In December, the Ukrainian professional youth choir “Shchedryk” on their way home from New York, where they celebrated the 100th anniversary of the first performance of the world’s most popular Christmas carol “Shchedryk” (also known as “Carol of the Bells”) on the stage of Carnegie Hall. ) works by the Ukrainian composer Mykola Leontovich (Author), visited the Danish capital of Copenhagen.
The concert took place in the medieval Cathedral of the Holy Spirit in the center of the old city. There was no empty seat in the hall. Danes sold out tickets in just three days. Entrance for Ukrainian immigrants and children is free.
“Unfortunately, today millions of Ukrainian families are divided due to the Russian invasion and will not be able to celebrate Christmas together. Shchedryk’s festive concert in Copenhagen is an opportunity to support Ukrainians, mothers and children abroad. At the same time, it will help unite Danes and Ukrainians around the most important common values – family, home and traditions,” commented head of the Ukrainian House in Denmark Natalya Popovich.
It is interesting that this time “Shchedryk” shared the stage with colleagues from the cult “Danish Choir of Boys”. After performing several Christmas songs, the young Danish singers solemnly handed burning candles to the Ukrainian choristers - a symbol of deep respect for the commitment to art, which encourages the young men to continue rehearsals even in unlit bomb shelters, by candlelight, risking their lives.
“The Russian invasion severely disrupted the lives of millions of Ukrainians, and in the difficult circumstances of the war, now every day is an existential battle for the Shchedryk Choir. We strive to protect the lives of every young voice that is now under the threat of rocket attacks during daily blackouts and lack of heat at the rehearsal site remains in Kyiv. We also do our best to stay in touch with those who now live in different countries. The invitation to visit Copenhagen is an opportunity to continue our creative process and bring the taste of Ukrainian Christmas and high musical culture to the Danish audience, as well as to thank Denmark for its hosting of Ukrainians who are looking for temporary protection outside their homeland”, - told choirmaster of the choir “Shchedryk” Marianna Sablina.
Among the listeners in the hall were also Ukrainian soldiers undergoing rehabilitation after severe injuries in Ukraine - Igor Kuzmin, Andriy Yanchenko and Igor Zaremba. The whole audience applauded the Ukrainian defenders, both the audience and the singers.
The concert featured both world and Ukrainian Christmas classics and modern masterpieces. Among them: “Shchedryk”, a traditional Ukrainian folk song, arr. Nikolai Leontovich, “Somewhere in My Memory” by John Williams from the film “Home Alone”, “Silent Night” by Franz Gruber, “The Walking Wheel” by Anna Gavrilets, “Hallelujah” by Valentin Silvestrov, etc.
“Shchedryk” is one of the most famous youth choirs in the world, the winner of numerous Grand Prix at leading music and choir festivals, and the latter - the first place with honors “Outstanding Success” in its category at the XIII Summa Cum Laude International Youth Music Festival (Austria ) , 2019. The repertoire of “Shchedryk” is about 1000 works of the Renaissance and Baroque era, classical, romantic and modern music, folk songs from around the world. Unfortunately, due to the Russian invasion, the young musicians of the choir have recently been rehearsing during a power outage in Kyiv in the darkness of the local Palace of Arts. They illuminated the notes with lanterns.
Source: Fakty
