[NEohioPAL] Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus Performs in Cleveland Area

[Diana Prodan]

   CONTACT:
  Diana Prodan
   UBC Cleveland Public Relations Representative
    440.668.2566 
  diapro14 at sbcglobal.net

   
  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
   
  Bandura – The Soul of Ukraine
  An inspirational story of soul, passion and 60 strings of survival
   
  The Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus featured at Baldwin-Wallace
   
   
  DETROIT – The all-male Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus (UBC), under Artistic Director and Conductor Oleh Mahlay, announces its October 2007 concert tour Bandura – The Soul of Ukraine.  The tour begins in Detroit on Friday, October 19th and makes its way to the Berea/Cleveland area on Saturday, October 20th. This B-W concert is sponsored by the Baldwin-Wallace College ACES World Music Series Program.
   
  Bandura – The Soul of Ukraine will tell a many centuries story about cultural identity, survival and mystery.  Because its development closely reflects the history of the Ukrainian nation, the bandura, a 60-stringed instrument, is more than a national musical instrument: It is the voice and soul of Ukraine.  This inspiration has been a guiding force for the Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus since its inception in Kyiv, Ukraine in 1918.  As ambassadors of Ukrainian music and culture for over 89 years, the UBC continues to tell the story of truth, freedom, and human dignity heralded through song.
   
  Cleveland, with a significantly large Ukrainian-American population, is also home to one-third of the UBC membership including its Conductor and Artistic Director, Oleh Mahlay. Though the UBC is based in Detroit, Michigan, its membership resides throughout North America.  
   
  This year also marks the 100th anniversary of Hryhory Kytasty's birth.  Hryhory Kytasty (1907-1984), the long-standing conductor of the UBC, was a driving force in re-instilling Ukrainian choral and bandura art in North America.  Considered a legend in his own time, this composer, conductor, performer, and teacher was a role model and inspiration to young bandura players. 
   
             
  Saturday, October 20  -  7:00pm
  BEREA/CLEVELAND area  United Methodist Church of Berea
  170 Seminary St. -- Berea, OH 44017
   
     
  Tickets and more information:
The B-W Academic and Cultural Events Series (ACES) Office
440.826.2157

   
  For more information on the concert tour, please visit www.bandura.org 
   
  Founded in 1918, the Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus has a long and proud history of representing the bandura and Ukrainian choral music on the international stage.  Boasting a repertoire of more than 500 songs, this internationally celebrated and award-winning ensemble has captivated audiences in major concert halls in the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia, and Ukraine since immigrating to North America from Europe in 1949.  They have also performed for such noted personalities as former President Richard Nixon, former President Ronald Reagan, movie star Jack Palance, and former President of Ukraine Leonid Kravchuk.  
   
  Most recently, the Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus was featured at the internationally renowned Stratford Summer Music Festival, and presented Bandura Christmas International with Metropolitan Opera soloist Paul Plishka.  As a tribute to its role in preserving and perpetuating the legacy of Ukrainian music, the Chorus was selected by Ukraine’s Cabinet of Ministers as the recipient of the Taras Shevchenko Ukrainian State Prize, the highest award that can be bestowed for excellence in the contribution to the arts. 
   
   
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