Mykola Kolessa to appear at concerts in his honor (03/17/96)

Mykola Kolessa to appear at concerts in his honor

by Daria Hordynska Karanowycz

NEWARK, N.J. - Prof. Mykola Kolessa, the distinguished composer, conductor and recipient of the Taras Shevchenko Prize, will return to the United States for a second time at the behest of the Ukrainian Music Institute of America.

Concerts of his works will take place on both coasts of the Florida peninsula: on Tuesday, April 2, at 2:30 p.m. at Pilgrim United Church of Christ, 24515 Rampart Blvd., Port Charlotte, and on Wednesday, April 3, at 6:30 p.m. in St. John's Episcopal Church, 1704 Buchanan St., Hollywood.

In 1993 Ukraine commemorated the 90th anniversary of the birth of this elder statesman of Ukrainian music. Prof. Kolessa's extraordinary achievements in promoting Ukrainian culture also include founding a modern Lviv school of conducting, which has given rise to most of today's leading Ukrainian conductors.

On the occasion of his birthday, Maestro Kolessa was awarded the Presidential Citation, the highest civilian award in Ukraine, and jubilee concerts were held throughout the land.

Kultura i Zhyttia of Kyiv wrote of Prof. Kolessa on December 25, 1993: "To say that the Muse stood by his cradle will not suffice. He was reared by the very spirit of Ukrainian culture, by its European core, by its achievements and its losses, by its happiness and by its sorrow. For this reason he may be viewed as a living embodiment of history itself, a giant cultural flood, a portrait of an entire century - a century that has truly encompassed the most marvelous of epochs, that has raised up and then smashed empires, that has shaken the world with wars."

In recognition of the outstanding stature of this artist, the Ukrainian Music Institute of America (UMIA) has taken upon itself the task of making his creative efforts known in the Western hemisphere. Familiarization with Prof. Kolessa's works is viewed as instrumental in receiving high-level American recognition of Ukraine and Ukrainian culture. As a result of the UMIA's efforts, and thanks to the generous support of the community, Prof. Kolessa was honored in 1994 at sold-out performances in New York (Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall) and Philadelphia.

The leadership of the Ukrainian Music Institute of America believes that such high-quality concerts should not be limited to major cities, but should be made available for Ukrainian diaspora audiences wherever they exist. Accordingly, this time the artistry of Mykola Kolessa will be brought to the large Ukrainian community in Florida.

Taking part in the above-mentioned concerts will be soprano Oksana Krovytska, soloist of the New York City Opera, and pianist Mykola Suk. There will be an opportunity to meet the composer at each concert.

The concerts will take place with the support of the St. Andrew Ukrainian Religious-Cultural Center and the Ukrainian National Women's League of America, Branch 56, of North Port as well as the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America, Hollywood Branch.

Tickets may be obtained in North Port from Lydia Belendiuk, (941) 426-4049; Zoya Fylypowych, (941) 426-4102; or Ivanna Kostyszyn, (941) 426-9734; in Miami-Hollywood from Katherine Hodivsky, (305) 989-3420; Roman Balaban (305) 925-8432 (evenings), or Leonid Husak, (305) 420-9039.

During his stay in Florida Maestro Kolessa will also receive medical attention - something that is mandatory for someone of his considerable age, yet unavailable in Ukraine.

The UMIA invites Ukrainian organizations and individuals to assist the institute by becoming co-sponsors of the concerts.

All co-sponsors' names will be listed in the program booklet. All contributions are tax-deductible. Please make checks payable to the "M. Kolessa Concert Fund," (Account No. 51596), and remit to: Ukrainian Self-reliance FCU, P.O. Box 7133, North Port, FL 34287.

The writer is president of the Ukrainian Music Institute of America

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