Ukraine-Heritage, Spirit and Future

To mark our 20th anniversary and help strengthen Ukraine's cultural legacy, in 2022, we launched a unique program dedicated to Ukrainian artists: Ukraine - Heritage, Spirit and Future.

Awards

Twenty prizes of $10,000 each were awarded to ten Canadians of Ukrainian heritage and ten performing artists from war-torn Ukraine.

Fundraising Gala

On June 25, 2023, the Hnatyshyn Foundation brought together the Canadian winners and the band Tonka from Kyiv, who won the Ukrainian award in the contemporary music category, for a gala and concert in Ottawa. With over 450 guests, this unique event celebrated the dynamism of Ukrainian culture through traditional, classical, and contemporary dance and music. Ukraine's Deputy Minister of Culture and Information Policy, Galyna Grygorenko, addressed the crowd in a moving video message, thanking the Hnatyshyn Foundation and Canadians at large for their support of Ukraine's cultural heritage in these troubled times.

Purpose of the funds

In addition to the twenty prizes of $10,000 each awarded to outstanding artists of Ukrainian heritage, we raised over $400,000.00 to help restore an arts facility damaged by the war.

Awards

Canadian Laureates
Borys Ostapienko - Bandura
Borys Ostapienko is a professional bandurist, pianist, biomedical engineer, and avid volunteer in Toronto’s Ukrainian community. At the age of 10, Ostapienko became the youngest member of the Canadian Bandurist Capella, where he is currently the concert maestro. He performed at the Fifth International Bandura Competition in Kharkiv, Ukraine, and in 2018, he was the first Canadian-born Ukrainian to receive First Prize at a bandura competition in Ukraine, by winning the Mykola Lysenko Bandura Competition in Kyiv. His most unforgettable performance was at Massey Hall in Toronto, where he was invited to showcase the bandura’s capabilities with the Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus. By blending modern aspects of classical, jazz, and pop music with traditional Ukrainian folk songs, Ostapienko strives to produce contemporary takes on timeless classics.
Zachary Senick - Classical music (Winds)
Zachary Senick is a bassoonist of Ukrainian heritage born in Saskatoon. He began his studies at age 16 with Marie Sellars. In 2019, he completed his Bachelor of Music in Orchestral Performance at McGill University under Stéphane Lévesque, and in 2021, he completed a Master of Music in Instrumental Performance at the University of Toronto under Eric Hall. He has been a member of the National Youth Orchestra of Canada and the Orchestre de la Francophonie and a substitute with the Windsor Symphony Orchestra. Currently, Senick is the substitute second bassoonist for the Ontario Philharmonic’s 2022/2023 season and is pursuing a Doctorate of Musical Arts in Performance at the University of Toronto. In his doctoral research, Senick is researching solo and chamber works for bassoon written by Ukrainian composers. In spring 2023, he will perform a recital with a repertoire made up entirely of Ukrainian composers, including two commissions being written for him by Ukrainian composers Dmytro Kyryliv and Sergei Pilyutikov. In addition to performing, he was a music instructor at the Vernon Cadet Training Centre's summer program for 2018-2019, and a music librarian at the International Music Camp in 2017. In his free time, Senick is an avid cook, and his favorite things to make are вареники (varenyky/perogies) and борщ (borsch).
www.zacharysenick.com
Jaeden Izik-Dzurko - Classical music (piano)
Jaeden Izik-Dzurko has been recognized by audiences, conductors, composers, and jurors alike for the exceptional communicative power and thoughtfulness of his interpretations. Jaeden completed his Bachelor of Music at the Juilliard School under Dr. Yoheved Kaplinsky. He currently studies with Dr. Corey Hamm at the University of British Columbia.
