No Ukrainian poet or writer embodies the spirit of the Ukrainian people like Taras Shevchenko (1814-1861). His poetry made an unsurpassed contribution to the development of Ukrainian national identity and inspired the people of Ukraine to a cultural and political rebirth. These factors laid the foundation for the eventual formation of Ukraine as an independent state.
Taras Shevchenko is the national poet of Ukraine. Every year around March 9 (the date of his birth in 1814) and March 10 (the date of his death in 1861), Ukrainians around the world celebrate his life and legacy with concerts; reciting his poems and singing songs with lyrics culled from his pioneering collection of poems, “The Kobzar.” Choral ensembles have been honouring him most often with a concert programme called «Slovo Tarasa» (“The Poetry of Taras Shevchenko,” or literally translated – “The Word of Taras”). The concert was initially conceived by the Artistic Director of the Kyiv Bandurist Capella, Danylo Pika, who conducted the first performance of it in 1939 during that Capella’s tour of Western Ukraine commemorating the 125th Anniversary of Ukraine’s national poet’s birth.
The Canadian Bandurist Capella (CBC) first performed «Slovo Tarasa» in 2009, and it was proud to do so again on March 11, 2023 at the Runnymede United Church, (432 Runnymede Road, Toronto ON, M6S 2Y8). The concert comprised 14 songs and, in accordance with tradition, was performed from beginning to end without any interruptions. Unless otherwise noted in brackets, the words to the songs were those of Taras Shevchenko (T. S.); also bracketed are the names of the soloists. The songs were as follows: The mighty Dnieper roars; Song of the Haydamaky (Words: T. S. & Cherkasenko); My evening star (Soloists: Taras Hlova, Ivan Nychay); An eagle soars high in the sky (Soloist: Vasyl Zmiyivsky); My thoughts; A cloud rises from beyond; The river flows into the blue sea (Soloists: Taras Hlova, Emilian Aloyan); Bandurist, my blue-grey eagle (Soloists: Emilian Aloyan, Serhiy Kutsmyda); A Cossack grave in the steppe; There was a time; The grey cuckoo sang (Words & music: Petro Nishchynsʹky whose words were adapted by Taras Shevchenko for the second act of his drama Nazar Stodolia; Soloist: Ivan Nychay); In the land of the Turks; Play, o kobzar; and My Testament.
NOTE: Three young bandurists – T. Stoliar, O. Sozanskyy, and M. Mahlay – contributed to the musical arrangement of several songs for this concert.
Before each song, Yuriy Kelebay masterfully recited excerpts from Shevchenko’s poetry. His articulation, pace of delivery and dramatic interpretation deepened the (audience’s understanding) (meaningfulness poignancy) of the selected passages.
Conducting the first seven songs of «Slovo Tarasa» was Pavlo Fondera, Choirmaster & Conductor of the CBC and a graduate of the Viktor Kosenko Zhytomyr School of Music and Kyiv National University of Culture and Arts (Specialties: Choral Conducting and Vocal Performance). The last seven were conducted by Vasyl Turyanyn, Conductor of the CBC and a graduate of the D.E. Zadora Uzhhorod Music College and Kyiv National Music Academy (Specialty: Choral and Orchestral Conducting). Leading the instrumentalists was Borys Ostapyenko, the first ever Ukrainian Canadian to claim First Place and become a Laureate of the
Mykola Lysenko International Bandura Competition in Kyiv, Ukraine.
NOTE: Oles Petlura deserves a special mention for setting up the sound system.
The CBC was joined in honouring Taras Shevchenko by our guest performers, The Vira Zelinska Bandura Capella “Zoloti Struny” (Golden Strings). Its participation no doubt enriched the concert and enjoyment of the audience. Zoloti Struny performed three songs and one instrumental piece: Atop a cliff most steep and tall and Flight of the storks (both dedicated by the author to T. Shevchenko); A wind winnows through the grove (lyrics by T. Shevchenko); and Flowers of the sea (music by the group “Era” with a flute solo by Ruslan Kubovych).
Conducting the Zoloti Struny Capella was Oksana Zelinska, a graduate of The Glenn Gould School of The Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto (Performance Diploma); Thompson Rivers University, B.C. (Bachelor of Music); The Secondary State Boarding Music School in Lviv; and The Lviv State Academy of Music.
Attending the concert were native Ukrainians, Canadian Ukrainians, and Ukrainian refugees who recently arrived in Canada. All of them, without exception, generously praised our two Capellas and indicated that they were looking forward to subsequent concerts of these ensembles. Several refugees expressed both their amazement and admiration that the Ukrainian diaspora was capable of preparing and performing a concert of such quality. We knew that we were playing an important role in maintaining the morale of our suffering people in Ukraine when they added that during the concert they felt as if they were on their native Ukrainian soil and that they were going to share their impressions with their families and friends in Ukraine. And from Ukraine the aforementioned O. Sozanskyy sent an e-mail to say that he was most pleased not only to finally listen to his arrangement of the song “A Cossack grave in the steppe” but also its interpretation by the Canadian Bandurist Capella.
The positive feedback from the audience at this rendition of «Slovo Tarasa» motivates us to be persistent in pursuing the mission of the CBC; to make known to people of all cultures the incomparable beauty of the musical heritage of Ukraine. We are currently planning a series of concerts for autumn and Christmas 2023 and a concert in March 2024 to once again honour the memory of the Ukrainian genius Taras Shevchenko.
Dmytro Rewilak
