"Songs from the Heart"
June 26, 2022
Troy Savings Bank Music Hall
Troy, New York
The Ukrainian Classical Voice Project proudly presented Songs from the Heart, a major benefit concert at the historic Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, bringing together New York’s Capital Region Ukrainian-American community, professional musicians, students, educators, and cultural organizations in solidarity with the people of Ukraine. Presented just months after the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion, the four-and-a-half-hour event celebrated the richness and resilience of Ukrainian culture through classical and traditional music, song, and dance. All proceeds from the concert were dedicated to war aid for Ukraine with the support of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America, New York Capital District Branch.
The concert brought together an extraordinary multigenerational community of performers, united in support of Ukraine’s fight for freedom. Featured artists and participants included sopranos Dr. Sylvia Stoner-Hawkins and UCVP founder Irina Petrik, bass-baritone Charles Martin, pianists Michael Clement and Noah Palmer, composer Dr. Evan Mack, guitarist Roman Karpishka, the Syzokryli Ukrainian Dance Ensemble led by Orlando Pagan, the Zorepad Ukrainian Children’s Dance Ensemble led by Adrienne and Peter Fil, and the children’s bandura capella of the Capital District School of Ukrainian Studies led by Zoya Shepko. WTEN anchor Lydia Kulbida served as master of ceremonies.
Students from elementary, middle, and high schools throughout New York’s Capital Region joined voice students from Skidmore College, The College of Saint Rose, the Crane School of Music, Liberty University, and the Peabody Conservatory of Music in raising their voices in solidarity with Ukraine. For many of these young performers, the concert marked their first experience performing Ukrainian repertoire in its original language. The repertoire was selected by UCVP founder Irina Petrik, who also provided Ukrainian lyric diction coaching to all participating singers, helping make this rarely performed repertoire accessible to a new generation of artists.
The program featured Ukrainian art songs, operatic repertoire, and beloved songs by Mykola Lysenko, Mykhailo Verbytsky, Denys Bonkovsky, Kyrylo Stetsenko, Viktor Kosenko, Levko Revutsky, Mykhailo Zherbin, Platon Maiboroda, Oleksandr Bilash, and Volodymyr Ivasyuk. Through the combined voices of established professionals, emerging artists, children, and community ensembles, the concert became both a celebration of Ukraine’s cultural heritage and a collective expression of solidarity at a moment of profound national crisis.
The event was made possible with the generous support of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America, New York Capital District Branch; Ukrainian American Cultural Club; Ridna Shkola; Modern Press; Lana Ortiz Photography; Jewelz Design Studio; and 518 Ukrainians.
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