Jaeden has organized and presented numerous solo recitals to benefit local community projects and international humanitarian organizations. He has collaborated with Canadian and international instrumentalists, vocalists and chamber ensembles, and has performed with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra, the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra, the Kamloops Symphony, Jove Orquestra Nacional de Catalunya, the Lions Gate Sinfonia, and the Orquesta Sinfónica de RTVE. Jaeden’s recordings have been broadcast nationally and streamed internationally on CBC, and in September 2019, his performance in Juilliard’s Paul Hall was broadcast live on WQXR in New York. In 2020, he recorded a recital for the first episode of “Virtually VRS” presented by the Vancouver Recital Society. He has won many awards, including First Prize at the 2022 Hilton Head International Piano Competition, First Prize at the 2022 Maria Canals International Music Competition, First Prize, the Canon Audience Prize, and the Chamber Music Award at the 20th Paloma O'Shea Santander International Piano Competition, the Grand Prize at the Federation of Canadian Music Festivals’ National Competition, Juilliard’s Gina Bachauer Scholarship Competition, and the Cochran International Piano Competition. In the near future, Jaeden will be presenting solo recitals in Bilbao, Essen, Jerez, Mallorca, Munich, Paris, Sevilla, and Tenerife, at Weill Recital Hall in New York, at the Palau de la Música Catalana in Barcelona, and at the Playhouse in Vancouver.
www.jaedenizikdzurko.com
Anna Shalaykevych - Classical music (piano)
Anna Shalaykevych grew up surrounded by music, in a family of acclaimed Ukrainian singers. She gave her first performance with Lviv Philharmonic Orchestra at the age of nine. After graduating from Lysenko Music Academy in Lviv (Ukraine) with a Master's Degree, Anna continued her studies at the Anton Rubinstein Academy in Dusseldorf, where she obtained her Artist Diploma in Piano Performance. Her awards include the First Prize of the Piano Duo Competition (Crimea), Second Prize of the Bechstein Piano Competition (Kyiv), and The Frederic Chopin Society Special Award (Warsaw). She leads rich concert activity both in Canada and abroad, appearing in solo and chamber performances and cooperating with a number of ensembles and musicians. As an active piano teacher and collaborative pianist, Anna provides piano accompaniment for vocalists, instrumentalists, and choirs in a wide variety of genres and multiple settings such as competitions, auditions, and http://annashalaykevych.com/festivals. Recently, Anna made her orchestral debut in Canada with the Toronto Concert Orchestra. Having arrived in Canada from Ukraine in 2015, she became a permanent resident in 2020.
annashalaykevych.com
@anna.shalaykevych_piano
Mariya Orlenko - Classical music (piano)
Mariya Orlenko has won multiple piano competitions nationally and internationally and has performed in North America, Europe and Asia. In 2020, Mariya was the proud recipient of The Hnatyshyn Foundation Developing Artist Grant. Praised for her innovative takes on the classical music scene, her Youtube channel, “With Mariya,” on which she shares her performances and practice tips, has amassed over 250 000 views. Mariya recently founded The Efficient Musician, a company that strives to make music education accessible. Mariya is pursuing her Masters of Music in Piano Performance at the University of Toronto under the tutelage of Lydia Wong. She received her Bachelor of Music at the Glenn Gould School.
mariyaorlenko.com
youtube.com/withmariya
theefficientmusician.com
Taryn Plater - Classical music (vocal)
Taryn Plater is a versatile performer with a strong investment in the future of opera and arts outreach. Applauded for her “dramatic and vocal thrust” (Opera Canada), the Vancouver-based mezzo-soprano was a 2021–2022 RBC Artist Fellow with the Association for Opera in Canada. Taryn created the digital artist statement First Steps through Against the Grain's 2021 National Opera Intensive, exploring her cultural heritage through Ukrainian art, song, and dance. She took part in the 2022 Ukrainian Art Song Summer Institute and continues to seek out opportunities to share the repertoire. She has trained with Opera NUOVA and the Hawaii Performing Arts Festival, and was the recipient of an Encouragement Award at the 2019 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions (Western Canada District) and a 2021 Vancouver Opera Foundation bursary. In addition to her performance endeavours, Taryn is a mentor with Opera InReach and the founding Artistic Director of Opera Unbound.
