Ukrainian pianist Sonya Zholobova, who fled her homeland because of the war, performs at the Prado Museum

Many visitors to the Prado Museum are very surprised to hear the enchanting sounds of piano music and follow them from room to room to find their source. This is how they meet a young red-haired pianist from Ukraine, Sonya Zholobova, who left Kyiv because of the war unleashed by Russia. 

The girl has been perfecting her piano playing skills all her life, rehearsing 6–7 hours a day. She first sat down at the instrument at the age of 4 thanks to her mum, a music teacher. And by the age of 17, Sonya made great progress in developing her talent, but in 2022 she was forced to flee Ukraine, escaping from explosions and shelling. The girl’s family found refuge in Switzerland. But Sonia herself chose Spain, as her teacher, Professor Vadim Gladkov, lived here.

The Prado Museum appreciated the young pianist’s virtuoso skills and invited her to perform in the halls of the Collection as part of the Pinceladas sonoras (Sound Strokes) programme. Every Tuesday and Thursday, at 12:00, 1:00 and 4:00 pm, Sonia Zholobova performs a 20-minute programme on the piano. The repertoire changes every month, as do the museum rooms where it can be heard.

The Pinceladas sonoras programme was created by the Prado Museum in 2022 to support young talents in their personal, artistic and academic development, and to highlight the contribution of women in the arts.

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Photo from hoy.es