Adriana Shmahalo

Ukrainian Music Gems Shine in Chamber Music Concert a music review under this title was published in the Sacramento Bee on March 5, 2002 by art critic Patricia Beach Smith.

The well-publicized concert Jewels of Ukraine took place on Sunday, March 3 at the California State University of Sacramento music hall. The program consisted of the Concerto in D Major by Dmytro Bortniansky for bandura and string quartet, and the Suite-Cycle Four Trips to Ukraine for bandura and piano by Yuriy Oliynyk with the well-known pianist Thomas Hrynkiw. The Sacramento public had the opportunity to hear the Ukrainian bandura once again. In the words of the above mentioned music critic the sound of the bandura combined the sounds of a music box, a harpsichord, and a harp. The brilliant passages and charming themes of the Bortniansky Concerto were beautifully brought out by Ola Herasymenko Oliynyk with excellent and sensitive support from the string quartet comprised of excellent musicians William Barbini first violin, Kineko Okumura second violin, Igor Veligan viola, and Julie Hochmann cello. The balance between the bandura soloist and the strings was skillfully maintained in the classical tradition of the music.

The following suite by Yuriy Oliynyk featured a Spring Dance alluding to prehistoric rituals performed in Ukraine that continue to this day as hahilky. Next there was the mysterious sounding movement Harvest Rites. The exotic nature of this movement was underlined by whole-tone glissandos on the bandura and 7/8 rhythms that were supported by the subtle accompaniment of pianist Thomas Hrynkiw. The third movement followed with colorful harmonies that represented Multicolored Autumn in Ukraine. The fourth movement Winter Contrasts is a piece full of fun with downhill slides remembered from childhood in Ukraine by the composer. A brief quotation from a Ukrainian Christmas carol stated in the bandura and followed by a statement in the piano part was a comforting reminder of wintertime in Ukraine. The Suite was presented in its entirety for the first time in California. The long applause of the overflowing audience rewarded the performers of this West Coast premiere. The balance of the program was filled with a romantic cello sonata by Ukrainian composer Victor Kosenko performed by cellist Robin Bonnell and pianist Thomas Hrynkiw with passion, brilliant technique and fine balance between the two instruments.

After the intermission the audience was treated to the Souvenir de Florence by Peter Tchaikowsky whose music often features Ukrainian melodies and whose family tree includes partial Ukrainian roots. The four movements of this string sextet were played with a fine musical temperament and rhythmic precision. Two additional musicians joined the string quartet for this performance: Jim Een violist and Robin Bonnell cellist.

In retrospect, one wishes that performances of this caliber, that include American audiences and musicians, would occur more often in California and elsewhere in the USA. The Ukrainian music and the Ukrainian concert bandura would undoubtedly capture wider audiences and contribute to the popularization of Ukrainian culture.