www.tarynplater.com
@ptaryndactyll
Valeriia Honchar - Classical music (vocal)
Valeriia Honchar moved to Canada at the age of ten and is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree of Music in Vocal Performance at Alliance University in New York. She has performed as a soloist and with an orchestra at various events, including Ukrainian folk festivals, the Grey Cup, and Canada Day celebrations. She was the vocalist for the dance group Poltava, and during her involvement with Do it With Class Young People's Theatre, under the direction of Andorlie Hillstrom and Rob Ursan, she was part of several productions such as The Little Prince, 3Penny Opera, and The Grimm Tales. In university, she played the role of Miss Pinkerton in a radio show The Old Maid and the Thief. Valeriia continues to find her calling in music with the help of mentors Dana Talley and Sue Talley. With the unfortunate events that have fallen on Ukraine, she is connected to her Ukrainian roots more than ever. In an interest to help her country, she has been performing at different benefit concerts and fundraisers that occurred in London, Ontario, and New York. She also did a solo project Benefit Concert for Ukraine, Save Kherson. The money that was raised was transferred to Kherson, her hometown. Her upcoming projects will involve collaborations of opera, musical theatre, and Ukrainian songs.
Calder White - Contemporary dance
Calder White is a freelance dance artist of Ukrainian heritage based on the unceded lands of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh nations (so-called Vancouver, BC). He is an alumnus of Tkaronto’s Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre and holds a BFA in Dance from the Ohio State University (2018). He has originated roles in work by Shay Kuebler (Shay Kuebler/Radical System Art), Wen Wei Wang (Wen Wei Dance), Sylvie Bouchard (BoucharDanse), Colin Connor (José Limón Dance Foundation), Santee Smith (Kaha:wi Dance Theatre), and Alexander Whitley (Alexander Whitley Dance Company). Calder’s choreographic work has been shared with audiences across Canada and the US, his most recent commission being for the Dancing on the Edge Festival in 2022. He is also a floorwork teacher, sharing his workshops with institutions across North America including the School of Toronto Dance Theatre, UC Santa Barbara, Training Society of Vancouver, and Ohio State University. Calder is currently a company member with Shay Kuebler/Radical System Art, Joshua Beamish/MOVEthecompany, Peggy Baker Dance Projects, and Santa Barbara Dance Theatre.
vimeo.com/calderwhite
@calderwhite
Ilya Osachuk - Contemporary music
Ilya Osachuk is a Ukrainian-Canadian Jazz Bassist, Composer, and Arranger. Born in Winnipeg Manitoba, he currently lives in New York City and is studying towards a Masters of Music degree in Jazz Studies at The Juilliard School under the tutelage of Ben Wolfe and Gerald Cannon. Osachuk graduated from the University of Manitoba’s Desautels Faculty of Music in 2021 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Jazz Performance. During this time, he regularly worked with the city's top musicians including Juno Award Winner Will Bonness, and nominees Erin Propp and Larry Roy. Since relocating in late 2021, Osachuk has performed and premiered original works at some of the top venues in the United States including Peter Jay Sharp Theater, Dizzy’s Club, and The Kennedy Center. Osachuk’s original sound and approach have been recognized by his peers and mentors alike, culminating in his acceptance to the Betty Carter Jazz Ahead program in 2022, and having his work featured on WBGO radio, the global leader in jazz radio.
www.ilyaosachuk.com
@ilyaosachuk
Facebook
YouTube
Soundcloud
Ukrainian Shumka Dancers - Ukrainian Folk Dance
Ukrainian Shumka Dancers present dance-theatre touring productions across the country and around the world. Established in Edmonton in 1959, the company has presented performances for Queens, Prime Ministers, and Presidents, and has performed alongside the likes of Andrea Bocelli, Christopher Plummer, and Julie Andrews. Along with the Alberta Ballet and Edmonton Opera, Shumka is proud to be a Resident Company of the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium. While maintaining deep respect for their Ukrainian heritage, Shumka's team members continually challenge conventional boundaries to define the experience of Ukrainian dance in the context of today’s society. Collaborating with Canadian and Ukrainian composers, musicians, choreographers, and designers, Shumka has established a network of creative relationships that have resulted in several unique works, performed live and on film. In 2022, Shumka toured Canada to mark the group’s 60th anniversary. Shumka on Tour featured four works including My Yeh/We Are, a moving dance tribute to the conflict in Ukraine dedicated to long-time Shumka composer, Yuri Shevchenko who passed away in Kyiv on March 23.
