2012 Tarnawecky Distinguished Lecture Series 

Honours Luba and Ireneus Zuk Piano Duo

The 2012 Professors Michael and Iraida Tarnawecky Distinguished Lecture Series honoured the Montreal based piano duo of Drs. Luba and Ireneus Zuk. The event was held in Winnipeg on October 3, 2012 in Eva Clare Hall, Faculty of Music, University of Manitoba. The lecture-recital was organized by the Centre for Ukrainian Canadian Studies (Faculty of Arts, U of M), under whose auspices the series is managed.

The evening was chaired by Prof. Roman Yereniuk, Acting Director of CUCS, who provided the background to Prof. Michael and Dr. Iraida Tarnawecky, two long-time professors of the University of Manitoba. Their important vision to establish the Distinguished Lecture Series in 2002 has provided the U of M and the Ukrainian Canadian community of Winnipeg with a most prestigious event every two years that honours prominent Ukrainian Canadian academics. Further, Dr. Yereniuk also provided the background to the two academics chosen for 2012 – Drs. Luba and Ireneus Zuk.

The Zuks provided the attentive audience with an evening of foremost duo piano music, with an introductory description of each work, as well as a critical evaluation and information about each composer. Subsequently, music was performed by such Ukrainian or Ukrainian Canadian composers as: Myroslaw Skoryk (1939- ) – “Entrada”; Fedir Akimenko (1876-1945) – “Six Pices Ukrainiennes” – ‘Dumka’ and ‘Lystopad’ (two performed); Ihor Bilohrud (1916-1992) – “Sonatina”; Yuriy Fiala (1922- ) – “Concerto da Camera”; Evhen Stankovych (1942- ) – “Ancient Dances of Verkhovyna”; Gary Kulesha (1954- ) – excerpt from “Mythologies”; Halyna Ovcharenko (1963- ) – “Five Fragments”; Hennadij Lashenko (1938- ) - “…i Dzvony Dyvnoho Zvuchannia”; and Lesia Dychok (1939- ) – “Dramatic Tryptych”. The balance between the Ukrainian composers and those from Ukrainian Canadian origins was most appropriate. Also, it should be recognized that four of the composers wrote their works especially for the Zuk Piano Duo, a true honour for their outstanding mastery of the piano.

All the musical compositions provided some form of being rooted in the Ukrainian experience – Ukrainian folklore and traditions. Sometimes, folk songs provided inspiration for the music or even church bells, as well as the sacred (church music) Resurrectional chant of “Khrystos Voskres” (Christ Is Risen). As such, this enriched the music of the XX century composers from Ukraine and Canada.

The two distinguished piano artists were presented with flowers by two students of the Faculty of Music and who are also involved in CUCS’s courses – Melita Mudri-Zubacz and Viktoria Grynenko. The evening ended with the entire audience standing up and singing a vigorous and resounding “Na Mnohi Lita – May They Be Granted Many Years” as a fitting salute to the two performers.

The final remarks and gratitude were expressed by Dr. Denis Hlynka, Chairperson of the Policy Council of the CUCS. In his remarks, he stated “we have witnessed a cornucopia of music: Skoryk’s Spanish melodies; Akimenko’s Ukrainian themes; Bilohrud’s pedagogic excursions; and Fiala’s wonderful atonality – the kind that the uninitiated will listen to thinking that every single note sounds wrong(!) and intuitively understand that it was exactly right. Then we heard Kulesha’s “Khrystos Voskres” coming from one piano, with contemporary soundscapes coming from the other. There were Stankovych’s pounding rhythms from “Verkhovyna.” There were not one but two women composers – Halya Ovcharenko and Lesia Dychko, the latter departing from her often heard choral music. Finally, Lashenko’s impressionistic sounds of a storm brewing, coupled with bells and the rustling of leaves and the sound of wind, like an early October blizzard. We have witnessed an amazing evening of piano music and deserving recognition is due to the polished piano duo of Luba and Ireneus Zuk. This event is the quintessential example of the Ukrainian and Ukrainian Canadian contribution to the Canadian arts and the world of fine music.”

Altogether, the partnership of the Tarnawecky Distinguished Lecture Series and the Luba and Ireneus Zuk Piano Duo, along with the coordinating work of the Centre for Ukrainian Canadian Studies (U of M), produced the concert event of the year, unmatched in its teamed lecture-recital style, its musical execution, and its artistry.

The Centre for Ukrainian Canadian Studies is an academic unit of the University of Manitoba that exists to preserve, create and communicate knowledge relating to Ukrainian Canadiana through teaching, research and community outreach. For further information, call 204-474-8906 or e-mail cucs@cc.umanitoba.ca or visit website www.umanitoba.ca/ukrainian_canadian_studies

PHOTO

Luba and Ireneus Zuk Piano Duo