PREVIEW | The 2023 Ukrainian Art Song Summer Institute
By Joseph So on August 23, 2023
For classical art song lovers in the Toronto area, late summer is more than just spending time at the cottage, enjoying the annual CNE, or barbequing in the backyard. It’s also a time to enjoy the beauty of the classical art song, under the auspices of the Ukrainian Art Song Summer Institute, a week of intensive music-making, culminating in a final concert. Now in its fourth summer, the Institute brings together talented young artists in Canada and elsewhere for a week of intensive work on Ukrainian songs….
Q&A
LvT: Melanie and Ben — here we are, a year later, and the Russian invasion is still going on. How does one stay focused on making music, teaching, promoting Ukrainian culture and so on amidst all the horrible brutality we hear and see on the news?
BB: I have been singing and recording Ukrainian songs with Pavlo since 2000. I also went with him to Kyiv in 2016. The material and people I have met are very close to my heart. It is exactly during times of trouble when music can have its biggest impact. Recent examples are Ukrainians singing and playing music in the subway stations during the bombings as we have seen on the news. A gentle song can calm the nerves, offering comfort and hope for better days ahead. Last year our concert prompted much outpouring of emotion from the Ukrainians who attended. The UASP Summer Institute gives poignant context to the songs and language that the students sing. It is a visceral event…
