John Pidkowich for New Pathway, Toronto.
In the spirit of sharing Ukrainian choral music with others, and strong commitment to enriching the Ukrainian choral tradition, the Toronto-based Vesnivka Choir has established its e-Library of Ukrainian Choral Music. Last fall, the electronic library of Vesnivka’s sheet music first went on-line on its web-page. The official launch of the first phase and public presentation of the e-Library was hosted by Vesnivka on March 20, 2016, at the Canadian Ukrainian Art Gallery – KUMF in Toronto. This project initiative is part of Vesnivka’s 50th Anniversary Season, and a gift to all who share the love of singing and Ukrainian choral music.
“The project represents a significant milestone for Vesnivka in its mandate of promoting Ukrainian choral music,” said e-Library manager and long-time Vesnivka member, Lesia Komorowsky. “Vesnivka has an impressive repertoire of Ukrainian classical, folk, contemporary, and sacred music in its archives that it wants to share with singers around the world – thus leaving a musical legacy for generations to come.”
Vesnivka’s collection of choral music is vast, numbering well-over 1000 works written by Ukrainian and Canadian composers of Ukrainian heritage. For the purpose of choral arrangement, some works may have been modified from the original music score. Vesnivka’s sheet music is proprietary. The first phase of Vesnivka’s e-Library allows internet users visiting its web-page unrestricted access to view at this time some 70 works of music on-line. They may choose to download without any editing a copy of the sheet music either in the original Ukrainian or transliterated form in the English Alphabet for use by choirs and others also interested in sharing and performing Ukrainian choral music repertoire. Plans are underway to expand the e-Library and eventually make most of the songs from Vesnivka’s archives available on-line.
The e-Library launch program included an attractive, clear and concise educational presentation on the e-Library web-page projected live onto a large screen so that the audience could view and follow step-by-step how to search the catalogue from a multiple choice of categories, successfully obtain results, view Vesnivka’s sheet music repertoire, hear recordings, and download no-edit sheet copies.
An elegant reception followed allowing ample opportunity for those whose interest was peaked to learn more. The afternoon’s musical entertainment was provided by Halyna Dziuryn on violin and Olga Bileychuk on piano. Recognition, gratitude and significance of Vesnivka’s e-Library project were expressed by Ukrainian Canadian Congress National 1st Vice President Renata Roman on behalf of UCC and on behalf of the Ukrainian Dragons, and by Oksana Rewa, past president of UCC Toronto Branch.
This e-Library was made possible with funding received at UCC’s XXIV Triennial Congress in November 2013 as the result of a successful business case “pitch” made by the Vesnivka team to the “Ukrainian Dragons”: Borys Chabursky, Ian Ihnatowycz, John Iwaniura, Nadia Jacyk, Eugene Melnyk and James Temerty.
This e-Library has been created as part of Vesnivka's 50th anniversary legacy project. Vesnivka gratefully acknowledges the contributions of the following people to the initial development of the e-Library: Luba Czyrsky, Myroslava Diakun, Joanna Fuke, Lesia Komorowsky, Halyna Kvitka Kondracki, Talia Lysiak, Nykola Parzei, Christina Sokulsky, Nadia Saragosa, and Andriy Kudla Wynnyckyj, with special thanks to Walter Korobaylo.
Internationally acclaimed and award-winning Vesnivka Choir under the musical direction of Halyna Kvitka Kondracki presented its highly successful 50th Anniversary Gala Concert with the Elmer Iseler Singers – Lydia Adams, conductor, featured guest artists Roman Borys, Halyna Dziuryn, and the Toronto Ukrainian Male Chamber Choir on April 17, 2016 at Glenn Gould Studio in Toronto.
For more information, visit www.vesnivka.com
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