DATELINE NEW YORK: Tradition! Tradition! It's still strong (01/26/03)

DATELINE NEW YORK: Tradition! Tradition! It's still strong

by Helen Smindak

While upcoming events of the spring 2003 season are beckoning, traditional caroling and Malanka festivities have been a significant part of community activities during the past month.

The age-old custom of koliada - of groups trekking from house to house blending voices in beloved old carols - is still followed by a few small groups in the East Village which go caroling to raise funds for the Plast Scouting Association, the School of Bandura or the Ukrainian Cultural Center in Hunter, N.Y. The custom is faithfully observed by the Dumka Chorus of New York, which brought its repertoire of Ukrainian Christmas and New Year carols to the United Nations and, as in past years, to parishes in New Jersey and New York City.

With artistic director Vasyl Hrechynsky at the helm, Dumka began its annual Christmas concerts early - and auspiciously - with an appearance at the first Ukrainian Day celebration at the United Nations on December 19, 2002. As is customary with carols, the chorus sang a capella.

Since then, the ensemble has given a concert of carols at St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church in Passaic, N.J., where the program included English and Ukrainian renditions of the Christmas classic "Silent Night." At St. George Ukrainian Catholic Church in Manhattan on December 12 and St. Volodymyr Ukrainian Orthodox Church the following Sunday, the chorus sang traditional Christmas carols and included Handel's "Messiah." Every program, without fail, included the New Year carol "Schedryk" (Carol of the Bells).

The ensemble's vitality is as noteworthy as its beautiful sound. Dumka has had a very busy year that included concerts for special occasions in Ellenville and Rochester, N.Y., at Soyuzivka, and in Passaic, N.J. The chorus took part in New York City events marking the 11th anniversary celebration of Ukraine's independence and the first anniversary of 9/11, as well as the commemmoration of the Great Famine in Ukraine at St. Patrick's Cathedral. There was also a very happy occasion - the annual Malanka at the Ukrainian Sports Club on Second Avenue, where Dumka choristers assemble for Friday night rehearsals.

The Mayana Gallery's January 17 program, presented by the Ukrainian Art and Literary Club and the New York Bandura Ensemble, focused on "Our Christian Land: Songs of the Turkish Invasion of Ukraine." Featuring bandurist Julian Kytasty and his stirring performance of the duma "Marusia Bohuslaska," it also took in a series of historical and ritual Christmastide songs offered by Lavrentia Turkewicz. Ms. Turkewicz explained the historical content of the songs and discussed the common themes that run through the various genres.

During the evening, eyes as well as ears were gratified, for guests had the opportunity to scan an exhibit of work by a host of artists, including sculptor Mykhailo Czereszniowsky, ceramic artist Slava Gerulak and pysanka decorator/ceramic artist Sofiya Zielyk.

St. George School children's choir (Grades 3 to 8), directed by Anna Bachynska, assisted Grade 1 and 2 youngsters in presenting a traditional Vertep (manger scene) in St. George's auditorium last month, under the direction of Lydia Andrusyshyn and Oksana Ivasiw. Assistants for the annual Christmas presentation, directed by Sister Chrysostom, included Anastasia Antoniw (music), Daria Genza (choreography) and Taras Hirniak (set decoration).

Mykola Leontovych's arrangement of the New Year carol "Schedryk," known in the Western world as "Carol of the Bells," was among the Christmas and New Year carols offered by the Ukrainian Colors (Ukrainian Barvy) ensemble in their January 5 concert at St. Volodymyr Ukrainian Orthodox Church. The Kyiv-based quartet of Oksana Stebelska, Roman Kuka, Denys Boyev and Serhij Tsukhaj, combining vocals and instrumental work on violins, woodwinds and accordion, included Ukrainian folk songs as well as some classical and neo-classical works in its concert. The ensemble is currently on a U.S. tour to promote its latest CD, eponymously titled "Ukrainian Colors." (For CD info, contact MVDatsenko@aol.com or call 202-462-3491.)

Our world-renowned traditional folk dance, the Hopak, and a lively Trepak dance were brought to the stage of Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, Long Island, on December 18, 2002, by Canada's famed Shumka Ukrainian Dancers. Shumka joined forces with the Kyiv Ballet and principal dancer Oksana Storozhuk to present excerpts from a spectacular ballet, "The Nutcracker," as part of the touring show "A Royal Christmas," headlined by Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer and Welsh soprano Charlotte Church. (Contrary to Nassau Coliseum's publicity department, the show did not include ballet dancers Ivan Putrov and Olena Filipeva, as was mentioned in the January 12 "Dateline."

Produced by Michael H. Sulyma of Sulyma Productions in Edmonton, Alberta, and performed to Tchaikovsky's dramatic score in a digital recording by the National Opera Orchestra of Kyiv, the ballet featured the Pas de Deux Battle Scene of Act I, with Shumka dancers performing as mice, and the Waltz of the Flowers Grand Pas de Deux from Act II, when Shumka dancers in Ukrainian national costumes performed the Trepak and Hopak dances. At each presentation, Shumka and Kyiv Ballet dancers joined the show's stars on stage for the finale presentation and many bows.

