What began as an alumni choir back in 1969 at St. Vladimir’s College has now turned into a thriving musical legacy beloved by its community.
That community will have a chance to celebrate the 55-year legacy of the Hoosli Ukrainian Male Choir with two performances scheduled for this weekend at the Desautels Concert Hall alongside musicians from the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra.
The choir will feature a wide range of performers from across generations, including Alexander Hryndzio, who joined the choir eight years ago as a teenager after watching them as a child.
“As a kid, I saw them, and it was just this barrage of voices hitting you like a wall,” Hryndzio reminisced in a conversation on Morning Light.
“The Ukrainian sound is truly a unique one. It’s very ominous and it’s very deep, but it’s also so great and so large.” continued Hryndizio, a bass in the ensemble. “As you join the ensemble and you learn how to hone in that sound, it really is remarkable how much of a craft it is.”
The other remarkable part of Hoosli for Hryndzio is the people that comprise it and surround it. "The community plays a fundamental role in Hoosli and our ability to thrive for 55-plus years,” he says, spotlighting the support of members, Winnipeg’s Ukrainian community, and the audiences that enjoy their performances in a variety of venues.
While their anniversary is certainly a cause for community celebration, the concerts will also strike a sombre note. Hoosli’s 55th anniversary coincides with the third anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Hryndzio observes that the pieces that the choir has chosen have a more serious tone to them as a message of condolence to those suffering in Ukraine.
“This isn’t the first time Ukraine has faced this type of adversity of trying to wipe out a culture and an identity,” says Hryndzio, who first joined Hoosli as a way to remember and preserve his culture. “Although we face this adversity, it’s very important to remember that the Ukrainian people, despite all of this adversity, that they remain strong, they remain powerful and that our voices are heard. And in our case, our voices are heard in terms of songs.”
Winnipeg audiences can hear those songs at the Hoosli Ukrainian Male Choir’s 55th anniversary celebration concerts on Saturday, March 1 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at the Desautels Concert Hall. Tickets are available through the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra’s box office.
