Triumphant Trip to Soyuzivka

Nestled high New York State’s Catskill Mountains, the Ukrainian National Association resort Soyuzivka held its 2010 Cultural Festival on the weekend of July 16-18. The Canadian Bandurist Capella made their first trip to the beautiful, scenic Soyuzivka to participate in the festival.

The first concert performed, entirely by the Canadian Bandurist Capella, was held at the Veselka Hall overlooking Soyuzivka’s patio and swimming pool.  The colourful appearance of the banduristy and singers evoked immediate applause.  Petro Stilmashenko, in Ukrainian, introduced Dr. Victor Mishalow, Merited Artist of Ukraine, Artistic Director and Choir Director, in the absence of Choir Master Andriy Dmytrovych.  The Capella’s Concert Master is Yurij Petlura.  English introductions were made by Petro Dmytrasz. The first number with beautiful lilting cadences was “Play Bandurist”.  After a long and enthusiastic applause the Capella performed “A Willow on the Steppe” describing a maiden who haughtily resists the charms of a kozak.  The soft introduction of the music echoed hooves of horses far away that exploded as they neared, but again the music faded softly as the kozaks rode away.

“A Kozak Rides to Town” is another romantic song where a soloveyko -swallow bird is asked to call a girl for questioning by a kozak.  “A Village is Seen” describes soldiers riding into a village yearning for the sight of a young maiden before they ride off to fight for Ukraine.

“The Rising Cloud”, with the words of Taras Shevchenko, and “Haydamaky”, were rendered together.  The slow soulful beginning of the first song reflects worry over Ukraine that Shevchenko expressed so eloquently.  Haydamaky, who rose to fight oppression in Ukraine, seem to be an answer to Shevchenko’s concerns.  The music of one song progresses into the other as the haydamaky come to the rescue and the songs end on a hopeful note.  During the rendition, Petro Stilmashenko emotionally recited the words of Shevchenko as did Bohdan Temniuk.  At the end the audience shouted “Slava”-Bravo with a rousing applause.

In the song “Unsaddle Your Horses”, kozaks rest for the night and dig a well to water their horses before continuing to fight for Ukraine.  As a bonus, a young girl comes to the well in the morning.

In perfect form and with a sweet expressive voice, Victor Sheweli sang “My God What a Night”.  Perhaps inspired by Soyuzivka, this strong rendition depicts a young kozak tenderly carrying a young girl with his warm heart like warm embers.  Another outstanding solo was sung by Mykola Maskulka in “Mazepa”, arranged by Victor Mishalow.  It portrays the sadness of Mazepa leaving Ukraine after his defeat in 1709 by Tsar Peter I of Moscow.

Mykola Maskulka sang the solo in “Bandurist the Eagle” written by Taras Shevchenko for his friend, the writer Markewych.  The bandurist is exhorted to fly like a bird over Ukraine and Shevchenko wishes he could follow.  The nine bandurists showcased their virtuosity by playing “Echo of the Steppes”, a popular instrumental piece composed by Hryhorij Kytasty.  It was warmly received by an appreciative audience.

Taras Shevchenko’s “The Mighty, Roaring Dnipro” was sung and played by the Capella while Bohdan Temniuk recited Shevchenko’s verses.  The effect was mesmerizing.

The audience responded with jovial enthusiasm as the Capella turned to a happier medley of Ukrainian songs and ended in a kolomeyka.  The audience clapped in rhythm to the happy melodies, and the performance ended with a standing ovation as Victor Mishalow was awarded a bouquet of flowers.  Many people in the audience remarked that it was an exceptional concert.  Later that afternoon only the bandurists, without the singers, again, entertained a very receptive audience.

That evening, on a large makeshift outdoor stage, a gala concert included many entertainers. Other numbers in this concert featured Roma Pryma Bohachevsky’s Dance Workshop, The Kupalo Dancers from Edmonton, singer Lyudmila Fesenko, musicians Serhij Pobedinski and Vitaliy Zhmud as well as the vivacious violin virtuoso, Inessa Tyochko-Dekajlo.

The Canadian Bandurist Capella opened the concert to a round of applause as their colourful costumes brightened the evening stage.  They began with “Play Bandurist” in great form.  Their blend of voices and banduras wove a feast of auditory joy.  Getting into the spirit, Victor Mishalow himself introduced “Unsaddle Your Horses” and the rhythm reflected the beat of horses coming closer and closer to the village where a young girl will meet the kozaks.  When the banduras played “Echoes of the Steppes”, Victor Mishalow asked the audience to imagine long grasses waving in the wind on the steppes with sounds breaking out from the rustling grasses.

“The Sun is Low, I Rush to You, My Sweatheart” was rendered sweetly and softly with such romantic lyrics, but it moved into a more lively melody which morphed into a comic touch by Steve Dacko groaning that as an old man he can’t keep up with the dancing and he’s going home.  Laughter and applause greeted this comic relief.

The concert continued with many other excellent numbers.  The President of the Ukrainian National Association, Stefan Kaczaraj, greeted and thanked everyone on the occasion of the Fourth Annual Cultural Festival at Soyuzivka.  But, the evening was still far from over.  After the concert, the Zrada Band from Winnipeg began to play.  Our fellow Canadians were also greeted with great enthusiasm but the following sensation were the Haydamaky rock group from Ukraine.  They played far into the early hours of the morning.

The last day of the festival, on Sunday, July 18 our bandurists alone without the singers took part in a concert at noon at Veselka Hall.  They shared the stage with the Dumka Choir from New York. This choir, which has been in existence for 60 years, sang beautiful arrangements of popularly known songs and even an operatic aria and an American marching song.

Our bandurists played the “Zaporozhian March”, “Echoes of the Steppes” and the beautiful dance “Kochanochka” with the melody begging for choreography.  The dance tunes and final kolomeykas were so loved by the audience that they did not want the bandurists to leave the stage; but there was little time for encores as the bus driver was waiting and home in Toronto beckoned.  It seemed both the audience and Capella thoroughly enjoyed each other and perhaps at a future dated the experience could be repeated.  Late that night, the Capella returned to the Ukrainian National Federation Toronto  Community Centre and made their way home after a weekend well spent.

Halyna Wawryshyn