At the BAM Rose Cinemas in Brooklyn, Ukrainian traditions surfaced in a showing of films (December 5-17, 2002) by the legendary film director Oleksander (Alexander) Dovzhenko, particularly in the silent film "Zvenyhora" (1927). It is the first film in which Dovzhenko combined poetic visuals with his love of Ukrainian folklore, cross-cutting between centuries and magical realism. "Zvenyhora" and two other silent films - his 1930 film "Earth" (Zemlia) and "Arsenal" (1929) - were presented with live piano accompaniment by Donald Sosin. Also shown were the films "Ivan" (1932) and "Battle for Our Soviet Ukraine" (1943).

"Ukrainianism"

Pianist John Stetch upholds tradition by doing it his way - through jazz music.

A native son of Canada's prairie country, the stronghold of Ukrainian settlement in Canada, and grandson of the late Savella Stechishin, who is remembered as a community activist and author of "Traditional Ukrainian Cookery," Mr. Stechishin would be expected to have Ukrainian spirit in his make-up. That spirit has indeed shown up in compositions such as "Kolomeyka Fantasy" and in CD's like "Carpathian Blues," based on an old Ukrainian folk song that he used to play at weddings.

Now he has a new all-ethnic CD titled "Ukrainianism," which he introduced during a North American tour last fall and at a Ukrainian Institute of America concert. His latest concert was given at the Philadelphia Museum of Art on January 10.

Mr. Stetch says the reaction to his new CD has surpassed all expectations - the CD and his public performances of that music have been received "really well" by audiences and critics alike, as well as by non-Ukrainians.

"A few years ago (when I would just insert one Ukrainian piece during a show), I felt a bit timid and sometimes afraid that I was forcing something ethnic onto people. But gradually, as I saw positive reactions, I eventually got to a point where now I can play a full set of mostly Ukrainian material," he says wonderingly.

Dan Ouellete of Downbeat magazine says of "Ukrainianism: Canadian pianist John Stetch embraces his roots with remarkable results. Not only is it one of the best solo piano recordings in recent years, but it also ushers in new songs based on Ukrainian traditional music to the jazz table."

"Stetch plays with passion and brio in a refreshing mix of melody and atonality -splashing/etching colors, building drama and expressing joy as he tumbles across the keys," writes Mr. Ouellette.

JazzWeek editor Ed Trefzger likes the combination of jazz and classical sounds: "from playful folk-dance melodies, to lush, thundering, lower-octave textures. (The pianist's) touch can be lilting or ponderous, and his harmonic forms simple or adventurous."

There are rave reviews from Geoff Chapman of The Toronto Star, Irwin Block of The Montreal Gazette, Peter Hum of The Ottawa Citizen and other critics.

"Ukrainianism" opens with an up-tempo flirting song "Rye, Not Wheat!" There are medleys of Ukrainian melodies in seamless arrangements, including the festive "Kolomeyka Fantasy" and the playful "Zabava," where Mr. Stetch reached in to the piano to play strings directly, scratching them or dampening them with his hands. The strikingly beautiful "Savella" is a homage to Ukrainian grandmothers and their cuisine. "Famine," referring to Stalin's man-made famine of 1933, opens with an ominous, extended atonal passage that builds to a clattering climax.

"Children of Chornobyl," an improvised tone poem, commemorates the young victims of the 1986 nuclear accident in Ukraine. The ballad "Harmony in the Family" has a distinct atmosphere achieved by the use of a tetramerous left hand, while "Sitting By the Window," traditionally a waltz, is reminiscent of "Carol of the Bells."

With a "Ukrainianism" CD in your player, you can enjoy the distinctive stylings of John Stetch. When you remove the disc from its case, you'll find a whimsical touch on the inside; six (incomplete) borsch recipes are displayed there, from standard borsch to spring beet borsch, all from his grandmother's cookbook.

The disc, released by Justin Time Records, is available at Tower and other music stores; if not in stock, it can be ordered via catalogue number JUST 187-2.

Found - a filmmaker

"Dateline New York's" radar is constantly on the alert seeking and researching Ukrainians in New York who are actively engaged in the arts and entertainment fields, or whose work appears on TV and movie screens.

Once in a while, a live subject comes into view without any effort, and that's how "Dateline" discovered producer/filmmaker Paul Maslak of Berkeley, Cali. Mr. Maslak contacted The Ukrainian Weekly with a question, the question was forwarded to me (and answered), and "Dateline" hooked the filmmaker for some questions of its own.

