2007 Summer Program in Lviv at the Ukrainian Catholic University

Compiled by John Pidkowich

L’VIV, Ukraine – Building on the success of previous years, the Ukrainian Catholic University in L’viv has once again developed a summer program of three Summer Schools: an intensive course of daily Ukrainian-language instruction, a course in Church Sacred Music and a course in icon-painting. All summer school courses are complemented with a schedule of activities to offer students full immersion into Ukrainian culture.

The UCU Summer Schools are an in an Academic Centre for learning within an international context and enable intense study in a relatively relaxed environment and to encourage growth in personal faith by providing a spiritual experience.

The Summer Program has always attracted a lively and interesting group of students from North America, Europe and Ukraine. Participants in previous summer programs have included university students, professionals improving their language skills, as well as adults who want to learn, or re-learn, their native language and become more aware of their Ukrainian heritage. To accommodate students, a Western-style dormitory is available, however, choosing to live with a host family can enhance a student’s experience of Ukraine.

The Ukrainian Language Summer School at UCU, now in its fifth year, is organized into two three-week sessions: June 22 through July 14, and July 15 through August 4, 2007. Each three-week session can be audited or can be taken for university credit (each session is equivalent to a 4-credit semester course in North American colleges). Participants can enroll in one, or both, summer sessions. Upon arrival at the UCU for the Summer School, students will be tested for placement in the appropriate level of language instruction. No prior knowledge of Ukrainian is required. The full-day language course is provided at the Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced levels. Intensive language classes normally meet for four to five hours per day in the morning and afternoon during the week. An international faculty of native Ukrainian speakers has experience as teachers of Ukrainian as a foreign language, whose expertise can pace Ukrainian-language instruction in the classroom. Work outside the classroom usually requires between two and three hours per day. As a key element of the course, participants will have time for conversational practice with tutorial staff that is always available to assist student participants and guide them through a variety of planned activities.

 “Of course, as a university, we are focused on students who will be taking our course for class credit,” noted UCU Summer Program Director Orysia Hachko, “nonetheless, we sincerely encourage people of all ages and backgrounds to participate in the intensive language course and cultural program, which is also designed to be accessible to busy professionals and adults with responsibilities who cannot take more than a few weeks to participate in a summer course.”

Other UCU Summer Program offerings include the Sacred Music Summer School from June 28 to July 15, 2007 at the Institute of Liturgical Studies. Church choir conductors, cantors, liturgical singers, teachers, individuals involved in post-secondary training of church musicians as well as those called to sacred music ministry are invited to attend. The course programme includes: liturgical singing, conducting, voice lessons, history and theology of liturgical singing and optional theory of music, harmony and composition. New this year is a course on musical palaeography, led by Prof. Christian Hannick from Wurzburg, Germany. In putting together the programme, the wishes of individual participants will be considered. By completing the online registration form (www.ucu.edu.ua/ukr/summerschools/pastoral/reg_ukr/), participants are required to state their level of musicianship and interests in particular areas of study. For more information contact Natalia Syrotynsky, School Coordinator at the UCU Institute of Liturgical Studies at irmos@ichistory.org or phone 380-32 240-99-40 ext. 127. Roman Hurko, coordinator for North America may be reached by email at rhurko@gmail.com.

Finally, the Summer School of Icon Painting (July 2-21,2007) is the unique chance for those who wish to gain skills in iconography. The aim of the School programme is not only to teach its participants basic drawing skills, but also to introduce a basic theory of the theological icon and reveal the spiritual richness of iconography. For more information visit www.ucu.edu.ua/ipss

L’viv, designated by UNESCO as cultural heritage centre, is the largest city in the world in which Ukrainian is spoken. Evening activities and weekend field trips include the cultural events and museums of L’viv, expeditions to monasteries, castles and villages in the countryside, the possibility of travel to Ukraine’s Capital, Kyiv, as well as other nearby cities.

Application deadlines are: May 15 for the Ukrainian Language Summer School and May 30 for both the Sacred Music and Icon-Painting Summer Schools. An application for the Ukrainian Language Summer School can be completed online at www.ucu.edu.ua/uss. Further information can be obtained by contacting Orysia Hachko, Ukrainian Language and Culture Summer Program, Ukrainian Catholic University, vul. Ilariona Sventsitskoho, 17, L’viv, 79011, UKRAINE. Telephone: 38 / 032 / 240-99-40, 76-82-73, fax: 38 / 032 / 240-99-50 or by e-mail: ukrainiansummer@ucu.edu.ua.  Fees, payment schedule, visa requirements and other information is also available through the website: http://www.ucu.edu.ua/eng/summerschools/