Dear Editor:
The Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus of North America was an amazingly special treat for me on March 17 at the Cleveland Museum of Art. Under the able leadership of the chorus’s gifted artistic director/conductor, Maestro Oleh Mahlay, the concert was one in a series given by this talented ensemble of almost 60 singers and bandurists during its centennial year, continuing a tradition dating back to the Kobzar Choir of 1918. Having just completed a triumphant tour of Ukraine, the ensemble is on a U.S. tour, which included concerts in Chicago and Cleveland, and continuing on to eight other cities.
The program was rich in its content, with favorites like “The Clouds Are Rising,” “Love Ukraine,” “Sich Rifleman Going to War,” “Through the Orchard” (such a fun song!) and the very American “God Bless America” for which all stood, and which brought tears to my eyes as I felt the gratitude for my rich Ukrainian heritage coupled with love for the America that has now been my home for so many years. The enthusiastic audience insisted on encores, which included the energetic “Song about Tiutiunnyk.”
The atmosphere was festive, exciting and educational too, with the bandurists in their colorful Kozak costumes, the Ukrainian banduras providing beautiful accompaniment to the rich voices, all interwoven with informative commentary, and well-prepared video and slides, conveying the history, highlights and future plans of the ensemble. Mr. Mahlay is an extraordinarily sensitive musician, conducting the group through subtle expressions of feeling to stir the soul. And he’s a fine bandura soloist as well.
Beautiful glossy programs provided names of songs in Ukrainian and English, with brief annotations for each song, names of soloists, information about the ensemble, the conductor, the Bandurist Chorus board, the mission to educate aspiring bandurists. I marveled at the amazing dedication of all members of this organization who live in cities scattered throughout the U.S., travel long distances to rehearse and perform. They don’t get paid! Too, there must be incredible organization behind the scenes: facilities and travel arrangements for such a large group, transporting costumes and banduras, sheet music, collecting and managing funds, paying bills. All people must be in top form, equipment in first-rate repair for each performance. Boggles the mind. And I suppose no one is allowed to get sick.
Toward the evening’s end, a representative of the Cleveland City Council honored the Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus with a reading and presentation of the council’s resolution officially commemorating the ensemble’s 100th anniversary.
These gentlemen have families, careers, responsibilities. Yet one doesn’t think about any of this during the performance, which transcends all cares and takes us all to a higher plane, that of inspired, beautiful, incredibly well-performed Ukrainian music played by an ensemble of which we can be proud. It’s such a treasure!
Cleveland