One of the oldest professional Ukrainian choirs - the National Academic Choral Capella ‘Dumka’ – has played a leading role in the musical and cultural life of its country to this day. Over the years, the ensemble has been led by the best choral conductors of Ukraine, focusing on the rich work of leading Ukrainian composers. During the concert being part of the Wratislavia Cantans festival, the choir will be conducted by Yevhen Savchuk – associated with the choir since 1984.

During the concert, we will listen to Ukrainian folk songs and sacred works based on the refined Orthodox polyphony, including by Dmitry Bortniansky, often called the Palestrina of the East. It was the Dumka choir that was one of the first groups to begin efforts to revive sacred music in Ukraine at the end of the 20th century. The choir has fruitfully collaborated with leading Ukrainian composers, including Kyryllo Stecenko, Yevhen Stankovych and Volodymyr Zubycki, whose compositions will be performed tonight at the Collegiate Church of the Holy Cross and St Bartholomew.

‘O Lord, Great and Almighty,
protect our beloved Ukraine,
bless her with freedom and the light
of your holy rays.’

The above words begin the Prayer for Ukraine – a work from 1885, with music by Mykola Lysenko, an artist of exceptional rank in Ukrainian culture. The spiritual anthem has recently gained in importance, becoming a kind of tribute to those fighting for the freedom of the country. The culture and history of Poles and Ukrainians have been intertwined for centuries, and a lyrical musical sensitivity is common to the Slavic countries. Among the Polish elements in the repertoire, we can find the Agnus Dei from Krzysztof Penderecki’s A Polish Requiem. Penderecki collaborated with the group for many years, conducting during concerts with their participation in Kiev, Kraków, Lviv and Warsaw. The meeting with Dumka will be an excellent opportunity to experience the power and delightful timbre of Ukrainian singing.