“Prolisok” Blossomed in Chicago

By Kateryna Shpir

 “Prolisok” is a youth vocal performing ensemble established ten years ago in Toronto. From that time on, while some members left and new ones joined, different songs were introduced and new costumes were made. However, one thing never changed: “Prolisok” always welcomed unique challenges and adventures.

Our most recent trip was to Chicago for the “Sviato Heroiv Ukrainy” commemoration concert on June 3, held at St. Nicholas School Auditorium, to remember and celebrate the forgotten and unmentioned heroes of Ukraine. The organizers and sponsors of our trip was the “Orange Wave”, a Ukrainian community organization in Chicagoland.

From the time we found out about the concert in April, conductor Oles Konyk, had been stressing the significance of our invitation to the “Windy City”. A heavy load lay on our shoulders as we were determined to impress the people of Chicago and reassure them that we are, indeed, worthy of such an invitation to their great city.

Our weekend journey started Friday midnight when all choir members gathered at the Islington Subway Station, prepared for a 10-hour bus ride. Everyone was extremely excited and the first two hours included many laughs and playful stories over midnight snacks. This did not last long. In short time, the whole bus was fast-asleep, with bodies swaying only to the occasional bumps on the empty and dark road. The landscape and scenery of Canada and the United States went by unnoticed, while dreams filled the sleep memories of the 10-hour drive.

We arrived at our hotel early Saturday morning and hardly had time to unpack and settle in. The Ukrainians of Chicago prepared a compact and detailed itinerary program for us and as fast as one can say “Sviato Heroiv Ukrainy”, the ensemble members were riding Chicago’s public transit downtown “Loop” with a very friendly and informative guide named Yuriy.

We stopped on the shore of Lake Michigan where from the historic Navy Pier, Yuriy pointed out the best known landmarks of the largest city in the State of Illinois. The city was marvellous. It was alive with people and excitement. The most memorable site for me was Millennium Park. It is an award-winning open space for art, music, architecture and landscape design that is Chicago’s cultural hub along its lakeshore. The large, unimaginable, postmodern design of Crown Fountain left a long-lasting impression of awe. It has two 50-foot towers made from transparent glass block bricks, which are submerged under water. Behind the glass bricks are high-tech LED video-screens that display different faces, which (just like historical fountains containing gargoyles spitting water) open their mouths and specialized nozzles spray water into the centre of a reflecting pond.

After visiting Downtown Chicago, our ensemble was whisked away to the city’s famous and historic Ukrainian Village for dinner at Sak’s Ukrainian Village Restaurant and Lounge. Sak’s menu included a buffet of the most excellent sausage, cabbage, borscht and bratwurst, which were all family recipes. Generous helpings of dish portions left the entire choir satiated. When we finished dinner, we were able to explore Ukrainian Village and discovered the beautiful St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral, a culturally and architecturally significant structure that dates back to 1915. After an exhausting yet exhilarating day, “Prolisok” members collapsed onto their hotel beds and slept until the next morning.

The next day was the concert. Morning excitement rose quickly as everyone prepared their costumes, washed their hair, applied make-up and warmed-up their voices. After breakfast, “Prolisok” ensemble members were taken to the concert hall to study stage directions and review songs for the performance. An hour before the concert, nerve jitters heightened as everyone was rushing and making last-minute preparations. At 1 p.m., we were called to our seats at the front of the hall as the concert was about to start, shortly.

The start of music filled the hall and while the audience stood silent, two men in uniform proceeded to the front of the hall, one with a Ukrainian Flag and the other with an American Flag. After everyone was seated, opening remarks were delivered by the Consul General of Ukraine in Chicago, the Hon. Vasyl Korzachenko, followed by a speech given by journalist Fedir Konyk, the guest speaker of the event who also hails from Canada. Both were very powerful and patriotic and initiated a feeling of pride and heroism at the prelude to the concert. The subsequent artistic performance items found on the concert programme was even more inspiring. The paramount words and effortless yet masterful performance of the actors reopened the door to Ukraine’s heroic but cloaked past. Each individual in the audience and each member of “Prolisok” was profoundly moved and when it was time for “Prolisok” to sing, in every one of us I saw passion and a desire to reinforce the actor’s words with the competence of our singing. At the concert finale, many of us were brought to tears as mixed emotions of love, nostalgia and devotion to our Motherland swelled up within us.

Now, as I browse through the pictures that we took in Chicago and recall the wonderful memories, I have one regret being that we could not have stayed longer. Otherwise, I would have tried to explore more of this wondrous urban place and better acquaint myself with the extraordinary Ukrainians of the “Windy City” who gave me this marvellous and once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.