are many such places in the world.
I am very happy to be in Ukraine. I feel that everyone wishes each other well here, like a real community. Having the opportunity to come here, meet people, make music together, and be involved in their daily lives is a privilege and an unforgettable experience.”
On the Ukrainian stage, Felix Klieser performed Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Horn Concertos No. 3 and No. 4, which are part of the golden repertoire ofhorn players around the world. In 2019, the musician recorded all of Mozart’s horn concertos accompanied by Camerata Salzburg. The recording, released by Berlin Classics, remained in the top 10 of the German classical music charts for a long time. Felix Klieser shares:
“Actually, I love playing different music. Many people will be surprised, but the repertoire for the horn is very broad, and any violist, trumpeter, trombonist, or flutist would envy it. Most famous composers have written concertos for this instrument: Mozart, Haydn, Schumann, Weber, Strauss, and others. Of course, Mozart occupies a special place, not only because he wrote only four concertos, but also other works for the horn, including the Quintet for Horn and Strings.”
The musician also indicated that he would like to become more familiar with Ukrainian music and, possibly, find works for horn by Ukrainian composers of the Baroque period.
In Kyiv, Felix Klieser performed with the Liatoshynskyi Capella of the National House of Music. The horn player speaks warmly of his collaboration with Kyiv musicians:
“They have a lot of energy and interest, and it’s wonderful when musicians enjoy playing. Sometimes you come to an orchestra for whom performing is just a job. Everyone works hard at rehearsals, playing every note accurately — and nothing more. But, when I feel that they genuinely love making music, I can play freely. I don’t need to push anyone or inspire them to come up with new phrases and colors. The orchestra does its thing, I do mine, and the result is a wonderful harmony.”
Master class: finding your own path
One of the project’s events was an open master class held by Felix Klieser in the Music Salon of the National Philharmonic. The horn player shared:
“The most difficult thing about giving a master class is meeting a person for about 30-40 minutesand having to understand what exactly they need. What are their problems, desires, or fears? It’s not the same as teaching, when you know your students well.
Some issues require an individual approach — for example, how to practice effectively. I can’t give everyone the same plan. Even if the best horn player in the world recommends a certain exercise to you, it may work great for one person and not work at all for another. Therefore, a musician must figure out what they need to feel comfortable and confident, try different exercises, gain their own experience, and find their own solution. The most important thing is to achieve a good result. It doesn’t matter how you do it.”
During the master class, Felix Klieser discussed general aspects of musical performance and specifictechnical issues, such as articulation and precise sound attack. Among other things, the musician emphasized the importance of practicing with a metronome.
“I advise everyone to play a lot with a metronome. Some people think that this turns them into robots and makes their performance musically uninteresting, but the opposite is true. Sometimes it’s enough just to play rhythmically, and all the phrases fall into place.”
Ivan and Serhii Yavdyks, students at the National Music Academy of Ukraine, took part in a horn master class for the first time. Ivan said:
“We were surprised that so few people attended the master class. We expected horn players from all over Ukraine to come, because it’s not every day, especially in wartime, that performers of this level visit us.”
Serhii noted:
“Felix Klieser’s approach is unique in that he does not tell you how to feel the music but encourages you to develop your own vision. Instead of giving specific instructions on where to play crescendo, diminuendo, or ritenuto, he helps you find technical and dynamic means to express what you want.”
Culture and ecosystem
Thanks to the initiative of Children’s Music School No. 39 in Kyiv, the project also included an eco-art event and a discussion club featuring the creators of Music of Senses — Yevhen Petrychenko, Vincent Kozlovsky, and Felix Klieser.
One of the school’s core missions is teaching children with special educational needs. It has long collaborated with specialized institutions, such as the Yakiv Batyuk Special Boarding School No. 5. Event curator and head of the Music Theory department, Olena Sadivnycha says:
“Among our students are children with visual impairments, children with musculoskeletal disorders, nervous and intellectual disorders, as well as orphans. They learn to play instruments and undergo individually tailored educational programs. In addition, twice a year we hold international student conferences as part of the Crescendo Art Forum, where children act as speakers and moderators. Children with and without disabilities participate in the events together, so it is an important communication experience for both groups — this is the main message of our activities.
At the conference, held in June 2025, various discussion panels were presented: on classical music, contemporary music, and theater. Children talked about what they are passionate about, and this gives them the opportunity to be more conscious about their studies, and to think about what and why they play.
We also collaborated with various arts institutions, such as the National House of Music, the National Philharmonic, and the Kyiv Opera. Children saw performances and talked to directors and conductors.”
The campaign to support the ecosystem involved the symbolic planting of trees. In the second part of the event, students led a discussion entitled Art Without Borders: Overcoming Stereotypes. The conversation with the invited artists was broadcast online. There were many questions — personal, sincere, and deeply meaningful. Felix Klieser, whose performance the previous day made a strong impression, received the most questions.
When asked what motivated him to choose a creative profession, the musician replied:
“The most beautiful thing about music is that it allows you to communicate with a large number of people. You can share stories and emotions, even if you don’t know each other’s language and culture. I believe that the meaning of a musician’s work, traveling the world and giving concerts, is first and foremost to bring people together.”
Felix Klieser is also the author of two books. During the discussion, he talked about his second book, published recently.
“I wanted to show people that they have the ability to make their dreams come true. This does not mean that the path will be easy and fast. Very often, it is difficult and takes a lot of time. And that’s okay — it’s part of the process. We live in a world where everyone wants to get results quickly and effortlessly — go to the gym and get fit in a week. But it doesn’t work that way. My book is about overcoming difficulties and challenges when pursuing your goals.”
Without barriers
Music of Senses highlights the uniqueness and value of every individual’s experience. The project encourages openness to the needs of others and reminds us that true inclusion means creating a barrier-free environment where everyone can live more comfortably.
At the same time, it reveals that most persistent barriers often exist in our own minds. Felix Klieser also emphasizes that:
“Deep down, we are all very similar. We all want to be noticed and loved, we all want the freedom to do what we are interested in, and to make our dreams come true. This is what miraculously unites us. Also, we all have our weaknesses and problems, some of which are immediately apparent, and others are not. If someone wants to become a musician and has great difficulty with rhythm, this is a serious limitation on the path to a career. The most important thing is how we see ourselves. If we focus on our strengths, our work, and our hobbies, people around us will feel that too. We decide for ourselves how others should see us.”
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