Catherine Likhuta (b. 1981, Kyiv, Ukraine) is a composer and pianist based in Brisbane, Australia. She grew up in Ukraine, completing a bachelor’s degree in jazz piano at the Kyiv Gliere Music College and a post-graduate degree at Kyiv Conservatory. She studied composition in the United States with Steven Stucky and Dana Wilson, and eventually earned a PhD in composition from the University of Queensland in Australia. Her music is primarily instrumental, ranging from solo and chamber works to concert pieces and concertos for wind band and orchestra. She has won many awards for her work, which has led to performances and commissions from organizations around the world. She has appeared as a guest on the Band Room Podcast. Read more about her at her website, the Australian Music Centre, Instant Encore, …and we were heard, and 12 Composers You Should Know About. She was also featured as a Ukrainian woman composer on the Boulanger Initiative, which includes links to support Ukraine in the Russian invasion.
Likhuta wrote Best Things in 2025 for two groups led by conductor Shannon Kitelinger: the San Diego State University Wind Ensemble and the Imperial Valley High School Honor Band in El Centro, California. The commission was by Kayla Aponte through a SDSU Student Success fee. Likhuta writes:
A baby’s laughter.
The scent after the rain.
Sunsets and sunrises.
The perfect serenity of a Japanese garden.
True friendships.
Unconditional love.
A gentle dance of butterflies, drifting clouds, the rhythm of waves.
The most beautiful things in life aren’t things at all. They are the moments, the experiences, the intangible gifts that money can’t buy. In a world driven by industry and a constant pursuit of more, it’s essential to pause and savour these simple wonders. We often let them slip by unnoticed, but if we make the effort to embrace them, every little piece of life’s magic has the power to enrich our hearts in much more rewarding ways than any financial gains.
We just have to remember what really matters.
Here is the premiere performance with Kitelinger and the SDSU Wind Ensemble:
You can find more about this piece at Likhuta’s website, the Wind Repertory Project, Murphy Music Press, and J. W. Pepper.