Fourth Wavers prepare program in Jersey City to honor Shevchenko
by Zenon Halkowycz
JERSEY CITY, N.J. - The Jersey City, N.J., branch of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America commemorated the great Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko by inviting the Ukrainian American Youth Association (SUM) girls' choir Prolisok from Yonkers, N.Y., as the principal attraction of a program on March 12.
The entire program was prepared by the Fourth Wave of Ukrainian immigrants to the United States.
The branch president, Zenon Halkowycz, greeted the community and introduced Olha Nukolyn as the artistic director of the program. Ms. Nukolyn, who has extensive theater experience from her native Ternopil, prepared the program and enriched its every moment with appropriate commentary and excerpts of Shevchenko's poems.
As the choir performed its first selection, "Reve ta Stohne Dnipr Shyrokyi," the audience sensed that it was in for a real artistic treat. The Prolisok's director and choirmaster is Andrij Stasiw, a well-known pianist and conductor.
Other selections during the course of the program included "Tiutiunnyk," Taras Petrynenko's well-known "Ukrayino" and "Hospody Pomylui," and "Mavly."
Anna Chreptuk was the program's main speaker, and her topic was "Continue the struggle and you will overcome." She tied in Shevchenko's poems to the current struggle for a truly independent Ukrainian nation. She also recited two poems.
Also performing were the children of Ridna Shkola, the local School of Ukrainian Studies, who recited a multitude of Shevchenko poems.
Mariana Nukolyn of the Jersey City SUM branch recited the famous poem "Rozryta Mohyla," and Vasyl Symonenko's "Lebedi Materynstva" was performed by Larissa Balko. Soloist Marijana Zajec sang a nostalgic "Svityt Misiats" and Prolisok performed "Mamo" with Aleksandra Sckaferovska as soloist.
The program came to an end with the entire audience and choir singing Shevchenko's "Zapovit" (Testament).
Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, April 16, 2006, No. 16, Vol. LXXIV
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