Bandurist Chorus announces auditions in Chicago (03/24/02)

Bandurist Chorus announces auditions in Chicago

by Oleh Mahlay

DETROIT - The Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus (UBC) has announced an audition session for male vocalists or bandura players interested in becoming members of the chorus for the 2002-2003 concert season.

This upcoming season will coincide with the chorus's preparation for a concert tour of Western Europe in 2003. The UBC last toured the greatest cities of Western Europe almost a half century ago.

Since the group's inception in 1918, members of this ensemble have performed in front of tens of thousands of adoring fans, presenting bandura and male choral music of the highest quality. The UBC has crossed paths with American and Ukrainian presidents, had adventures throughout the Canadian Rockies, Australia, Europe, Ukraine, left their imprint on unique recordings, and shared the stage with various talented artists such as Paul Plishka, Jack Palance and bandurist Roman Hrynkiv. The chorus is a recipient of the Taras Shevchenko Prize for Artistic Achivement awarded by Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers.

The 2001-2002 concert season featured a series of sacred music concerts in the metropolitan areas of Detroit, Cleveland and Toronto. The repertoire featured sacred music by masters like Bortniansky, Berezovsky, Dyletskiy and Stetsenko. Furthermore, the UBC finished learning a new Ukrainian divine liturgy and has completed a recording that is due out in September of this year. The UBC also represented the United States in Kyiv during Ukraine's 10th anniversary of independence celebration in August of 2001. The chorus also participated in the Chicago-based Selfreliance Ukrainian Federal Credit Union's 50th anniversary concert in October of last year, and finished the season with a memorial concert in Philadelphia dedicated to Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky.

On the horizon is the planned tour of Western Europe. The UBC last toured Europe in 1958, traversing England, France, Portugal, Spain, Germany, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. What awaits the chorus beyond that may be up to the new members joining the group today.

In order to achieve even higher goals and greater artistic excellence, the chorus are looking for qualified and dedicated musicians to join the ensemble as it writes the new chapters in the rich history of the bandurist brethren. The UBC is also looking for singers and bandurists who have the potential and dedication to be part of this unique ensemble that is more than just a singing group. The chorus is committed to the development of young people who have an interest in improving their musical skills while working with the Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus once they pass the audition process.

This audition session will be for both musicians who are ready to perform immediately and other singers who lack experience but have potential and desire. Those interested in auditioning should be prepared to sing or play a song of their choosing, inform us of their musical background, and have adequate music reading skills. Knowledge of the Ukrainian language is preferred, but not necessarily a requirement.

The audition will be held in Chicago on Saturday, April, 13, at 3-5 p.m. at the Ukrainian Cultural center at Ss. Volodymyr and Olha Ukrainian Catholic Church. To schedule an audition time, call Victor Wojtychiw at (773) 775.0263 or e-mail UBCauditions@bandura.org for more information on the UBC, log on to www.bandura.org.

Oleh Mahlay is the artistic director of the Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus.

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