Lidia M. Wasylyn
А seventieth (70th) wedding anniversary is known as а platinum anniversary. We value platinum for its rarity and enduring strength. This makes it a fitting symbol of something that has stood the test of time and can be easily applied to the creative work of the Dnipro Choir, that has for seven uninterrupted decades, worked at preserving and developing Ukrainian musical culture in Canada.
When it comes to celebrating iconic moments, few things compare to the importance of a 70th anniversary. It is a significant and truly outstanding achievement that deserves a special and meaningful honour. Just such a meaningful and joyful commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the Dnipro Choir titled “On the waves of the Dnipro our legacy…” occurred November 16, 2024 at Edmonton’s McDougal United Church.
This very special concert celebrated 70 years of achievements and challenging work, highlighting the choir’s growth and development. The goal of the concert was to focus on the building of the foundation for the choir that has allowed it to flourish. The Dnipro Choir successfully achieved this with their program while the audience had the opportunity to experience the choir’s journey and successes.
Just one day after the concert, November 17, marked 46 years since the sudden passing of the choir’s founder and first conductor, Roman Soltykevych. He had a vision for what the choir could be and worked passionately to lay the foundation for what has been 70 years of outstanding creative work. Current choir conductor, Irena Szmihelsky stated: “ Reading through many articles, it astounds me that in the 50’s and early 60’s he aggressively developed the men’s choir and immediately integrated them into the general music community (competitions, performances, festivals, etc.) and they were highly acknowledged! He didn’t confine the choir to the boundaries of the Ukrainian community. He made certain everyone knew about Dnipro Choir. That was significant.”
The Dnipro Choir was established
The Dnipro Choir came into existence in November 1953 as an all-male choir under the direction of Soltykevych, who understood that recently arrived WW2 refugees from Ukraine would benefit spiritually if they engaged in the beautiful musical heritage of their homeland. The choir took its name from the legendary Ukrainian river, the powerful Dnipro. In 1971, the choir added an orchestra under the direction of John Achtymichuk and later a dance ensemble under the direction of Natalka Dobrolige and Mike Choloniwsky. Together they became known as the Ukrainian Dnipro Ensemble of Edmonton. They enjoyed many successful performances. The ensemble travelled to and performed in Spokane, Washington, Australia, the Philippines and Hawaii. After returning from the South Pacific in 1979, the ensemble returned to its original name and remained solely a choir.
Maria Dytyniak the Choir’s second conductor and artistic director
In 1976, after the unexpected passing of Roman Soltykevych the choir began a new page of its creative work under the baton of Maria Dytyniak. She collaborated with Volodymyr Kolesnyk, former Director of the Kyiv State Opera and Ballet. Kolesnyk was impressed with the Dnipro Choir, its musicality and potential. He encouraged Maria Dytyniak to take on large and complex projects. The choir successfully embarked on several challenging projects under her direction. In 1981 the choir staged the opera Kupalo by Anatoliy Vakhnianyn, in 1982 the premiere of Serhiy Yaremenko's Cantata of the Conquerors of the Prairies to the words of Yar Slavutych, in 1983 the Kozak beyond the Danube by Hulak-Artemovsky, in 1988 the oratorio Neophytes by Marian Kuzan, based on the poems of Taras Shevchenko, in 1993 the oratorio Sacred Dnipro by Valeriy Kikta, with a libretto by Sofia Maydanska. Volodymyr Kolesnyk's influence and legacy remained long after his passing in 1997. The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra premiered Yuri Laniuk's cantata Palimpsesty in 1999 and Marian Kouzan's Poslaniye in 2002.
During her tenure as a conductor of the Dnipro Choir, Maria Dytyniak achieved many extraordinary successes. She managed to polish the work of her choristers and encouraged excellence in every melody and in every performance. Maria Dytyniak expanded upon the vision of her predecessor. She continued to develop the choir, led complex and important choral-symphonic projects and strengthened the foundation on which the choir was built. The Ukrainian community and Ukrainian musical culture were greatly enriched by her selflessness and passion. After 35 years of dedicated and inspired cultural work, Maria Dytyniak retired in 2011.
Irena Szmihelsky the Choir’s third conductor and artistic director
Since September 2011, the conductor and artistic director of the Dnipro Choir comes form a younger generation. Irena Szmihelsky was born in Canada and achieved an excellent musical education. Having conducting and extensive professional experience, Irena Szmihelsky began a new and fresh era of the choir's creative work, firmly grounded on the foundation set by her predecessors.
