In the historic region of Volhynia, in the Khmelnytskyi Oblast, lies a town of Slavuta, located on the Horyn River. It is in this place, which ethnographically represents Podilia, that in 2008 the children’s folk ensemble SHCHEDRYK was founded.
The word ‘shchedryk’ originally means a “bountiful evening,” and as such has been popularised as the title of a world-famous winter ritual song belonging to the Ukrainian genre of shchedrivkas. Originally, this traditional song about a swallow flying into a household to sing of wealth that will come with the following spring, was performed on the night of January 13. Later on, shchedryk was adapted as an English Christmas carol, titled “Carol of the Bells” and ever since has been performed all over the world.
The repertoire of the ensemble comprises traditional customs and rites, ritual songs concerned with the calendar year and the passage of the seasons of the year (e.g. the Kupala Night), as well as children’s games and dances. A particularly attractive aspect of the ensemble’s performances is the use of old and traditional clothes typical of the region.
The Festival audience will have a chance to see and hear vesnyanki (a medley of songs concerned with spring rites), dances such as potato, gorodets polka, grechaniki, Jacob, pilot, a dance game called gusachok, as well as household and humorous songs such as Oh, on the mountain fair; To our Nikita; Oh, on the mountain, dry oak; Guys, let's go; The bird flew out.
Tetyana Malinovska is the ensemble leader, instructor and choreographer, and Olexandr Bondarchuk is the musical band leader. The band will be playing violins, garmon, sopilka (a flute-like instrument), a tambourine, a Hutsul drum and a Jew’s harp.
The word ‘shchedryk’ originally means a “bountiful evening,” and as such has been popularised as the title of a world-famous winter ritual song belonging to the Ukrainian genre of shchedrivkas. Originally, this traditional song about a swallow flying into a household to sing of wealth that will come with the following spring, was performed on the night of January 13. Later on, shchedryk was adapted as an English Christmas carol, titled “Carol of the Bells” and ever since has been performed all over the world.
The repertoire of the ensemble comprises traditional customs and rites, ritual songs concerned with the calendar year and the passage of the seasons of the year (e.g. the Kupala Night), as well as children’s games and dances. A particularly attractive aspect of the ensemble’s performances is the use of old and traditional clothes typical of the region.
The Festival audience will have a chance to see and hear vesnyanki (a medley of songs concerned with spring rites), dances such as potato, gorodets polka, grechaniki, Jacob, pilot, a dance game called gusachok, as well as household and humorous songs such as Oh, on the mountain fair; To our Nikita; Oh, on the mountain, dry oak; Guys, let's go; The bird flew out.
Tetyana Malinovska is the ensemble leader, instructor and choreographer, and Olexandr Bondarchuk is the musical band leader. The band will be playing violins, garmon, sopilka (a flute-like instrument), a tambourine, a Hutsul drum and a Jew’s harp.