Standing in Solidarity - Calgary EuroMaidan Євромайдан

It has been a particularly busy Ukrainian Calgary weekend; warm, satisfying, thoroughly moving, and an indication of the values retained by Canadians of Ukrainian decent here on the western prairies of Canada. 

Filling St. Vladimir's Ukrainian Cultural Centre upper hall, Saturday's Commemoration of the Holodomor began with the singing of Otche Nash by Korinnya Choir, conducted by Iryna Kalynovich.  Then the Ukrainian clergy of Calgary led the Panachyda/Requiem.  Korinnya then sang the traditional Song of the Cranes, a song of farewell.  Dr. Bohdan Klid spoke about the intense academic and research work being conducted worldwide in regards to the truths hidden in documents only recently available to the public!  Very special guests Spiritus Chamber Choir of Calgary performed the Ukrainian Requiem for the Holodomor,as composed by Roman Hurko, with amazing bass-baritone soloist Paul Grindlay intoning the priest's part, conducted by Tim Shantz.  Svitanok, a girls singing group performed a couple of beautiful pieces. Then a dramatic reading/presentation involving the young people of CYM Ukrainian association was followed by a communal singing of Vichnaya Pamyat' - Eternal Memory.   

To a person, the community was very focused, still and extremely attentive to the program.  Appreciative of the great effort, love and care taken by the program participants in preparing for this important commemoration, comments included, "tremendous!", "so thankful to have been here", "what an important community connection we have here", "these are the best people!" Many, many were especially thankful for the deeply moving singing of the Requiem by Spiritus, an English speaking, Canadian choir.  It was an important day to honour the memory of the Holodomor victims in a quest to sensitize people to the lessons in world history.  May we never forget, and may the world be protected from such horrendous cruelty!  Never again!

Ukrainian churches across Calgary served memorial requiem Panachyda prayers Sunday morning. 
And on Sunday night in peaceful solidarity with thousands of Ukrainians across Ukraine, Canada and the world, about a hundred Calgarians gathered at Olympic Square across from City Hall for Calgary's EuroMaidan, Євромайдан, Showing their solidarity with the 100,000 (in Kyiv alone!) Calgarians voiced their concern for Ukraine's disengagement with their landmark opportunity for association with the European Union. Singing anthems, hymns, and joining together in common support for Ukrainian aspirations to European democratic values, and economic opportunity, these are Canadians of merit and principle!  

Together, we are many!  This weekend in particular, those of us with ancestry in another land, far away, were intensely thankful for our Canadian way of life! Appreciative, and aware that people in other lands aspire to such opportunities and privileges, we stood together in solidarity! 

To hear Korinnya check https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kR1e83UfIGU&feature=youtube_gdata 
And for a melodic reminder of how long Ukrainians have carried these ancestral aspirations check here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E09kWXwsEj8  for

Боже Великий Єдиний (God Great One) - spiritual anthem of Ukraine

ps proud to say Calgary was only one of the 92 ( to date ) EuroMaidan events!
check the map here https://a.tiles.mapbox.com/v3/euromaidanmap.gccpeja0/page.html#4/50.82/44.47

Calgary International Holodomor Remembrance Day 2013

brama.com

Let us remember together on Saturday, November 23, 2013 at St. Vladimir's Ukrainian Centre at 404 Meredith Road NE.

No melody, sound, word or prayer can change history, but the spirit yearns in empathy to learn from its lessons.  Holod means hunger, and mor means plague - hence the Holodomor, to intentionally inflict death by hunger, victimizing millions of Ukrainians some 80 years ago.

Broadening the scope of community involvement, a general invitation is extended from the Ukrainian Canadian Congress - Calgary Branch http://www.calgaryucc.org/ to Calgarians of good-will to stand together in a moment of silence, to acknowledge, honour and remember the victims of the Holodomor. Thankful of Canada's rich respect for the gifts of multicultural and multilingual ancestry, the Calgary Branch of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress welcomes community participants, also boldly inviting Spiritus Chamber Choir spirituschamberchoir.ca, with soloist Paul Grindlay, to sing the spiritually moving Ukrainian Requiem (Panachyda) composed by Roman Hurko http://www.romanhurko.com/ - a contemporary Canadian composer of Ukrainian extraction.

A general invitation is extended to all temples of worship to toll their bells at 19:32 and mark the Memorial with a moment of silence in international recognition of the sanctity of life, and remembrance.  Lighting candles of remembrance honours the countless millions as well.