New, innovative projects, new adventures and unexpected challenges have become the focal point of the choir's work. These included premieres of commissioned works, thematic concert programs, dinner theater programs, and concert tours. The covid pandemic was a huge obstacle for the choir. This challenge required creative thinking on the part of the conductor to ensure the health of the choir and individual choristers. The choir successfully overcame this challenge and continues to thrive.
During the past ten years, Irena Szmihelsky has guided the choir on an exciting, innovative path and undertaken new projects, while maintaining a commitment to excellence in all their endeavours. The choir's repertoire has expanded and includes original works, arrangements by classical and contemporary composers from Ukraine and Canadian-Ukrainian composers such as Zenoby Lawryshyn, Joanna Estelle- Storoshchuk, Wille Zwozdesky and Andriy Talpash. There were concert tours in Eastern Canada and the USA in 2014, and in Western Canada in 2023, and an emotional tour to Ukraine in 2018 that created unforgettable memories for both choir members and audiences.
The anniversary concert program
The evening’s program was opened by the current president and long-time member of the Dnipro Choir Susan Romaniuk who emphasized this concert is the culmination of seventy years of work. The name of the choir, “Dnipro”, is deeply symbolic, because it reminds us of the power and eternity of the great river as it flows through the heart of Ukraine. Since the Dnipro River never stops flowing, so the Ukrainian Nation is powerful and does not succumb to the enemy. She graciously acknowledged the former conductor of the choir Maria Dytyniak and the children of the late conductor Roman Soltykevych, who were in attendance.
The concert program was well thought out. The selections were divided thematically into groupings of 3-4 pieces. Every selection had a special place in the program to demonstrate the choir’s extensive repertoire and diverse capabilities. It is important to note that works or arrangements by many of the giants of Ukrainian music were included in the program. Unsurprisingly, the performances of all the selections were brilliant. The choice of works and their order in the program were designed to have an emotional impact on the audience. The first selections, Part IV & Part V of the Oratorio Sacred Dnipro by Valeri Kikta, paid tribute to the Dnipro River, that occupies a prominent place in Ukrainian history. Solomiia Holiak performed a magnificent solo in these selections.
The second group of works included sacred music by Lysenko, Stetsenko, and the Canadian-American composer of Ukrainian descent, Roman Hurko. His work The Virgin Mary was dedicated to the founder of the choir, Roman Soltykevych.
Because the Dnipro Choir began as a men's choir, the men of the choir performed three songs. The Bandura I shall play arranged by Hryhoriy Vereta was expressive and gentle, the pain of the bandura player was palpable. My trustworthy steed, by Iryna Melnychenko, could have been especially written for this male choir, because the performance was authentic, the men’s voices sounded as one. Liudkevych’s The Red Kalyna immediately moved everyone to stand, respectfully for this moving and powerful song.
Recognizable excerpts from Lysenko’s opera Taras Bulba and from Vakhnianyn’s opera Kupalo rounded out the first half of the program. During the intermission, choir member Rina Hanchuk introduced a fund raiser for the Canada Ukraine Foundation (CUF). Textile artist Isabel McWilliams, of Ukrainian descent from Prince Edward Island, donated her original rug hooking art creation titled Ukrainian Tree of Life. She learned this traditional art form her Ukrainian grandmother. She dedicated her work to all the brave people of Ukraine. Choir member and painter Anna Zavyiboroda came to Edmonton only recently from the Poltava region. She donated her acrylic painting titled Glory to Ukraine for the fund raiser. Both artists support the humanitarian needs of Ukraine with their original artistic work.
The second half of the concert began with folk songs, arranged by Lysenko, Koshyts and Yevhen Kozak. These familiar songs were beautifully performed but the performance of The boat sways on the water deserves particular attention. The choir interpreted this beloved sweet song with warmth and tenderness, revealing what amazing beauty can be found in a simple, unpretentious melody. The choir completed this grouping with the Canadian folk song, Four Strong Winds by Canadian singer-songwriter Ian Tyson, arranged by choir member Denise Lucyshyn. This number, conducted by the choir’s assistant conductor Gloria Zahari, was very pleasing.
