Vesnivka Choir with the Toronto Ukrainian Male Chamber Choir

 under the direction of Halyna Kvitka Kondracki

By John Pidkowich

 “Tango” was an afternoon of popular songs of Ivan Bohdan Vesolowskyj presented by the Vesnivka Choir with the Toronto Ukrainian Male Chamber Choir under the direction of Halyna Kvitka Kondracki. Performed April 29, 2012 at the UNF Trident Hall in Toronto, Vesnivka’s spring concert this year featured 22 Ukrainian songs of the 1930s, 40s, 50s and 60s written and/or composed by Vesolowskyj first in Lviv, Ukraine and then later in Montreal, Canada. I.B. Vesolowskyj starting writing songs for solo voice or duet at the tender age of 16 set to the dance music of foxtrots, tangos, light waltzes and rumbas when this genre of orchestral jazz music was heard at the height of popularity. He had his first big hit at 22 in 1937 – Pryjde sche chas (“That Time Will Come”).

A similar concert programme was first performed by Vesnivka in 2010, for which Vesolowskyj’s music was arranged for choral voices and “Big Band” orchestra by the talented Victor Stepurko in Kyiv and Zenon Lawryshyn as well as the orchestration work of Myroslav Ivaniw.  Now, back by popular demand, this spring’s doubly sold-out concert was an opportunity for eager listeners to sway to the dance music and sing along to songs from an era almost gone-by in the ambience of an elegant “dance hall” with a glass of wine in hand served with fine hor d’ oeuvres . The audience also could reminisce and further submerse their senses into another time and place by being visually treated to excerpts of the multi-media video presentation “1930s Ukrainian Retro” created in Ukraine by O. Zolkevich.

The Vesnivka Choir and soloists charmed the concert goers with such favourites: Willing to Love – soloist O. Oshlanska and ensemble voices of I. Bobrowsky, T. Lysiak, L. Nimchuk, I. Soltys, I. Nabereznyj and Z. Kudla; and That Special Someone – L. Komorowsky and A. Yaschyshyn. One of the highlights was the sophisticated rendition of Night performed by TUMCC baritone soloist Alex Tyssiak. The biggest applause of hands went to numbers performed by the “combined choir’ of Vesnivka joined by the audience in singing their rendition of Song of Longing, Regrets, Bewitching Carpathians, How Can I Not Love You?, and Starry Night. This year, all concert numbers were adapted from the previous orchestral music score for a smaller band ensemble by the talented Ron Cahute of Burya Band. He also provided the choir and soloists with his accordion accompaniment together with the fine instrumental performance of Robert Horvath – piano, Mark Zubek – drums/percussion, and David Morris on guitar.

The Vesnivka Choir is grateful for the support of the Toronto Arts Council, Shevchenko Foundation, Olzhych Foundation in Canada, Ukrainian Credit Union Ltd., Buduchnist and RBC, Sun Products Corp., Ukrainian Canadian Social Services (Toronto) and individual donors.

Vesnivka’s new 24-song CD recording Vesolowskyj – Popular Songs featuring the Vesnivka and Toronto Ukrainian Male Chamber Choirs with Burya Band is now available for $20. For more information, telephone 416-246-9880, email nykola@vesnivka.com or visit www.vesnivka.com .

PHOTO (Katherine Parsei)

Vesnivka Choir with the Toronto Ukrainian Male Chamber Choir under the direction of Halyna Kvitka Kondracki