On December 8 at 19:00, the Ukraine House in Denmark is inviting you to a Christmas Concert of the oldest running professional youth choir from Ukraine, “Shchedryk”.
The event is dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the first performance of the most popular Christmas carol in the world, "Shchedryk", also known as "Carol of the Bells”, based on the work of the Ukrainian composer Mykola Leontovych (1877-1921). It will also be celebrated by the choristers on the stage of Carnegie Hall in New York on December 4th and they will visit Copenhagen on their way back to Europe.
Shchedryk is one of the most accoladed youth choirs in the world, winner of numerous gran prix at the leading musical and choir festivals, with the most recent being winning the first place with honors "Outstanding Success" in their category at XIII Summa Cum Laude International Youth Music festival (Austria), 2019. Shchedryk's repertoire includes about 1,000 works from the Renaissance and Baroque, classical, romantic and modern music, and folk songs from around the world. Unfortunately, due to Russia's invasion, the young musicians of the choir recently have been rehearsing during power outages in Kyiv, in the darkness of the local Palace of Arts, with only flashlights illuminating the musical scores.
The program in Copenhagen will include international and Ukrainian Christmas classics and modern masterpieces alike. Among them: "Shchedryk", a traditional Ukrainian folk song arr. by Mykola Leontovych, "Somewhere in My Memory" by John Williams from the movie "Home alone", "Silent Night" by Franz Gruber, "Krokoveye Koleso" by Hanna Havrylets, "Hallelujah" by Valentyn Sylvestrov and others.
"Sadly, today millions of Ukrainian families are separated by the Russian invasion, and will not be able to spend Christmas together. The "Shchedryk" holiday concert in Copenhagen is an opportunity to support Ukrainians, mothers and children, abroad. At the same time it will help to unite Danes and Ukrainians around the most important common values – family, a sense of home, and traditions”, – commented Nataliia Popovych, chairperson of the Ukrainian House in Denmark.
"The Russian invasion has brutally disrupted the lives of millions of Ukrainians, and in the dire circumstances of war now every day is an existential battle for the Shchedryk Choir. We strive to prevail as an intricate part of Ukrainian culture, preserve the life of the choir, our team and the continuity of the tradition within Shchedryk. We aim to protect the life of every young voice, who now, under the threat of missile strikes, during daily blackouts and lacking warmth in the place of rehearsals, stays in Kyiv. We also do our best to stay connected with those who are now based in different countries. Young people yearn for joint performances – they work hard and attend everyday rehearsals regardless of the life threatening conditions. The invitation to visit Copenhagen is an opportunity to continue our creative process and an opportunity to bring the taste of the Ukrainian Christmas and high musical culture to the Danish audience, as well as thank Denmark for its welcome to the Ukrainians looking for temporary protection outside of their homeland," commented Shchedryk Choir choirmaster Marianna Sablina.
Come to enjoy and support the Ukrainian voices through the music of love. And let’s hope that this will be the last Christmas when millions of Ukrainian families will be separated and that justice and peace will be restored soon.
When: December 8, 19:00
Where: The Church of The Holy Ghost "Helligåndskirken"
Niels Hemmingsens Gade 5, 1153 København
Tickets: 125 DKK
The entrance is free for children below 16 and for displaced persons from Ukraine (please do not forget your passport as proof of ID).
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