On June 26th 2022 The Ukrainian Classical Voice Project proudly presented a Benefit Concert at the historic Troy Savings Bank Music Hall.

The New York Capital Region’s Ukrainian-American community came together to present this 4.5 hour event featuring classical and ethnic music, traditional dance and songs.

Professional performers, students of all ages and wonderful local organizations joined their efforts in celebrating Ukrainian cultural heritage in their unwavering support of the people of Ukraine.

Opera singers, bandura players, folk dance ensembles, children’s choir – this event was truly a feast for the eyes, ears and, most importantly, the audience’s hearts!

Notable appearances included sopranos Dr. Sylvia Stoner-Hawkins and the UCVP founder Irina Petrik, bass-baritone Charles Martin, pianists Michael Clement and Noah Palmer, composer Dr. Evan Mack, guitarist Roman Karpishka, “Syzokryli” Ukrainian dance ensemble led by Orlando Pagan, “Zorepad” Ukrainian children dance ensemble led by Adrienne and Peter Fil, children bandura capella of Capital District School of Ukrainian Studies led by Zoya Shepko, WTEN anchor woman Lydia Kulbida as our extraordinary MC, among others.

Local elementary, middle and high school students from Shenendehowa, Colonie, Guliderland, Albany, Saratoga and East Greenbush school districts, as well as voice students from Skidmore College, The College of Saint Rose, Crane School of Music, Liberty University, Peabody Conservatory of Music raised their voices in solidarity with Ukraine, many of them performing a Ukrainian piece in the original language for the first time ever! The audience was treated to the rarely-heard operatic arias and art songs by Mykola Lysenko, Oleksandr Bilash, Kyrylo Stetsenko, Mykhailo Zherbin, Viktor Kosenko, Levko Revutsky, Mykhailo Verbytsky, Denys Bonkovsky, Volodymyr Ivasyuk, Platon Maiboroda.

Our most heartfelt gratitude goes out to our sponsors: Ukrainian Congress Committee of America New York Capital District Branch, Ukrainian American Cultural Club, Ridna Shkola, Modern Press, Lana Ortiz Photography, Jewelz Design Studio, 518 Ukrainians.

On December 16th 2022 the Ukrainian Classical Voice Project had the privilege of delivering a presentation and a lecture recital titled “The Magic of Ukrainian Song” at the Casino Club of Chicago, one of the city’s oldest society clubs.

The PowerPoint presentation focused on the history, context and musical origins of the featured pieces which were executed by the guest artist Irina Petrik and Olga Sklyanskaya, a vocal accompanist at Northwestern University’s Bienen School of Music. The two Kyiv-born Gliere Municipal Academy alumni were overjoyed to kick off the holiday season by performing together at a historical Chicago venue as part of the UCVP educational concert series.

The audience was treated to both the popular staples and the hidden gems of Ukrainian vocal tradition, as the attendees were introduced to the treasured masterpieces written by Maksym Berezovsky, Dmytro Bortnyansky, Mykola Lysenko, Vladyslav Zaremba, Alois Jedliczka, Anatoly Kos-Anatolsky, Stanyslav Lyudkevych, Lesia Dychko, Ihor Shamo.

Along with the beautiful concert, this presentation brought to light an important and timely inquiry about the significance of sharing diverse narratives in their quest for inclusivity. By involving communities of various social backgrounds, UCVP aims to initiate a dialogue regarding the potential of music education as a fertile ground for fostering transformation, experimentation, renewal and societal growth on a broader scale.

On February 19th 2023 the Ukrainian Classical Voice Project teamed up with the conductor Noah Palmer, the artistic director at Trinity Music in Lenox, MA and our own soprano guest artist Irina Petrik, presenting a recital titled “A Ukrainian Journey”. As a united force, Noah and Irina skillfully intertwined the art songs and arias by Ukrainian composers, taking the audience on an immersive journey through the experiences of every immigrant in a New World.

The concert featured operatic arias and art songs by Mykola Lysenko, Yuliy Meitus, Myroslav Skoryk, Kostyantyn Dankevych, Semen Hulak-Artemovsky, Mykola Arkas, Stefania Turkewich, Vasyl Barvinsky, Anatoly Kos-Anatolsky, as well as works by Gian Carlo Menotti and Leslie Adams.

