On Saturday, December 10th at 7:30pm at St. Andrews River Heights Church, Virtuosi Concerts will present a concert called Vinok: The Ukrainian Wreath. The concert will feature Winnipeg star soprano Andriana Churchman, joined by Grammy Winning pianist Craig Terry. Joining Chuchman and Terry will be Winnipeg’s beloved Hoosli Ukrainian Male Chorus.
The program will consist of Ukrainian music from traditional carols to contemporary concert music.
With Ukraine being at the forefront of everyone’s mind these days due to the war, the desire to celebrate Ukrainian culture and the holidays is very important for Chuchman and the men of Hoosli.
Chuchman is from Ukrainian decent, as she explains, “I wanted to introduce Ukrainian music to Virtuosi audiences and share the traditions… and the stunning beauty of our music in various forms. With Hoosli, solo, and collaborating together. Just come and enjoy…we’ll take you on a little journey.”
For Hoosli tenor Christopher Sklepowich music is at the heart of the Ukrainian people. “Ukrainians are a very musical people. There is so much beauty in Ukrainian song. It’s something that is not only sustained the generations, but as we’ve watched over the last couple of months (in Ukraine)…the one thing we see all the time... the one thing that unites them, is that they sing. That is what’s sustaining them minute to minute hour to hour.”
The title of the concert “Vinok: The Ukrainian Wreath comes from a desire to represent Ukrainian culture and celebrate the holidays. The vinok is the flowered head dress that young Ukrainian women wear to mark their youth. As Chuchman explains, “When Ukrainians think about youth, they think about the vinok. The vinok is a symbol of youth…a symbol of fertility. Traditionally young women wore as a symbol of being unmarried. And now it is a symbol of pride of for the Ukrainian people.”
The wreath aspect of the title deals with the idea of the Christmas Wreath. Chuchman’s thinking being that the concert will consist of traditional folk music from Ukraine as well as Ukrainian Christmas carols; the vinok representing folk music and the wreath representing the carols.
Immerse yourself in Ukrainian music and bring in the holidays with the beautiful voice of Andriana Chuchman, and the rich lush textures of the Hoosli Mens Chorus this Saturday night.