EDMONDS— On May 16, members of the Edmonds-based ensemble took the stage to raise funds for the Ukrainian educational nonprofit — performing entirely from memory, as is Mosaic’s signature tradition. It is the only exception in the choir’s 20-year history.
Mosaic Choir & Orchestra has one rule: perform for any nonprofit only once. They’ve broken it for Hebron IT Academy three years in a row.
“It has been an honor for the Mosaic Choir and Orchestra to perform concerts for three years in a row to help raise money for the Hebron IT Academy. Mosaic has done this because we believe in the amazing work that the Hebron IT Academy is doing to help the people of Ukraine. Despite the deadly war they are experiencing, the Hebron IT Academy continues to provide hope through training and support,” said Allan Skoog, Director of the Mosaic Choir and Orchestra. “All 150 members of the Mosaic Choir and Orchestra highly recommend the Hebron IT Academy to anyone willing to offer financial support or help in any way needed.“
Where the Funds Go
All proceeds go directly to Hebron IT Academy’s core mission: free IT education and housing for Ukraine’s most vulnerable youth
→ Orphans and children without parental care
→ War veterans seeking professional retraining
→ Internally displaced persons from the frontline and de-occupied regions
The Academy operates two campuses in Lviv and Kyiv. Education, housing, and resources are provided at no cost to students.
HebronSoft — an impact-driven AI and IT company headquartered in California, with an engineering team in Western Ukraine and across Europe — dedicates a portion of its income and resources to the Hebron Academy and Innovation Lab. This is the foundation: HebronSoft was not built as a business with a charitable mission on the side, but as a business engine to create opportunities for the unprivileged.
This year, Liliya Valihun plans to bring the Academy’s top-performing students to the United States for the opportunity to take courses at American universities — a milestone that would not be possible without continued fundraising support.
A Story Worth Breaking Rules For
Behind Hebron IT Academy is a personal story.
Liliya Valihun worked in Silicon Valley, surrounded by innovators and a culture of big thinking. But one question wouldn’t leave her: “What if the children who never get into these rooms could learn this too? Not theoretically. For real.”
She sold her share in a California startup and used the money to purchase a house and property for orphans in Ukraine — and opened an IT academy for them.
When the war started in 2014, her husband, Ihor, traveled across Ukraine to find their first students. They came from the hardest environments — children who had learned to survive, not to dream.
As the academy grew, one thing became clear: for the mission to survive, it needed an engine. That is how HebronSoft was born.
Today, students build real concepts, prototypes, and projects in rehabilitation, mental health, robotics, and many other domains.
The Moment That Stopped the Room
The evening’s most emotional moment came when Liliya Valihun walked on stage with her young daughter Sophia. The girl addressed the choir directly — thanking them for their time, their music, and their solidarity with Ukrainian children.
“The name ‘Mosaic’ feels like a symbol right now. People from different churches and traditions coming together for something good — for Ukraine. When a choir like this changes its own rules, you feel it: Ukraine is not alone,” said Valihun.
Mosaic Choir has already confirmed it will return for a fourth performance in May 2027.
Mosaic Arts Northwest
Interfaith ensemble based in Edmonds, Washington, founded in 2006. Celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2026. Known for the annual Christmas in Edmonds gala — which traditionally opens the holiday season across the greater Seattle area — and international tours including Spain.
Hebron IT Academy is a Ukrainian powerhouse of education, innovation, and experimentation, providing free technology education to orphans, veterans, and displaced youth. Part of the Hebron Ecosystem, which includes HebronSoft — an AI and IT company headquartered in California, with an engineering team in Western Ukraine, and across Europe.
Source: Edmonds Choir
Author: Lynnwood Times Staff