Additionally, in an unexpected and surprising pairing, the dynamic duo featured George and Ira Gershwin’s show tunes, as a nod to the Gershwin brothers’ Ukrainian heritage.

In April 2023 the Ukrainian Classical Voice Project presented a week-long residency at UNL’s Glenn Korff School of Music which offered several Ukrainian diction group classes, as well as individual coachings on IPA transcription, pronunciation, physiological nuances of specific language-related vocal delivery, dramatic presentation and Ukrainian music history. The residency culminated in a final lecture recital highlighting the rarely-heard vocal works of the underrepresented composers of Ukraine, and featuring the students and distinguished faculty members of the institution.

Dr. Suna Avci Gunther, Prof. Amy Guevara and Prof. Brianna Smith were joined by students Reagan Hinze, Cali Mah and Amy Johnson, as they masterfully performed the art songs and arias by Ukrainian composers Stefania Turkewich, Kyrylo Stetsenko, Dmytro Bortnyansky, Anatoly Kos-Anatolsky, Vitakiy Kyreiko and Denys Sichynsky. The recital was presented during the school convocation in an effort to share these unique pieces with the entire student body. Special thanks for the outstanding piano accompaniment are owed to Dr. Denis Plutalov.

The level of preparation, work ethic, enthusiasm and the sincere desire of this outstanding school’s team to promote the message of peace and freedom in the time of war is nothing short of awe-inspiring.

As we witnessed these singers breathe new life into Ukrainian masterpieces in the 21st century, our hearts grew several sizes. Thank you for being the voice of change, UNL Huskers!

In March 2023 the Ukrainian Classical Voice Project was thrilled to provide a presentation titled “The Underrepresented Composers of Ukraine and Their Contribution To The Vocal Genres”  as part of the Regional Conference of the National Association of Teachers of Singing, Eastern Chapter. The conference was hosted by Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, NY.

The PowerPoint presentation included poetry by Ukrainian oppositioner Taras Shevchenko, provided insights into the heartbreaking life paths of Ukrainian composers of the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries and gave detailed examples of oppression, persecution, subjugation and exploitation of the marginalized Ukrainian creative voices during the time of Russian Empire and the Soviet Regime.

The event concluded with a heartfelt performance of Ukrainian art songs and arias by Dmytro Bortnyansky, Mykhailo Zherbin, Mykola Lysenko, Kyrylo Stetsenko sung by the local undergraduate students Alexis Cummings, Reeza Abadi, Elizabeth Diaz Sartillo, Megan Galucci and Alexis Estevez  wearing traditional Ukrainian attire. The final National Anthem of Ukraine was offered by Solomia Dovgan, an elementary student whose grandfather was recently killed in the battlefield fighting for Ukraine’s freedom. Glory to the Hero!  Героям Слава!

In May 2022 the UCVP was fortunate to join the faculty and students at Rio Hondo College in Whittier, California. In light of Putin’s brutal invasion of Ukraine, the student body decided to dedicate their end of year showcase to Ukrainian art songs set to poems by a Ukrainian freedom fighter Taras Shevchenko, the founder of the revolutionary democratic trend in the history of Ukrainian social thought.

In preparation for the recital, our founder Irina Petrik worked with the students via Zoom, offering individual and group coachings on Ukrainian diction, pronunciation and dramatic expression. The students led by their extraordinary music director and social activist Dr. Joanne Choe participated in lively and meaningful discussions exploring such key subjects as cultural appropriation in music, the importance of bringing attention to the concepts of privilege, equity, creative freedom and inclusion.

In their final performance the young singers successfully demonstrated proficiency in Ukrainian diction, while singing solos, duets and choral pieces by Mykola Lysenko, Yakiv Stepov, Hordiy Hladky, Dmytro Kryzhanivsky and Borys Lyatoshynsky. Driven by a genuine wish to assist Ukraine in its time of crisis, the Rio Hondo students diligently prepared and passionately rendered the National Anthem of Ukraine.