Cellist Queyras Donates US Concert Earnings to Ukraine

French cellist Jean-Guihen Queyras has announced that he will donate the earnings from his five scheduled concerts in the United States this year to United24Foundation, the official fund set up by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. He criticized the recent “humiliation” of Zelensky at the White House and condemned the U.S. for turning away from democratic values.

Queyras cited violinist Christian Tetzlaff’s decision to cancel his U.S. tour as a key motivation for his own action. He has already made a “substantial” advance donation to the Ukrainian fund and urged others to contribute as well.

Queyras has previously performed in Kyiv, offering musical support to victims of the war, and emphasized the power of music to bring comfort in dark times.