NUMBER 73 OCTOBER 2012 626 BATHURST ST. TORONTO, ON ISSN-0703-9999 We need your help… Each fall, for 40 years since the incor- tell us that a wide spectrum of people tive office and building, which in turn poration of the Shevchenko Guild, the want to be part of this one-of-a-kind provides a venue for meetings and Shevchenko Musical Ensemble has re- cultural experience. events of Club 626 Seniors. ceived invaluable community support Through this support the Guild has The Guild sponsors the Shevchen- which has guaranteed the Ensemble’s maintained the Ensemble well, helping ko School of Music, which has been continuance and growth. to achieve remarkable levels of perfor- successful in bringing young people This moral and financial commu- mance by this unique arts group. to the performing group. nity support, from members, friends How is this done? This is precisely what the Shev- and readers of the Bulletin, exceeds First of all, it’s done by providing the cenko Guild and Ensemble are here all other sources of revenue including Ensemble with outstanding professional for – to consistently develop artisti- grants, fundraising events or concert artistic leadership. The Shevchenko cally as part of our mandate to main- ticket sales. Why? Because individual Choir and Toronto Mandolin Orchestra tain a culture and present it to the donations, from people of many dif- are fortunate to have, for almost 20 broadest Canadian audience possible. ferent ethnic backgrounds, tell us that years now, a highly qualified and tal- Without support from the com- the work of the Guild and Ensemble is ented director in Alexander Veprinsky. munity, from people like you, the appreciated. It tells us that our pro- The Guild also provides professional Ensemble would not be able to con- grams are successful in reflecting not performers and soloists to augment the tinue to grow and prosper. only the Ukrainian heritage, but also Ensemble, and guest groups to share the Please give generously the heritage of many others, bringing Ensemble’s stage. to this year’s a richness to their lives. The donations The Guild maintains an administra- Sustaining Fund Drive! In this issue … • Mandolins come to Toronto Harbourfront • Shevchenko Choir sings in Music Niagara Festival • Toronto Mandolin Orchestra returns to Glenn Gould Studio Guest soloist Inga Filippova-Williams in Natalka’s Song from M. Lysenko’s opera Natalka Poltavka at Annual Concert of the Shevchenko Musical Ensemble. Club 626 Seniors News In Fond Memory Club 626 Seniors, now in its 26th year, continues to hold very interesting monthly meetings on the first Wednesday of each month The National Shevchenko (excluding the summer months of July and August). Musical Ensemble Guild Opening this season was guest speaker Wayne Gilbert who gave a very interesting talk on photography, complete with photographic of Canada examples of what not to do, and how to do. There were plenty of gratefully acknowledges questions, particularly relating to digital cameras and photo storage. contributions in memory At every meeting the business portion (which is very short) and of the following: the guest speaker are followed by a substantial lunch. Depending on the month, the lunch will be on a Thanksgiving theme (turkey), or Easter (eggs and kobasa), or just a regular lunch of delicious sau- sages and sauerkraut. Marge Hunchik Guest speakers often cover matters of health such as safe and 2012 beneficial pharmaceuticals, home and food safety and much more. All meetings are held at 626 Bathurst Street. ✤ Michael Sportun Each season the Club also holds special events in other locations. To 2012 round out their season, they hold a Bar-B-Q in the beautiful back- yard of Stan and Evelyn Nazarec. This event has become known as Alex Kowalchuk the “Garlic Fest”. Held in August, soon after Stan has harvested his 2012 fantastic garlic, the highlight of the event is the raffling off of braids, bouquets and bags of wonderful organically grown garlic. Other events are the Christmas Party held in early December and the Spring Luncheon held in June. And in between these they get in at least one trip to either the Shaw or Stratford Shakespeare Festival. A welcome new talent The Guild is happy to announce that Anna Veprinska has volun- teered to work on the Editorial Board of the Bulletin. Anna is s doing her PhD in Eng- lish Literature at York University in Toronto. Her writing and poetry have been published in various Canadian magazines. She has been playing the mandolin since she was seven years old, first as a member of the Shevchenko Children’s Mandolin Ensemble and currently, since 2005, as a member of the TMO. She is pleased to be part of the Everyone is welcome to join the Club. Bulletin’s writing and editing Call Membership Secretary Lydia Kit at 416-534-5272. team. 2 Orchestra concert to feature outstanding artists Following a