‘These songs are about us’: As Ukrainians grieve wartime losses, mourning rituals see a resurgence
Yaroslav Simkiv has played the trumpet for over 50 years and is a recognizable figure in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv. Several times a day, he plays his instrument from the towering mayoral building in Lviv’s main square to announce the time of day. But these days, Simkiv has taken on a more serious role — bidding a musical farewell to Ukraine’s fallen soldiers.
For over a decade, Yaroslav Simkiv’s gig at town hall in Lviv, Ukraine, was simple. He would don his costume, perch himself near a high-up window and play the city’s song on his trumpet.
Simkiv’s performances were a festive way to mark the time periodically in a city that sees a lot of tourists.
But these days, Simkiv’s job has gotten harder amid the war with Russia. For the near-daily funeral processions that pass by the town hall, the veteran musician, clad in a red jacket and stationed on the street, performs the somber melody, “Il Silenzio,” by Nini Rosso, to honor the country’s fallen soldiers.
“You don’t get used to it,” 68-year-old Simkiv said — he closes his eyes to get through the song each and every time. “It is very difficult to live through this. It’s not difficult to play. They are young people who would have been the future of Ukraine.”
Listen at The World.