Chicago's jazz and blues musicians make beautiful music in Kyiv (07/23/00)

Chicago's jazz and blues musicians make beautiful music in Kyiv

KYIV - The Kyiv Committee of the Chicago Sister Cities International Program organized a musical exchange for the annual Kyiv Days festival held during the last weekend in May. Committee members joined renowned Chicago artists, the Orbert Davis Quintet and Lynne Jordan and the Shivers, for a long weekend in Kyiv. The committee members conducted sister cities business and enjoyed the festival atmosphere of the city.

The musicians performed three concerts in Kyiv, including an outdoor concert for 500,000 fans that was broadcast nationally. Dubbed "Chicago Jazz and Blues," the performance was the closing concert of the weeklong Kyiv Days festival. The Chicago performers garnered nationwide TV, radio and print coverage in Ukraine.

In addition the Chicago musicians performed to a sold-out crowd of 2,500 at the Kyiv Center of Culture and Performance Arts, a historic 19th century theater. Kyiv has a sophisticated musical community, with a conservatory that has trained world renowned musicians including Vladimir Horowitz. The Kyiv Chamber Orchestra, one of the world's best, performed in Chicago four years ago to rave reviews, and the Kyiv Committee has sponsored numerous musical exchanges in its nine years, including a children's choir exchange.

This trip, however, was the first time Kyiv was treated to concerts by such luminaries from the world of Chicago jazz and blues.

The Chicago musicians also participated in informal jam sessions with Ukrainian musicians at two local clubs, called Buddy Guy's and the Harley Club. "There is a palpable Chicago presence in Kyiv. Most everyone we met knew about the Chicago-Kyiv sister cities relationship and something about Chicago - particularly about Chicago's music, said Marta Farion, chair of the Kyiv Committee.

As evidenced by the names of local clubs, there is widespread knowledge and love of American music in Kyiv. The trip participants were pleasantly surprised to find that a significant segment of the Ukrainian population particularly the under-40 age group - understands and speaks English. Most importantly, the people of Kyiv understand and genuinely appreciate the American-born language of Chicago jazz and blues. While strolling the streets of Kyiv, Mr. Davis and friends met a young street musician who was expertly playing classic jazz tunes on her saxophone. They were so tickled to find such a knowledge of such American music in such a young person, and passed the hat for her, seriously enhancing her cache with their efforts and her prestige with their presence.

In addition to enjoying the festival, participating committee members attended official signing ceremonies at the four sister schools in Kyiv that have twinned with Chicago schools through the Sister Schools Abroad Program. They brought the students gifts provided by Avery Dennison (arranged by committee member Vera Eliashevsky), including school supplies, computer software, T-shirts and more.

Committee members also attended various other functions in the city. Committee Chair Marta Farion attended various receptions, where she talked with several important Ukrainian leaders, including President Leonid Kuchma, Prime Minister Viktor Yuschenko, Verkhovna Rada Chairman Ivan Pliusch, and Kyiv Mayor Oleksander Omelchenko about Chicago's activities in the international arena, business developments and the current sister cities programs. All expressed support and welcomed the mutual efforts of the sister cities relationship.

Chicago's presence in Kyiv is one that encompasses culture, education, health and social service, and economic development. For more information on the Chicago-Kyiv Committee activities, contact Katrina Fink at (312) 744-1379.

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