Living Heritage

We preserve and share Ukrainian culture, making it accessible and alive through music.

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Bridging cultures

We create connection between people — Dutch, Ukrainian, and international — through shared experience.

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Creative participation

We invite people of all backgrounds to engage with Ukrainian culture creatively and meaningfully.

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Olga Demchenko

Conductor

Originally from Kryvyi Rih, Olga is a pianist, choir conductor, a long-time volunteer — and the proud mother of four daughters. She studied piano at Kherson Music College and choral conducting at the Crimean State Pedagogical University. For over 10 years, she taught at a music school and has sung in a church choir for nearly 30 years.

In 2022, she arrived in the Netherlands with her children, settling in Voorschoten. Grateful for the support her family received, she knew that life without music was not an option. That’s when the idea for the Ruta ensemble was born — a way to preserve Ukrainian cultural heritage and share traditional songs with local audiences.

Ruta’s journey began in September 2023. Since then, it has become more than a vocal group — it’s a family. Though each member has a different story, their hearts beat in unison through the music they create together.

Natalyia Mnyh

First soprano

Nataliia has been singing since childhood — first in homemade holiday “shows” for family, and later on stage at her local cultural center. Music was always close, so she followed it into her studies at a pedagogical college and then university. Throughout those years, she lived through music. She sang in many choirs — church, folk, jazz, and classical.

Nataliia doesn’t just love singing — she loves listening, too. Music is part of her life. So when she arrived in the Netherlands during the war and heard about this ensemble, she joined right away — and can no longer imagine life without it.

Friday evenings with Ruta are more than rehearsals — they’re moments of joy, support, inspiration, and shared laughter. And when it’s time to perform, something magical happens: voices unite, souls speak, and true art is born.

Yuliia Pylypchenko

First soprano, Soloist

Yuliia is a professional musician and music teacher from Chernihiv. She studied bandura in music school, continued her education at the Music College, and later got a master’s degree at the Institute of Arts of Kyiv’s National Pedagogical University. For over 20 years, she taught vocal and choral disciplines and performed with the Chamber Choir and in church choirs.

When the war began, Yuliia fled to the Netherlands with her children and their little dog. It felt like singing and teaching might be things of the past — until she discovered Ruta. Joining the ensemble felt like a breath of fresh air.

Now she comes to rehearsals — undeterred by weather or distance — drawn by the joy of singing with kindred spirits. She is proud to share Ukrainian choral traditions far from home and often performs at local church services. She is deeply grateful to the Netherlands for its warmth and hospitality.

Alena Khmelova

Second soprano, Youth ensemble conductor

Alena arrived in the Netherlands from Odesa in 2022. Before the war, she lived there with her husband and two daughters, working as a chief accountant — though her academic background was in music, as a pianist and accompanist.

Coming to the Netherlands and leaving her family behind in Ukraine, she struggled to find peace of mind. To stay grounded and connected, she began teaching children to sing and play the piano. Soon after, she joined the Ruta ensemble — and just like that, music returned to her life in a new form. Singing was unfamiliar territory, a world apart from the piano. But step by step, with the warmth and support of the group, it began to feel natural.

Now, every Friday brings energy, connection, and joy. Through music, she feels closer to home — and proud to share a piece of Ukraine with her new surroundings.

Tanya Deryglazova

Second soprano

Tanya has loved singing since childhood and cherishes the memories of the youth choir she sang in for nine years. Though her professional life took a different path, her music school background and love for singing have always stayed with her.

Like in many Ukrainian families, music was part of everyday life — singing with her mother, grandmothers, and aunts during celebrations or while cooking. After moving to the Netherlands for work many years ago, those moments became rare, and she found herself longing for the connection that singing brings.

Joining the Ruta ensemble became a way to reconnect — with music, with culture, and with community. Tanya is proud to help share Ukrainian heritage through music and happy to be part of a growing, inspiring team.

Nataliia Vyhovska

First soprano

Born in Dnipropetrovsk (now Dnipro), Nataliia has lived and breathed music since childhood — from piano lessons and school performances to theatrical shows and home concerts. Music became her way to express emotions when words fell short, and later her profession as a music teacher.

After arriving in the Netherlands to protect her children from the war, she found herself missing not only her homeland, but also the joy of creating music with others. That changed the day she walked into her first rehearsal with Ruta. The spark was immediate — a sense of shared purpose, belonging, and inspiration.

Through Ruta, Nataliia is proud to share this musical heritage with new audiences and to keep the voice of Ukraine alive, even far from home.

Iryna Ihnatieva

Second soprano, alto

Born and raised in the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson, Iryna comes from a family deeply rooted in both medicine and music. Her grandparents were music teachers in Soviet-era Yevpatoria, Crimea, and she carried on that legacy by beginning piano lessons at the age of five. By twelve, she had graduated from Kherson Music School and was already performing as a first soprano soloist in her school choir—an early spark of the musical passion that still defines her today. Although Iryna holds a degree in Economics and has worked as a Quality Assurance Engineer for over 12 years, music has always remained a constant in her life.

