The new instrument’s sound has been described as haunting, metallic and funereal
A Ukrainian composer has crafted a pitch perfect message of hope and defiance by turning a Russian missile into a musical instrument.
Roman Hryhoriv, one of Ukraine’s most celebrated contemporary composers, took an unexploded Uragan MLRS bomb, which fell on his homeland in 2022, and had its explosive contents replaced with cello strings.
He went on to compose ‘Hell’s Arrow Voice’ and ‘Song of the Unborn’ for the instrument. Its sound has been described as haunting, metallic and funereal, and Hryhoriv said that playing it was a “ritual of purification”.
“This isn’t just an instrument to me; it transcends music and the idea of a concert,” he explained. “It symbolises the horror experienced by the Ukrainian people. No other instrument can come close to its power and outpouring of pain. The stories woven into its creation and our shared struggles make it truly extraordinary.”
Hryhoriv played the instrument for the first time in the UK at an Oxbridge Foundation gala dinner held for Ukraine in October. The event was organised to benefit the country’s young students who are accessing education in the UK and US.
He performed alongside the Kyiv Camerata orchestra, led by artistic director Bogdana Pivnenko and music director Keri-Lynn Wilson.
“This is not just a performance for the sake of creating art,” said Hryhoriv. “It is using an artefact of war to bring some good to my country, to help raise funds for Ukraine, and to advance educational opportunities for young Ukrainians. In the future, I’d like to see the instrument displayed in a museum. I want the world to see that we are a strong nation and that we have overcome this brutal history.”
The 9M27K Uragan missile transformed into a musical instrument. Image: courtesy of Roman Hryhoriv
Helen Clarke, co-founder of the Oxbridge Foundation said: “This event has truly delivered on our vision to raise awareness and bring into sharp focus the atrocities and suffering that continue to be endured by the Ukrainian people.
“Ukraine will overcome this conflict, and we want to ensure our young people – who are the future of our country – receive the support they need now to help rebuild the nation.”
Main image: Justin Hoffman/Studio 8
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