Mr. Maslak's company has produced several films, the latest being "The Right Temptation," starring Kiefer Sutherland, Rebecca DeMornay and Dana Delany. A suspense thriller in which a wife (Delany) hires a private detective (DeMornay) to investigate her husband's fidelity, the movie explores the line between personal and professional ethics.

"Primary Suspect," a police thriller starring William Baldwin, Lee Majors and Brigitte Bako, focuses on an undercover cop (Baldwin) who must go outside the law to bring his wife's killer to justice.

Another Maslak production is "Kiss Toledo Goodbye," a black comedy that satirically attempts to examine the meaning of family. Starring Christopher Walken, Michael Rapaport, Robert Forster, Christine Taylor and Nancy Allen, the movie centers on a young Ohio investment advisor who discovers that he is really the heir to a Mafia don.

"Red Sun Rising," a martial arts police action film starring Don "The Dragon" Wilson, Terry Farrell and Michael Ironside, tells the story of a Japanese cop teaming with a female Los Angeles counterpart to stop a Japanese mobster from fomenting gang war. In its capsule review of the movie, TV Guide said that Mr. Wilson "fights skillfully and vigorously and is photographed well, benefitting from dramatic lighting." Miss Terry was described as a very attractive, no-nonsense detective with a sense of humor and a warm, feminine side, while rising martial arts star James Lew was an imposing and formidable villain with "maenacing but graceful moves."

Though no longer playing at movie houses, the films can be found at Blockbuster stores in New York and Hollywood Video stores.

Mr. Maslak says he and his partners are waiting to hear from a recent Oscar nominee who's been invited to star in a small film about a rock band. Once that film is completed, the company will try to make the leap from producing HBO cable premium movies to studio-distributed theatrical features, a process that may take a couple of years to achieve and will slow output.

Around town

Andrij Cybyk, assistant director of the Syzokryli Ukrainian Dancers, has returned from a tour of China with the AllNations Company - just in time for Syzokryli's eagerly awaited appearance at Town Hall on January 31. The ensemble will present a program of dances choreographed by director Roma Pryma Bohachevsky and Mr. Cybyk. Andriy Milavsky's vibrant Cheres ensemble is appearing on the same bill.

Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall recently hosted two concerts featuring Ukrainian performers. Pianist Volodymyr Vynnytsky and violinist Yuri Kharenko appeared as guest artists with the Forte String Quartet in its January 17 concert at Weill Hall, in a program including works by Shostakovich, Chausson and Forte member Rumiana Petrov. In the "Dreams Come True" concert of January 20, flutist Borys Bakum of Wilberham, Mass., played a solo piece in this modern version of the "Magnificat." Mr. Bakum's wife, Devon, a soprano, also took part in the production.

Actor Kirk Douglas, 86, whose Jewish antecedents came from Ukraine, his son, actor Michael Douglas, 58, and grandson Cameron, 23, are appearing together in a film for the first time. The movie "A Few Good Years" (its working title) is scheduled for release later this year. The Ukrainian Institute of America's elegant building at Fifth Avenue and 79th Street served as the locale for some scenes.

Olympic figure skating champion Oksana Baiul played a cameo role in a recent segment of the HBO series "Arlis."

The Veselka Restaurant, at 144 Second Ave. (at Ninth Street), was one of seven New York restaurants chosen for a listing of Eastern European restauants by The New York Times ("Stuffed Everything," January 5). Dumplings, pirogi [sic] and blintzes are among the specialties of this Ukrainian cafe in the East Village.

Eberhard Mueller, the chef of Bayard's Restaurant at One Hanover Square, told New York Post food writer Pia Cotton Nordlinger that he and his wife would be spending Christmas Eve with his wife's family. "They're Ukrainian, and they have a very specific way of celebrating, which includes unseasoned food." (Unseasoned food?)

A group show in Chelsea, scheduled to run through January 31, exhibits the work of seven contemporary artists from Ukraine and two emerging American artists. Included are oil and gouache paintings, etchings and sculpture by these Ukrainian artists: Serhij Bratkovsky, Oleh Denysenko, Natalia Pukchinda, Volodymyr Kostyrka, Jurij Lesiuk, Roman Demko and Bohdan Hirny. Photographs by Bohdan Hoshovsky of New York and sculpture by a non-Ukrainian artist, Steven Weisenreider of Brookyn, are also in the exhibit at International Curatorial Space, 504 W. 22nd St. (between 10th and 11th Avenues).

An exhibit of work by Winnipeg-born, now California-based, artist Jan Pylypchuk, which opened last Thursday at the Friedrich Petzel Gallery, 535 W. 22nd St., will run through March 1. Mr. Pylypchuk's imaginative collages, consisting primarily of scrap plywood, wallpaper remnants and various fabrics, to which he glues sand, glitter and matchsticks, are also on view in a group show at the Royal Art Lodge, 35 Wooster Street (between Broome and Grand), through March 8.

Helen Smindak's e-mail adress is HaliaSmindak@aol.com.

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