The first of two special guest artists to join the concert was the newly formed Elegant Strings Quartet. This is a quartet of four highly talented newcomers-musicians who hail from different parts of Ukraine. They fled the horrendous war in Ukraine, met in Edmonton and were united by their love for music and their native land. In this group of works, the choir performed The Carol of the Bells by Leontovych. The Elegant Strings quartet performed the moving, unforgettable Melody by Myroslav Skoryk. As they played, there was an incredible silence in the hall as the audience seemed to be spellbound by the Melody. With this performance, the quartet displayed their outstanding skills and musicality. It is note worthy that since February 2022, fourteen newcomers have become members of the Dnipro choir.
Mrs. Olena Danyleiko and the Elegant String Quartet
The choir’s women also performed a few pieces by themselves. Their performance of The enchanting violin, music by I. Poklad was beguiling. Their voices melded into one perfect sound. The Elegant Strings quartet, together with the choir's accompanist Irena Tarnawsky, accompanied this song. Some light-hearted humor came with Do not court me by Kos-Anatolsky.
The last group of songs included patriotic songs. The mother cries out for her son, arranged by Zastavetskyi and Taras Petrynenko’s My beloved Ukraine reminded the audience of the catastrophe befalling Ukraine. The second guest artist, tenor Peter Tarnawsky, joined the choir to perform solo parts in My beloved Ukraine. His extensive vocal experience and beautiful voice greatly enriched this song.
The final song of the concert was the powerful part XI from the oratorio Sacred Dnipro by Valeri Kikta. The choir was joined by a quartet of choristers, Michaela Kavalko, Anna Zavyiboroda, Oleh Shlyakhta and Michael Buckler.
The Dnipro Choir took the opportunity to bid farewell to Mr. Oleksandr Danyleiko, Consul General of Ukraine in Edmonton and his wife, Olena. Susan Romaniuk, choir president noted that Mr. Danyleiko would be ending his term as Consul General in at the end of November this year. Mr. Danyleiko was touched, he said the concert was extraordinary, along with such warm words brought his wife and him to tears. On behalf of his wife Olena and himself, he shared that they have felt at home for the past six years and thanked the choir for their excellent work. He congratulated the choir on their momentous anniversary and wished them many more years of success, wishing them to include young people and continue to nurture such beautiful music and beautiful singing.
Sweet memories
Intermingled with the musical numbers were brief video clips of archival photos and interviews by several past and current choir member, by conductors Maria Dytyniak and Irena Szmihelsky and by Lubomyr Pastuszenko, one of the original members of the men’s choir. Thes short clips added a personal perspective on the choir's colossal artistic work, observations, firsthand experiences, and even showed that for some young Canadians, being part of the choir brings them closer to their heritage. For new immigrants who came to Canada alone, by joining the choir they have found a new family where they are warmly welcomed and feel appreciated.
The choir's accompanist Irena Tarnawsky deserves special recognition in this anniversary concert for her long-term dedication to the choir. As a young high school student, in 1976 she became the accompanist of the choir. From 1994-1996 she was an assistant conductor. To this day, she is an indispensable part of the choir and continues in the role of principal accompanist.
Outside of the Dnipro Choir, Irena Tarnawsky is an experienced teacher, pianist, conductor and vocal teacher. She holds a degree in piano performance and pedagogy. Additionally, she studied choral conducting with the late Volodymyr Kolesnyk at the Ukrainian Choral Conducting Seminars organized by the Ukrainian Musical Society of Alberta. Currently, Irena Tarnawsky is the vice-president of this society. She is the long-time conductor of the choir at St. George Ukrainian Catholic Parish in Edmonton. Throughout her career, she has received various awards and recognitions. For her dedication to Ukrainian culture and work in the community, Irena received the prestigious Hetman's Award, given by Alberta Provincial Council of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress. This award recognizes volunteers who give generously of their time, talents and work for the good of our community.
What does the future hold?
Irena Szmihelsky shared some of her thoughts. If time and money were not obstacles, she “would like to establish a music school, establish children's and youth choirs, organize professional vocal training, and organize performances outside the Ukrainian community, but still steadfastly support our culture and community.” She went on to say she would like to “develop a plan for the future, for the longevity of the choir. Talks are already beginning about the seventy-fifth anniversary of the choir, but there is nothing concrete.”
May the extraordinary cultural work of Edmonton’s beloved Dnipro Choir continue successfully and without interruption, just as the powerful waters of its namesake, the legendary Ukrainian river Dnipro flow uninterrupted! Glory to Ukraine!
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