www.shumka.com
Facebook
@ukrainianshumkadancers
Ukrainian Laureates
Anna Shapoval - Bandura
Anna Shapoval is a student at the Ukrainian National Tchaikovsky Academy of Music in Kyiv. Shapoval's rich repertoire celebrates contemporary and classical Ukrainian and international composers.
“In today’s difficult times for my homeland, sharing my art and music through bandura allows me the unique opportunity to attract the attention of the international community to Ukrainian culture. I am deeply grateful to be receiving this prize.”
Oleksiy Shadrin - Classical music (strings)
Oleksiy Shadrin, a cellist born into a musical family in Ukraine, obtained his Bachelor and Master of Musical Arts at the Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien in Hanover with Prof. Leonid Gorokhov and studied with Prof. Frans Helmerson at the Kronberg Academy. He is currently studying with Gary Hoffman at the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel in Waterloo, Belgium. He has won many awards, including First Prize at the 2012 M. Lysenko International Music Competition, Third Prize the 2018 Prague Spring Competition, and Fourth Prize at the Queen 2022 Elisabeth Competition. He has performed in major concert halls in Ukraine, Germany, France, South Korea, China, Vietnam, Holland, Singapore, and Belgium. Shadrin has performed as a soloist with orchestras such as the National Philharmonic of Ukraine, the Opéra national de Montpellier, the Sudwestdeutsche Philharmonie Konstanz, and the Belgian National Orchestra. In 2016, he made his debut appearance at the Berliner Philharmoniker. In 2017, he appeared as a soloist with the NDR Radiophilharmonie with Andrew Manze in the Grosser Sendesaal in Hannover, and made his debut appearance at the Hamburg Chamber Music Festival.
Illia Bondarenko - Classical music (strings)
Born in Donetsk, violinist Illia Bondarenko is a fourth year student at the Kyiv National Music Academy of Ukraine. Illia is extremely grateful for the guidance and inspiration of his teachers Andriy Malakhov (Ukraine), Alisa Kobzar (Austria), Daniel Hope (UK), Philip Dukes (UK). He is deeply affected by the cruel and unjust war in Ukraine and is actively involved in charity projects to raise funds to help Ukrainians affected by the war. He looks forward to peace in Ukraine. Illia dreams to promote modern Ukrainian music and in the near future to perform Chamber Symphony No. 1 by Ukrainian composer Vitaliy Hubarenko with a symphony orchestra. The picture above is still from one of the works submitted by Bondarenko for The Ukraine - Heritage, Spirit and Future project. In the work, Bondarenko performs a piece dedicated to him by Japanese composer Ryuichi Sakamoto - Piece for Illia - in the rubble of a school in Zhytomyr that was destroyed by a Russian missile.
Facebook
@illiaviolin
Stefan Bulyha - Classical music (winds)
Stefan Bulyha began his music education at Rivne Children’s Music School No. 2, where Mykola Protas first introduced him to the clarinet. He then studied at the R. Glier Kyiv Municipal Academy of Music college, under Roman Vovk, and is currently enrolled at the Royal Academy of Music in London, where he continues to learn under the guidance of Chris Richards and Fraser Gordon. An avid learner, Bulyha has participated in online master classes of such famous clarinetists as Martin Fröst and Yehuda Gilad. At the Royal Academy of Music, he had the opportunity to practice live with Nicolas Baldeyrou and Patrick Messina. In Ukraine, he was part of the Youth Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine and the Pan-Caucasian Youth Symphony Orchestra. Bulyha is extremely grateful to the mentors and collaborators he has met so far in his career, as well as to his parents Viktor and Natalya, brother Rostislav, sister Tamara and godparents Dmytro and Valentyna, and his friends.