highly successful con- cert at Toronto’s Harbourfront in July, the Toronto Mandolin Orches- tra, under the Artistic Direction of Alexander Veprinsky, is now gear- ing up for another concert in Glenn Gould Studio in November. Featured soloists Along with a new program of folk, world and popular classical music, the concert will feature a solo presentation, and performances with the orchestra, by Alexander Sevastian, an internationally-ac- claimed bayanist, currently based in Toronto. Born in Minsk, Belarus, Sevastian began playing the accordion at the age of seven. After finishing musical school in 1991, he attended his post-graduate course in Moscow. the Glinka Musical College in After moving to Toronto in 2001, Minsk, followed by the Gnessin he also completed an Advanced Academy of Music in Moscow. Certificate in Performance program In 1998 Sevastian studied with from the University of Toronto. Professor Elisbeth Moser at the In 2007 he was the winner of the Ira Erokhina, and you have one Sofia Goubaidulina Master Class in Coupe Mondiale World Accordion fabulous afternoon of music by Avignon, France. Championships in Washington, D.C. outstanding talents. From 1996 until 2001 he was Ira is not new to our readers, Alexander has performed across a member of the Russian TV and nor to our audiences. She has been Canada, as well as in Russia, Be- Radio Orchestra, recording TV a member and soloist with the larus, Ukraine, Germany, Serbia, performances and radio tapes. Toronto Mandolin Orchestra since Italy, Portugal, Japan, Mexico, and In May 2002 Sevastian completed 2002. She received her education the USA. He has appeared as solo- at the Russian State Academy of ist with such prestigious orchestras Music in Moscow and was senior as the Toronto Symphony and the lecturer at that academy. She was Calgary Philharmonic. a soloist with the Osipov Folk Sevastian currently plays and Orchestra in Moscow for many tours with Toronto Woodwinds years, is also an award winning and Quartetto Gelato, two performer, and has been recorded internationally-renowned ensembles. in Russia and abroad. On November 11, with the Toronto Mandolin Orchestra, Toronto Mandolin Orchestra Alexander will perform Gypsy Sun. Nov. 11, 2012 • 2 PM Rhapsody by Russian composer, Viktor Gridin, himself an accom- Glenn Gould Studio plished bayanist; and Allegro from $35 • 416-533-2725 the Concerto for Bayan by Chaikin. ✦ Add to this another mesmerizing See back page for more details appearance by domra virtuoso, 3 Mandolins come to Toronto’s Harbourfront Toronto’s Harbourfront Centre, which performance of Introduction and Waltz Ontario, and the other facilities of the offers a myriad of activities for all from the filmDr. Zhivago. And to show theatre were very comfortable for the ages, introduced a program this sum- the versatility of this instrument (never musicians, making it a pleasurable mer called Classical IV: Strings. It mind the ability of the soloist), Ira event. Above all, the highly profes- was a showcase of different stringed ended with Flight of the Bumblebee to sional technicians and staff guaranteed instruments from around the world, the resounding applause from the hundreds the rehearsal and performance ran mandolin being one of those featured. in the audience. without a hitch, producing some of the The Toronto Mandolin Orchestra The remainder of the program best sound ever experienced by the was a great choice for this series with included Part IV of the Peer Gynt orchestra. its program of light classical music Suite, the Overture to Countess Marit- There was also time between the played in the classical mandolin style. za, Strauss’ Tritsch-tratsch Polka, rehearsal and performance to meander There was an excellent turn out for the Waltz from Shostakovich’s Jazz around the grounds of Harbourfront two rehearsals the week prior to the Suite, a lively tango, a Russian Gypsy and partake of various dishes of inter- concert which was held on Sunday, selection, and ended with the rousing national food. July 29. Soon conductor Alexander Russian folk song Pedlars. This got the Great performances like this are not Veprinsky and the musicians of the very receptive audience clapping along possible without the full participation orchestra were ready with a fast paced with the orchestra’s fast paced finale. and cooperation of the musicians. And and colourful program. Although the day was very hot, this here, our “hats off” to concertmaster They opened with Ukrainian Fan- proved to be one of the finest perfor- Mary Kuzyk, who at the tender age of tasy, a reflection of the Ukrainian roots mances for the orchestra. Nothing 93, endured the extreme heat, not only of the orchestra, and followed with can compare to performing for a new to perform successfully, but to tune Scherzo from Five Pictorial Sketches audience which is totally enraptured by instruments for others.