TORONTO – There are many fine recital or concert performances in and around Toronto. One of the year’s most enjoyable and inspiring experiences is to watch and listen to young talented music students on stage rise to the difficult challenge of performing from memory arranged folk and composed classical Ukrainian music.
The 47th annual Marta Krawciw-Barabash Ukrainian Music Festival was held December 1-3, 2017, at Toronto’s Ukrainian National Federation Community Center, concluding with the “Concert of Finalists” in the UNF Trident Hall.
The 2017 festival saw over 150 children age 5 and up performing music of Ukrainian composers (or arrangements) in solo (and duet) instrumental, ensemble instrumental, solo vocal and choir competitions that are open to the public, Participants were both of Ukrainian heritage and of non-Ukrainian background. The festival generally draws participants from the Toronto area and southern Ontario. Notably, more U.S. music students have been traveling to Toronto to perform, up from last year to nine, representing Georgia, Illinois and Michigan.
John Pidkowich
Piano award winner Zenia Gore, age 8.
The late Marta Krawciw-Barabash was the Ukrainian Music Festival’s founder in 1970. She was an accomplished pianist and teacher, dedicated to educating young musicians to master the works of Ukrainian composers. Her love of Ukrainian music and work went well beyond the festival itself to include the UMF promotion of many concerts.
The 2017 Ukrainian Music Festival (UMF) celebrated Ukrainian composers Viktor Kosenko (1896-1938) and Mykola Lysenko (1842-1912), marking the 175th anniversary of the latter’s birth.
Known as the “Father of Ukrainian Music,” Lysenko was a concert pianist and composed music for piano and string instruments, wrote 120 art songs and opera, and arranged sacred and secular choral works. He also was one of the first Ukrainian ethnologists who traveled across Ukraine extensively to gather and then arrange some 500 Ukrainian folk songs, music characteristic of the country’s regions. He laid the groundwork for the field of ethnomusicology. The likes of conductor Oleksandr (Alexander) Koshetz studied under Lysenko and continued the fine tradition of Ukrainian choral music.
Kosenko taught and performed piano, and composed piano, chamber and vocal music. He wrote orchestral works, tone poems and “Twenty-Four Children’s Pieces” for piano, a series that teaches tonal structure and character.
In recent years, the UMF has been dedicated to pianist and composer Vasyl Barvinsky, bandura virtuoso Hnat Khotkevych, composer and educator Yakiv Stepovyi, Ukrainian Canadian composers such as Larysa Kuzmenko, Zenoby Lawryshyn, Vasyl Sydorenko and Anatoly Zytkevych (who attended the festival), and to the 125th anniversary of Ukrainian settlement in Canada, which was celebrated in 2016.
At the festival (from left) are: Oksana Pidruchna, violin award recipient Julia Perekhozhuk and Mary Pidkowich.
This year, the esteemed jury of festival adjudicators comprised: Ireneus Zuk (concert pianist, professor and associate director of the Dan School of Drama and Music, Queen’s University), who judged piano classes; Halyna Kvitka Kondracki (conductor, Vesnivka Choir), vocal and choir classes; and Andriy Dmytrovych (music teacher, orchestra and choir conductor), violin and bandura classes.
New at this year’s festival was the opportunity for participants to perform on the late Irena Bubniuk’s Steinway grand piano. A notable Canadian pianist and teacher, Ms. Bubniuk wished for her Steinway to be available within the Ukrainian community for use in rehearsals, recitals and concerts. The Ukrainian Canadian Congress has entrusted the UNF Toronto and Vesnivka Choir to house and care for the bequeathed Steinway.
At the UMF “Concert of Finalists,” performances of festival pieces adjudicated with qualifying high marks were represented by all ages and categories of classes. Twenty-seven scholarship awards were given for piano solo and duet; instrumental bandura solo; violin solo; vocal; choir; and bandura and violin ensemble playing. All registered festival participants were presented certificates of participation.
Top scholarship awards went to performers who earned the festival’s highest marks: the Marta Krawciw-Barabash Piano Award was received by Zenia Gore (Georgia) – performing “Choven Khytayetsia” by Prof. Krawciw-Barabash; the Mary Pidkowich Violin Award went to Julia Perekhozhuk (Illinois) – “Melodiya” by Myroslav Skoryk, Gloria Sophia Verhovsky – “Toccata” by Lysenko, and to the Violin Ensemble led by teacher Oksana Konopada – “Koliada arranged by S. Kushiruk; the Vera Zelinska Memorial Award for Bandura to Mychailo Panchenko – “Ukrayinska Fantasia” by O. Nezovybatko, and Alicia Osaveliuk – “Khvylyna Rozpachu” by Lysenko; and the Ron Cahute Music Award for Voice went to Anna Tanchak – “Viyut Vitry” arranged by Lysenko/lyrics by M. Churay, and Sofia Haluschak – “Syple “Snih” by I. Bilyk/lyrics by M. Pidhiryanka.
Special awards from the Myron Barabash Memorial Scholarship Fund were given to the Holy Dormition of the Mother of God Church Children’s Choir (Nadiya Korol, conductor) and to the Vera Zelinsky Youth Bandurist Capella Zoloti Struny (Oksana Zelinsky Shevchuk, artistic director).
The Prometheus Stephan Onyszczuk and Stefania Szwed Foundation, Shevchenko Foundation, Ukrainian Credit Union, Buduchnist Credit Union and Stephan Caras Design Inc. have been major sponsors of the UMF for many years, and together with Delores Buka Huculak, Maria Lisowsky and others, have provided very generous financial support towards the scholarship awards presented.
A testament to Prof. Krawciw-Barabash’s legacy is the fact that the festival is a means for young music students to succeed in personal achievement, cultural growth and promotion of Ukrainian music. This is due now, in large part, to the contribution of the dedicated and hard-working UMF Organizing Committee: Marta Chomyn and Irena Patten – co-chairs, Olya Bileychuk, Halyna Dziuryn, Nadiya Korol, Mika Shepherd and Anna Wasylyk, supported by a large contingent of committed volunteer members.
According to Ms. Chomyn, the festival is a wonderful opportunity for children to prepare for the challenge and discipline to perform music on stage, learn about Ukrainian music and listen to new music performed by other hard-working participants.
Festival adjudicators (from left) Andriy Dmytrovych, Halyna Kvitka Kondracki and Ireneus Zuk.
The UMF’s success remains not only tied to dedicated educators, devoted parents, committed volunteers and sponsors, but of course, is contingent upon students who practice hard over many hours. The UMF’s main purpose is to promote Ukrainian culture by providing an opportunity for children to perform music by Ukrainian and Ukrainian-Canadian composers. There are over 20 UMF publications for music students and the general public, including Prof. Krawciw-Barabash’s own compositions, music handbooks and the 11-volume “Z. Lysko Ukrainian Folk Melodies.” Teachers and participants are welcome to choose these works to perform at the festival.
Work has already begun on the 48th Ukrainian Music Festival to be held November 30 through December 2. The 2018 UMF is dedicated to the works of Ukrainian Canadian composer Zenoby Lawryshyn, who passed away in early 2017. A tribute concert commemorating the first anniversary of his death will be held on February 4 at Humber Valley United Church, 76 Anglesey Blvd., Toronto.
For more information about the Ukrainian Music Festival and about UMF publications, readers may visit www.ukrainianmusicfestival.com or e-mail [email protected].