The Kyiv-Classic Symphony Orchestra gathered before a small crowd in central Kyiv on Wednesday to perform an open-air concert as Russian forces meanwhile inch closer to the capital city, Reuters reports.
The orchestra — which typically comprises 65-70 musicians, rather than Wednesday's 20, approximately — proudly played the Ukrainian national anthem as well as an excerpt from Beethoven's "Ode to Joy," the latter an homage to the country's European ambitions, writes Reuters. The European Union's anthem is based on "Ode to Joy."
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