For those inquiring minds wishing to immerse themselves and gain a better understanding, please check out the link at http://www.yluhovy.com  for an award winning documentary about the Holodomor.

Canada Remembers - the World Acknowledges. It is time to share the story.  http://www.sharethestory.ca/ 

Ukraine: Sacred Choral Concerti - Calgary - September 27th and 29th, 2013

For over 200 years, a veritable musical treasure, composer Artem Vedel's original manuscripts of liturgical and concerti gathered dust in various museums and libraries. Priceless, yet inaccessible, the true value of this musical legacy was hidden from view.  This horrendous silence was exacerbated by intentional destruction, "editorial correction", and "fixing" by "imperial admirers".  Yet in 2000 the first complete published edition of the autograph manuscript appeared directly as a consequence of the Ukrainian Music Society of Alberta and others, edited by Wolodymyr Kolesnyk (formerly the conductor of the Kyiv Opera) preserving the authenticity of the composers' intent.

Artemi
 Luk'ianovych Vedel' - 1767-1808, was one of Ukraine's most gifted composers privileged to have been able to pursue his musical career in his homeland, unlike many of his peers.  His life coincided with a particularly tragic period in Ukrainian history, the time when Catherine II of Russia destroyed the Hetmanate, the Zaporozhian Sich,  and forced re-enserfment (slavery) of normal people like you and me.  Vedel's life was therefore a never-ending search for truth and justice, which he expressed so eloquently through his captivating contributions to Ukrainian musical culture.

Vedel's style is a synthesis of classic, baroque, and sentimental elements drawn from folk songs, kanti on religious themes, traditional liturgical chant, partesny polyphony, and early classical contemporary practices in Western European music.  One can hear the subtle grace of his contemporaries, Mozart and Haydn, in Vedel's music.  It is organically tied to texts, rhythms, an abundance of melodic invention and sophistication, all requiring considerable vocal skill.   Its artistic merit cannot be denied; the repertoire is innately dramatic, refined, nuanced and expressive.  

Western Canada, it seems, has many admirers of Artem Vedel's works.  Through the forethought of the Ukrainian Millennium Foundation - the group that was formed way back in the 1980's to celebrate the Millennium of Ukrainian Christianity in Edmonton, a special event is in the making. Through their initiative and sponsorship, Calgary's own award winning Spiritus Chamber Choir is blazing a new, visionary path for their first performance of the 2013-14 season.  The ambitious project involves performing several of Artem Vedel's works, in musical juxtaposition with the more recent works of Canadian composer Roman Hurko.

Roman Hurko is a Toronto born (1962) Ukrainian Canadian composer whose works have now been published and recorded to wide international acclaim.  Influenced by his Byzantine Christian ancestry, among Hurko's works are at least three Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrystostom (in English and Ukrainian) and a Panachyda/Requiem for the Victims of Chernobyl (2001), both of which will feature in Calgary's performances at the end of September 2013.  

Spiritus Chamber Choir has had a tremendous artistic trajectory with international recognition and prize winning choral competitions both in France and Canada.  Led by conductor Timothy Shantz, the Calgary ensemble has been winning audiences over for nearly 20 years with a considerable amount of new choral music, commissioned and premiered works, intriguing collaborations, and creative initiatives. Adding to its collection of recordings, Spiritus Chamber Choir's newest ambition to record these and other Ukrainian Sacred Choral Masterpieces is a project which will blossom over the next years.  More news to come on that front!!

Spiritus Chamber Choir's performances of Ukraine: Sacred Choral Concerti is bound to bring great joy and satisfaction to its diverse audience of listeners and admirers.  See you there!

UKRAINE: SACRED CHORAL CONCERTI
(sponsored by the Ukrainian Millennium Foundation)
Friday, September 27, 2013 at 8pm
St. Stephen Protomartyr Ukrainian Catholic Church
4903-45 St. SW, Calgary
TICKETS:
$25 Adults/$20 Students/Seniors
AND
Sunday, September 29, 2013 at 2:30pm
St. Mary’s Cathedral
219 – 18th Ave. SW, Calgary
TICKETS:
$25 Adults/$20 Students & Seniors

