NEW YORK – The Ukrainian Chorus Dumka of New York celebrated its 70th anniversary with a concert at Hunter College on Saturday, October 6.
The chorus’s platinum jubilee can be traced back to 1949, when Dumka was founded in New York City as a male choir. Barely four years after the end of the war, these Ukrainian immigrants, striving to support their families and still learning the new language in America, had already organized this ensemble, so they could continue singing the music they loved so well. Their stated mission was to preserve and cultivate the rich musical heritage of Ukraine.
At the anniversary concert, the adult mixed chorus led by music director and conductor Vasyl Hrechynsky presented mostly Ukrainian classic choral compositions in the first half, while the second half contrasted shorter Ukrainian melodies and folk songs, including several lighthearted and humorous works.