NEW RELEASES

Todaschuk Sisters' third recording features traditional Christmas carols

WINNIPEG - Singers Rosemarie and Charlene Todaschuk have released their third recording, "The Spirit of Ukrainian Christmas with the Todaschuk Sisters." The album, a collection of Ukrainian Christmas carols, includes 14 songs featuring the "simple harmonies of two sisters accompanied by modern and traditional acoustic instrumentation," a press release from the Todaschuk sisters said.

"[We] hope that this recording ... will invite and encourage the listener to feel [a] passion to preserve and promote Ukrainian Christmas traditions and will introduce to the non-Ukrainian community the treasures of the Ukrainian musical heritage of our forefathers," the sisters added.

The sisters produced the album, while Charlene's husband, Andrij Czerny, a professional musician who is best known for his instrumental works on Cirque du Soleil recordings, arranged, orchestrated and performed the music on 13 of the 14 carols. Other musicians featured on the album include: Liana Stecky, Angela Saranchuk, Ivan Zavada, Domenic Lombardi, as well as Peter and Tatiana Czerny.

Officially released on Saturday, August 3, 2002, during a music festival at the Lyric Theatre in Assiniboine Park, Canada, the recording has received attention from the mainstream Canadian media, as well as praise from Ukrainians and non-Ukrainians alike.

The duo also has two other albums to its credit and has sold its music internationally. While all three recordings have focused on traditional, contemporary and original Ukrainian music, the sisters are now also venturing into another area: both Rosemarie and Charlene currently front their own jazz trios.

The duo has performed at diverse venues, including the Pacific National Exhibition in Vancouver, Bicentennial celebrations in Los Angeles, Canada's National Ukrainian Festival in Dauphin, Manitoba, Toronto's Caravan festival, as well as at home games of the Blue Bombers football team and in Ukraine.

"The Spirit of Ukrainian Christmas with the Todaschuk Sisters" is available on compact disc for $20 or on cassette for $12. To purchase the album send a check or money order (plus $3 per item for shipping and handling) to: Todaschuk Sisters' Ukrainian Boutique, 508 Selkirk Ave., Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, R2W 2M7. To order by phone or to obtain more information, call (204) 586-3445 or e-mail [email protected].

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, January 19, 2003, No. 3, Vol. LXXI

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