Facebook
YouTube
Roksolana Kit - Classical music (piano)
Roksolana Kit is currently pursuing a bachelor's degree at the Lviv National Academy of Music. Originally from the small town of Buchach in the western part of Ukraine, and trained at the Ternopil Music College, Kit feels that as a Ukrainian artist, it is her duty explore, preserve and continue the musical history of her motherland in order to protect its existence at this time of crisis. Recalling fond memories of a small community concert in Kharkiv in August 2021 during which she performed a movement of a sonata by Kharviv-born composer Serhiy Bortkevich who had to flee his home due to the war, she writes, “at such moments, I understood the importance, value and weight of such music.”
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@roksi_kit
The Moravski Chamber Choir - Ukrainian choral ensemble
The Moravski Chamber Choir, founded by Larysa Bukhonska in 2016 and under the direction of Olena Radko since 2017, performs pieces of sacred, ancient, and contemporary Ukrainian and foreign music. It was named The People’s Amateur Choir of Ukraine in 2019. Its objective is to make its audience feel a part of its musical process and to invite everyone, not only professionals, to create music. Its team believes that music unites, heals, and supports, especially in the turbulent times in which Ukraine finds itself. The Moravski Chamber Choir has received many prizes including the Grand-Prix prize of the Municipal Competition of Artistic Groups in Kyiv (2021), First Prize in the Ukrainian competition Vyshhorodska Pokrova (2021), and Second Prize in the Ukrainian Mykola Leontovych choral competition (2018). It has performed in Ukraine and abroad (Austria, France, Hungary) and collaborated with prominent artists and groups including Nina Matviienko, the Telniuk sisters, and the National Presidential Orchestra of Ukraine.
https://moravski-choir-site-ppcc.vercel.app/en
YouTube
@choir_moravski
Facebook
Olena Saltykova - Contemporary dance
Olena Saltykova, a former Prima Ballerina of the Kyiv Modern Ballet, has quickly become a leading soloist in contemporary theater. Thanks to the stamina, resilience, and formal bases that she acquired with her classical training, she has found a true passion in modern ballet, which she feels is a “freer but no less challenging” mode of expression: one in which she had to let go of classical barriers and use her body to express emotion with every movement. She has worked with notable choreographers including John Neumeier, Edvin Revazov, and Radu Poklitaru. Displaced due to the war in Ukraine, Saltykova now lives and dances in Montreal, where she teaches at the Académie Dansetout. Its director, Sylvie Régimbald, highly recommended Saltykova for this award.
@saltykovalena
YouTube
ТОНКА - Contemporary music
ТОНКА (pronouced “Tonka”) is a music project based in Kyiv. Founded in 2018 by singer Olena Karas and music producer Yaroslav Tatarchenko, the band's objective is to produce intelligent pop music that combines an EDM-like sound, bold and brave music, unique vocals, and subtle lyrics. Since 2018, Tонка has released 4 EP albums and eight music videos and has performed at Ukrainian and international music festivals. In February 2022, Tонка presented its new mini-album Знов молодість не буде (Youth will not be again) and the lyric video Рятівник (Savior). The main message of these releases is to “be brave and not be afraid.” Although these songs weren’t originally intended as political, in the context of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, they have garnered new meanings, now reflecting the internal state of the Ukrainian people and emphasizing their courage, independence, and desire for victory.
@music_tonka
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YouTube
Spotify
Apple Music
The Ballet of the Cherkasy Folk Choir - Ukrainian folk dance
The Ballet of the Cherkasy Folk Choir, is a Ukrainian folk dance and music group founded in 1957. As self-described “visiting card of Ukraine,” the Cherkasy Folk Choir is known for its representations of ancient folk and contemporary music accompanied by round dances, household and humorous dances, and the Cossak fighting dance – all while wearing, of course, colourful traditional Ukrainian attire. The different genres and moods of dances they perform display Ukraine’s fighting spirit, optimism, and democratic aspirations.
