Sheltering from bombs, Ukraine’s ‘cellar violinist’ plays on

Later she thought to post her recitals on social media and the reaction surprised her: more than 40,000 views on Facebook and thousands more on YouTube.

“I didn’t expect that because I was posting just to reach my friends, my relatives. My aunt is near Kyiv and I’m afraid for her,” she said.

“My friends are in different cities all over Ukraine and I’m trying to keep a connection with them, I text them several times a day to know if they’re alive,” Lytochenko said. “Many people text me now saying that my videos give them such support and hope. They can see that someone stays here” in Kharkiv.

“Someone is alive and someone keeps hope and is optimistic,” she said.

On Wednesday, during the temporary cease-fire in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, Lytochenko was able to return to her apartment for a few hours. She told the AP she was happy to see sunlight after spending two weeks in the dark basement, adding that she and her neighbors are lucky because they have heating in the cellar and food.

Before the war, Lytovchenko played for the Kharkiv City Opera orchestra and taught music lessons.

“It was another life … a normal life,” she said of the time before the war. “I’m an orchestra player. I am a teacher in college. I have my students, I have friends, I play concerts, I play operas and ballets. I play Italian operas in the theater.”