A Ukrainian pianist wowed a record crowd at a free fundraising concert at Romsey Abbey.

Ivon Hovorun played works by Mendelssohn, Liszt, Beethoven and Chopin to a bumper audience of 280 people on Tuesday, May 17 - the most the abbey has ever had for a lunchtime recital.

He previously performed in the abbey at the end of lockdown and returned as part of a UK tour to raise money for refugees in his home country.

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The event, which was jointly arranged by the abbey and Romsey’s Rotarians, raised £2,700 which will go to to the UNICEF Ukraine Appeal.

Hampshire Chronicle: Ivan Hovorun addressing the crowd

Ivan said: "My mission is to unite communities. I want to unite people to try and help each other.

"I want to share the message that people on the frontlines are not alone and to show that even though they are far away, we are trying to support them through this really horrible time."

Ivan was born in Kaniv, a rural city just hours from Kyiv, but was raised in Lviv, which is near the Polish border. Lviv is now a base for refugees displaced by the Russian invasion on February 24.

He learned to play the piano at the age of five from his mother, who was a talented professional musician. He studied at the Krushelnytska Music High School, first performing in public at nine years old. At 11, he performed with a full orchestra, since when he has been invited to perform with the Lviv Symphony Orchestra annually.

Hampshire Chronicle: Ivan Hovorun

After the head of the Royal Northern College of Music heard Ivan play, he was invited to study at the Manchester College.

He completed bachelors, post-graduate and masters degrees in Manchester and now owns a studio where he teaches music; he also gives concerts across the country.

Despite residing in Manchester for many years, he remains in constant contact with his school friends still in Ukraine.

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