Chez Zuks

The last Sunday of February was made most enjoyable in Toronto by Canada’s famous piano duo of Luba and Ireneus Zuk who appeared in concert at the Royal York Road United Church. A perennial favourite, the Zuk Duo never fails to please their Toronto audience. This year was no exception. It was an eclectic programme of new and old, modern and traditional, Canadian and Ukrainian. Pianist Ireneus Zuk set the tone for the afternoon by addressing the audience directly. Apparently, piano duets were introduced by Mozart and his sister nearly 250 years ago at a concert in London. Of course, the Zuk Duo is also a brother-sister team – no less famous.

Recently, Luba and Ireneus Zuk were invited by the Ministry of Culture of China to perform in the Land of the Dragon – China. There they played recitals and presented master classes while promoting Canadian music and culture. This was one of those rare occasions when “Made in China” was replaced by “Made in Canada”. Ukrainian-Canadians have always contributed to the Canadian cultural mosaic and we should be proud when representatives of our community represent Canada abroad.

The concert entitled Four Hands: Song and Dance and More began with Schubert’s Marche hroique, op.27, no.3 – a rousing piece. Musical get-togethers with Schubert and his friends were once called Schubertiads. Get-togethers with Luba and Ireneus could be called Chez Zuks (With the Zuks). The programme also included Schubert’s Grande Sonate, op.30 and his Marche charactristique op.121, no.2 (as an encore) as well as the master programme that the piano duo demonstrated at the 32^nd Conference of the European Piano Teacher Association in Slovenia last October – Canadian Folk Songs by Montreal-born Violet Archer (b. Balestreri), Concerto da Camera by Ukrainian-born George Fiala, and Pices ukrainiennes, op.71 by Ukrainian composer Thodore Akimenko. Two Slavonic Dances by Dvořak, op.72 no.10 and op.46 no.1, concluded the concert.

What with the folksongs, marches and dances, it was truly a lively and enjoyable afternoon. The church was full, the audience enthusiastic, and the event – over too soon. Luba and Ireneus have been performing together as a piano duo since 1977. They continue to delight both their followers and any newcomers who hear them for the first time. The concert was supported by both the Royal York Road United Church and the Ukrainian Music Festival.

Ireneus Zuk drew the audience’s attention to the music of Thodore Akimenko, in particular. Akimenko (Федір Якименко) had a distinguished international career. His music was published by some of the most reputable music publishers in Europe. He was the brother of Yakiv Stepovy, and he was Igor Stravinsky’s first teacher of composition. By the way, Stravinsky too is of Ukrainian descent. These famous Ukrainians, including Luba and Ireneus Zuk, we should never forget.

Wasyl Sydorenko

Toronto composer and musicologist

PHOTO

Piano duo of Ireneus and Luba Zuk