Calgary Choir Wins

As I mentioned in a previous blog post, Spiritus Chamber Choir of Calgary will be performing a concert of Ukrainian Sacred Music in late September!  Not once, but twice! Even more fabulous news though!  Just yesterday it was announced that Calgary's Spiritus Chamber Choir has just won the 2013 National Competition for Canadian Amateur Choirs!  Not only did the choir place first in their categories for mixed voice adult choir and contemporary music categories, but also won the prestigious Healy Willan Prize from the Canada Council for the Arts!http://music.cbc.ca/#/blogs/2013/7/Spiritus-Chamber-Choir-dominates-2013-National-Competition-for-Canadian-Amateur-Choirs

Spiritus in Dijon, France - 2011

The choir's first concert in the 2013-14 season will be Ukraine: Sacred Choral Concerti - a performance sponsored by the Ukrainian Millennium Foundation.  The first performance will be at St. Stephen's Ukrainian Catholic Church on Friday, September 27th at 8 PM, and the second on Sunday, September 29th at 2:30 PM at St. Mary's Catholic Cathedral.

So for the first opportunity this season to hear this amazing group performing masterpiece treasures of the Slavic Tradition, specifically the music of Artem Vedel' - perhaps including others, make sure to check the website and order your tickets to the performances and the reception in advance!  www.spirituschamberchoir.ca

So when people ask what I do for fun,  this is my fun! I love it!  With a smile from ear to ear,  and with my singing compatriots - Spiritus-ers - in the "best choir" category for 2013 - and the fabulous maestro Tim Shantz - I invite you!

http://ukrainiancalgary.blogspot.ca/2013/05/ukrainian-sacred-choral-music-in.html

Ukrainian Sacred Choral Music in Calgary -September 2013

Spiritus Chamber Choir in Dijon, France

Exciting news for Calgary's choral music lovers - especially those whose tastes lean to the Ukrainian Sacred Choral Music tradition.  Calgary's Spiritus Chamber Choir will be performing a program of all Ukrainian Sacred Choral Music on the last weekend of September this fall 2013!  Their program will present Calgary an excellent opportunity to hear some of the masterpieces of Ukrainian Classical Choral Music - especially the work of Artem Vedel' (1767-1808). 

Spiritus Chamber Choir has earned acclaim as a growing presence in the Canadian choral world, and beyond.  www.spirituschamberchoir.ca With this Ukrainian Sacred Choral Music project, Spiritus Chamber Choir, and Calgary's Luminous Voices, led by Artistic Director Tim Shantz will embark on an exciting journey.

The first complete published edition of the autograph manuscript of Artem Vedel' (1767-1808) was published in 2000 (Kyiv, Edmonton,Toronto).  Edited by Wolodymyr Kolesnyk, the publication credits the Ukrainian Music Society of Alberta, V. I. Vernadsky National Library of Ukraine and P. I. Tchaikovsky National Music Academy of Ukraine.   An impressive volume, the Divine Liturgy and 12 Sacred Choral Concerti by Artemi Luk'ianovych Vedel'  are considered masterpieces of Ukrainian Classical Choral Music.  ( ISMN N-9001310-0-3)



Father Peter and Tim Shantz
St. Stephen Protomartyr Church

More information to come - but book the last weekend in September 2013 for a wonderful evening of Sacred Ukrainian Choral Music sung by Spiritus Chamber Choir of Calgary.



Що То За Предиво! Оh! What a Wonder!

Calgary's Spiritus Chamber Choir just released their newest CD over the weekend!  Artistic Director Timothy Shantz and the choir have created an excellent recording music for the Advent, Christmas and winter season for everyone to enjoy.  Of note for Ukrainiancalgary readers, are two very special pieces of Eastern European and Slavic flavour.

The first of these is a beautiful performance of the Богородице Діво! ( Bohoroditse Devo!)  by Arvo Pärt,  the most prominent living Estonian classical composer.  The piece is a refreshing setting of the familiar Prayer to the Theotokos of Eastern Orthodox tradition - just lovely.  

The other is going to be a favorite everywhere in the Ukrainian world.  Що То За Предиво! (Oh! What a Wonder!) arranged by Vasyl Barvinsky featuring brilliant soprano soloist Nina Hornjatkevyc.  Her pure sound is just a beautiful crowning soprano over Spiritus's full choral embrace. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ev7yRgwJ9V4 Just beautiful!  

Compliments to Spiritus Chamber Choir on the launch of their new CD - All the Stars Looked Down.  For more information and to purchase the recording -  http://spirituschamberchoir.ca/.