When Alina Herasymenko left her home in Ukraine last year, escaping with only her cello, computer, and a small amount of food, little did she anticipate that she would soon be playing in an orchestra in Vancouver.

Herasymenko was born in the Donetsk region and personally witnessed the brutality of open conflict and its consequences. In 2014, her community was bombarded with shells for weeks, prompting her family to relocate to Western Ukraine. They lived there for nine years.

Fast forward to 2022: Herasymenko was residing near the Ivano-Frankivsk airport when the Russian invasion of Ukraine commenced. Bombs fell just outside her apartment, forcing her to flee the country. She arrived alone in Canada as a refugee, where she was warmly received by a host family. They introduced her to Suzanne de Montigny's composition, "Volodymyr's Plea," a musical piece dedicated to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

A few months later, this talented cellist received an invitation to perform the cello for "Volodymyr's Plea" with the Ukrainian Folk Orchestra in Vancouver.

"Performing this piece feels like it was meant to be," she expressed. "From the moment I heard it, I felt a profound connection. It was as if the music had been waiting for me. I believe it was destiny." Herasymenko continues to play this piece to remind both Canadians and Ukrainians of the ongoing war in her homeland.

The composer, Suzanne de Montigny, a woman from British Columbia, drew inspiration from Zelenskyy's appeals to Canada's parliament following Putin's invasion of Ukraine.

"I was deeply moved by Volodymyr's passionate plea and his resilience, and my greatest desire is for the piece to reach President Zelenskyy himself, so he knows that we stand behind him," Montigny shared.

"Volodymyr's Plea" was performed on Saturday at The Orpheum as part of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra's Day of Music, featuring guest violinist Kai Chow.

Herasymenko mentioned that some of her family members still reside in Western Ukraine, while others remain in the Donetsk region.

In Ukraine, she used to work as a web designer, IT manager, and cultural manager. Her aspiration is to find similar employment opportunities in Vancouver as she rebuilds her life.