Before the war, Iryna lived and worked in Lviv with her two daughters. In 2020, she met her dutch partner, and after the invasion, he brought their family to safety in the Netherlands where they now live with their two cats.

At Ruta, Iryna brings her bright energy and a versatile voice — now singing both second soprano and alto — continuing her lifelong connection to music in new and evolving ways.

Inna

First soprano, Soloist

Originally from sunny Odesa, Inna grew up in a family where music was part of everyday life. Her grandfather was the director of music schools in both Kostiantynivka and Odesa, and her grandmother taught music in kindergarten. Thanks to them, her love for music began in early childhood.

While studying at university, Inna joined a vocal ensemble and spent three inspiring years performing. After moving to the Netherlands in 2020, her desire to keep singing never left. She joined several choirs, but only with Ruta did she truly feel a sense of connection and warmth.

For Inna, Ruta is more than just a ensemble — it’s a space filled with music, Ukrainian culture, and mutual support. Here, she feels truly at home, surrounded by talented, kind, and genuine people.

Through songs, she aims to inspire, unite, and share a piece of Ukraine with the Netherlands.

Olena Kozlova

Alto, Handcraft designer, Floral decorator

Olena is originally from Kyiv and now lives in The Netherlands with her husband since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. With a musical background, she was happy to join the Ruta ensemble — a place that brings her comfort, joy, and a deep sense of connection.

She misses Ukraine and her home dearly, but singing with Ruta brings warmth to her heart and helps her stay close to her roots. Every rehearsal feels like a family gathering, and each performance is a chance to share a piece of Ukrainian culture.

In addition to music, Olena is a floral artist and decorator. She creates handmade gifts in traditional Ukrainian style, sharing the colours and spirit of her culture with people in the Netherlands.

Anna Golovko

Second sopranoor

Originally from the Mykolaiv region, Anna moved to the Netherlands from Dnipro and now lives in Haarlem. She works as a project manager in marketing and spends her free time singing and dancing — lifelong passions.

Though not formally trained, Anna has always been involved in music. She performed solo at local concerts and sang in a women’s ensemble during her university years, taking part in festivals and events.

Joining Ruta has been a true joy — a musical community she feels deeply connected to. For Anna, it’s not just about singing the right notes, but about putting heart into every word and sharing a message that resonates. Ruta offers comfort to fellow Ukrainians and a window into Ukrainian culture for Dutch audiences.

She’s proud to be part of this warm, talented ensemble — a place that feels like family.

Maryna Kovtun

Alto, Soloist

Maryna is originally from the picturesque city of Vinnytsia, where music has always been part of her world. Her love for singing began in childhood, inspired by her father’s beautiful voice. She studied vocals from a young age and graduated from music school, where her talent took root.

She always knew she wanted to sing in the folk ensemble Mokosha at Vinnytsia Music College — and she did just that. Ukrainian folk music, with its depth and strength, became the heart of her artistic journey.

Now living in Rotterdam, Maryna joined Ruta thanks to a neighbor who heard her singing at home and told her about the group. She came to the audition with no hesitation — and found her musical home.

For Maryna, singing isn’t just a pastime. It’s a calling, a connection to her roots, and a way to carry the voice of Ukraine into the world.

Aliona Thabala

Second soprano

Originally from Kyiv, Aliona moved to the Netherlands with her three children at the start of the full-scale invasion. She has worked in internal communications for over ten years and holds degrees in both philology and economics.

Music has always been part of her life. From an early age, she sang in school choirs and ensembles, attended a pop vocal studio, and completed music school with a focus on bayan. She also plays guitar and is learning piano.

Arriving in a new country without close friends or family, Aliona filled her time with the things that bring her peace — music, sport, reading, painting, and travel. And then she discovered Ruta.

For Aliona, Ruta is more than a choir. It’s a place of strength, connection, and inspiration — a space where music, meaning, and community come together.

Julia

Alto

Julia grew up in a family where people of different nationalities came together to sing Ukrainian songs during every celebration. These moments shaped her sense of happiness, unity, peace, and connection. Ten years of music school gave her a strong foundation, high standards, and a love for exploring new musical horizons alongside kindred spirits.

Though she moved across countries and cities, music always stayed with her. Only recently did she find the chance to truly enjoy the magic of vocal polyphony and focused, creative collaboration.

The war in 2022 brought fear, loss, and hardship — but also new friendships, powerful moments of support, and the strength to create. Ruta became her musical home: a circle of talented, hard-working, and creative women who help each other carry both sorrow and joy through song.

Together with Ruta, she brings ancient and modern, sacred and folk music to Dutch and Ukrainian audiences — who laugh, cry, and find meaning in the melodies. For Julia, being part of Ruta is a gift — a rare and deeply cherished experience.