Award recipients were selected by a jury of arts experts from Canada and Ukraine. The Hnatyshyn Foundation gratefully acknowledges the contribution of jurors for their generous assistance:
Bandura
Dr. Brian Cherwick, Professor, Memorial University and member, Kubasonics band
Tetiana Cherneta, Bandura performer and adjudicator
Yuriy Kurach, Conductor of the Boyan Ensemble, Kyiv
Andreï Dmitrovici, St. Volodymyr Cathedral Choir, Toronto
Classical Music (Strings)
Metro Kozak, Founder of the Sudbury Youth Orchestra
Isabelle Bozzini, Chamber player, cellist, and founding member of the Quatuor Bozzini
Classical Music (Winds)
Oleksii Vikulov, Leader of Ukraine's National Band
Andreï Dmitrovici
Gohar Manvelyan, Artistic Director and Conductor of Les Muses Chorale and 2021 Winner of the Hnatyshyn Foundation-Christa and Franz-Paul Decker Fellowship for Young Conductors
Classical Music (Piano)
Dr. Ireneus Zuk, Pianist and Associate Director, Queens University Dan School of Drama and Music
Serhiy Salov, Concert pianist and recording Artist
Saman Shahi, Award-winning and published composer, pianist, and conductor
Classical Music (Vocal)
Halyna Kvitka Kondracki, Founding director/conductor of Toronto’s award-winning Vesnivka Choir and conductor of the Toronto Ukrainian Male Chamber Choir
Helena Waverchuck, Accomplished solo mezzo-soprano and chorister
Amanda Brunk, Instructor of Contemporary Voice and certified vocologist, Wilfrid Laurier University
Ukrainian Choral Ensemble
Halyna Kvitka Kondracki
Tetiana Cherneta
Beverly Dobrinsky, Vocalist, composer, educator, and founding member of Vancouver-based ZEELIA: Slavic Soul ensemble
Contemporary Dance (Ukrainian Division)
Peggy Baker, Acclaimed contemporary dancer, choreographer, Artistic Director of Peggy Baker Dance Projects, and recipient of the Order of Canada
Contemporary Dance (Canadian and Ukrainian Divisions)
Gordon Gordey, Professional arts stage director, producer, director, and first Vice-President of the Shevchenko Foundation
Ronda DeFazio, Dancer, educator and choreographer at the Switzerland Dance School (Jacksonville, Florida) and former soloist with National Ballet of Canada
Contemporary Music
Ivan Doroschuk, Leading vocalist in the band Men Without Hats
Stephania Woloshyn, Musician and dancer in the band The Lemon Bucket Orkestra
Amanda Brunk
Ukrainian Folk Dance (Ukrainian Division)
Gordon Gordey
Ukrainian Folk Dance (Canadian and Ukrainian Divisions)
Shane Gibson, Artistic Director of Tryzub Ukrainian Dance
Classical Ballet (No prizes awarded)
Anya Nesvitaylo, First soloist at Les Grands Ballets Canadiens
Catherine Taylor, Artistic Director of the Quinte Ballet School of Canada
This program has closed.
Candidates were invited to submit applications between July 20 and September 19 2022, and winners were announced in November of 2022.
Eligibility
- Individuals had to be 35 years of age and under at the time of the application.
  There was no age limitation for choral ensembles, dance ensembles and the contemporary music category.
- Individuals and members of ensembles had to be either Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada who identify as having Ukrainian heritage
  or Ukrainian citizens.
- Candidates had to define and describe themselves as performing artists.
Artistic Disciplines
- Bandura
- Classical Music - Orchestral Instrument - Strings
- Classical Music - Orchestral Instrument - Winds
- Classical Music - Piano
- Classical Music - Vocal Performance
- Ukrainian Choral Ensemble
- Contemporary Dance
- Classical Ballet
- Ukrainian Folk Dance - Ensemble
- Contemporary Music, any Genre (e.g. rock, jazz, rap, other), performed by a group/band.
Applications had to include:
- A completed on-line application form, including audition materials.
- Current C.V., including education, relevant training, awards/honours, performances.
- Letter of reference - optional (1 page maximum).
- Artist Statement (1 page maximum).
- A high resolution photo.