37th Ukrainian Music Festival – UMF

By John Pidkowich

The 37th Ukrainian Music Festival was held November 30, December 1st and 2nd , 2007,at the elegant premises of the Ukrainian National Federation Community Centre, 145 Evans Ave. in Toronto.

Marta Krawciw Barabash founded the Festival in 1970. After Mrs. Barabash’s death in 2002, the Festival  remains vibrant and successful due to dedicated hardworking executive members. The Festival Executive is headed by co-Presidents Marta Chomyn and Irena Patten. Myron Barabash is Honorary President.

The aim of the Festival is to promote the music of Ukrainian composers for piano, violin, bandura, voice, guitar, violoncello and violin. The 2007 festival had over 200 children (aged five and up) and teenagers in competition performing primarily solo and some duet pieces. Participants were both of Ukrainian heritage and of non-Ukrainian background.

The jury of adjudicators was comprised of Tetiana Tkachenko, Zenoby Lawryshyn, Ireneus Zuk, Oleh Machlay and Kvitka Zorych-Kondracki. Every year, recognition is paid to various Ukrainian composers.

The first half of this year’s Final Concert was dedicated to the victims of the Holodomor Famine Genocide in Ukraine 1932-33 with a word from witness and survivor Mykola Latyshko. This commemorative part of the Concert Programme was enhanced by performances of the St. Sophia School Vocal Ensemble under the direction of Tanya Kraw, pianists Ania Masaryk and Jennifer Liu, and cellist Oleksandra Bileychuk. The “Prolisok” Youth Ensemble with soloists Orysia Yuzych, Diana Plichtiak and Roman Kuk sang under the direction of Olesya Konyk and piano accompaniment by Mychajlo Romaniuk.

The Concert’s second half was a tribute to the late Marta Barabash and her published music and works on Ukrainian music. To the delight of a well-attended concert audience, about 40 young entrants, winners of their class by instrument and age, performed their pieces. Hosted by Zorianna Kilyk, a young festival participant, awards and scholarships were presented to winners according to competition category.  Piano scholarships in memory of Marta Krawciw Barabash from the Barabash Family were given to Anastasia Rizikov, Daniel Crosner and Julia Robinson, and Larissa Stech and Aleksandra Wasylyk – Piano Duet. A violin scholarship from the Dr. Peter and Mary Pidkowich Fund was given to Marta Skira. From the Stefa Fedchuk Fund, a voice scholarship was given to Oleksandra Chaplyhina and a cello scholarship went to Oleksandra Bileychuk. Sofia Godula and Oles Kolach received each a bandura scholarship from the Roman Zazula Fund. The “Zajvir” Children’s Choir under the direction of Olesya Konyk and piano accompaniment by Oksana Skiras as well as “Prolisok” and the St. Sophia choirs received scholarships in memory of Marta Krawciw Barabash. All participants in the Final Concert received a monetary award from the Ukrainian Credit Union.

Work on the 38th Ukrainian Music Festival is well on the way, to be held December 5-7, 2008, at the UNF Community Centre in Toronto. For more information, contact UMF at 416-762-7988 or visit www.ukrainianmusicfestival.com

Kiwanis “Key Notes” on Music Festival Season

The Toronto Kiwanis Music Festival takes place in February and our children and teenagers from the Ukrainian Canadian community participate and compete in the Festival’s classes for Piano, Speech Arts and Drama, Strings, Voice, Woodwinds and Brass, Orchestras, Bands and Choirs. Under the Strings-Guitar category, a Bandura Class competition will be held at 5 pm. on Thursday, February 28, 2008, at Deer Park Christ Church, Yonge and Heath Streets (North of St. Clair). The Bandura Class winner receives the Pidkowich Family scholarship, awarded annually. For more information, contact the Toronto Kiwanis Music Festival at 416-487-5887.