The Ukrainian Weekly 1993

12 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, DECEMBER 5,1993 No. 49FOCUS ON THE ARTS: "Silver Threads" presented at Ukrainian Instituteby Areta PawlynskyNEW YORK - On Saturday,November 6, close to 200 people enjoyedan evening full of creativity at theUkrainian Institute of America, as TheYara Arts Programpresented "SilverThreads", linking dramatic readings ofpoetry with an art exhibit.The innovative event was organizedby Virlana Tkacz, director of the YaraArts Group, together with the art exhibit'scurators, sculptor Daria Dorosh andgraphic designer Nadia Maryniak. SilverThreads was co-sponsored by theUkrainian American Professionals andBusiness Persons Association of NewYork/New Jersey (UAPBA) and theUkrainian Institute of America.Ms. Tkacz initiated the event as a wayto increase awjireness of Yara's work andto collect funds for the group's currentwork-in-progress, "Yara's Forest Song."The Yara Arts Group creates originaltheater pieces that explore the ideas andcultures of the East, especially ofUkraine. Yara artists are of Asian,African, Eastern and Western Europeanethnic origin and have now twice traveledto Ukraine to create collaborativeworks with avant-garde theater groupsfrom Kyyiv, Kharkiv and Lviv.The evening began with several briefintroductory speeches, including a bilingualwelcome from the UAPBA. CuratorNadia Maryniak then introduced the artwork on exhibit. Yuri Shevchuk analyzedthe Yara Arts Group's approach andgoals. He also related his experiencesobserving the group's theater workshopsat the Harvard Summer School and theaterperformances in New York.Richarda Abrams, an AfricanAmerican actress from Chicago, grippedthe audience's attention with her tales oftravel and performance in Ukraine thispast spring as a cast member of Yara's"Blind Sight." Another Yara actor,Andrew Colteaux, spoke of his experiencesteaching at the Karpenko-KaryiTheatre Institute in Kyyiv last spring.The dramatic part of the evening consistedof Ukrainian and Enghsh-languagereadings of eight poems. The poems wereselected as examples of Ukraine's creativeblossoming amid chaos in the 1920sand 1990s. Together the ensemble ofnine performed a powerful and cacophonousreading of "Mantra for the FirstWeek of Winter" by Yurko Hudz. Theother poems were read by pairs and trios,interweaving English and Ukrainian in amost entertaining and stimulating way.Irina Soto and Ian Wen read "A Kiss"by Serhiy Lavreniuk and "Enough" byVictoria Stakh. Oksana Zabuzhko's "AnIndication of Poetry" was read by OlgaShuhan, Richards Abrams and KateSelvertone, while Ruslana Roscishewskaand Andrew Colteaux read PavloTychyna's "She Glanced - Light" andAttila Mohylny's "Flying South." JeffreyRicketts and Stefka Nazarkewycz presentedvery strong interpretations ofAt the Yara Art Group presentation are: (from left) exhibit curators NadiaMaryniak and Dana Dorosh, director Virlana Tkacz and actress Richarda Abrams.Victor Neborak's "Flying Head" andMohylny's "Beades."The exhibit by 12 visual artistenlivened the space further with іпіефгеtationsof "Silver Threads." The worksdisplayed encompassed a variety ofmedia, including painting, sculpture,photography, textile, video and handmadeshoes, hats and clothing.There was a group of elaborate slipperssuspended from a wall sconce, tided"Uppers for Sale," a pair of flowing silkPerformers in "Silver Threads" include: (from left) Irina Soto, Olga Shuhan, Stefka Nazarkewycz, Ruslana Roscishewska,Andrew Colteaux, Jeffrey Ricketts, Richarda Abrams, Katy Selverstone and Ian Wen.gowns supported by dress forms; "ColorField I & II," a self-portrait whose arrestingfeature, a long braid of real hair,extended beyond the picture frame andonto the wall; and 15 other pieces thatboth challenged the audience's notion of"apparel" and inspired the imagination.From the playfiil and "light" (a professionalclown costume) to the more seriousand sublime (a photo triptych commentingon states of undress), the exhibitsucceeded as a thought-provoking aspectof the event. The energy of the performanceand exhibit continued for hours ata reception where the audience mingledwith the artists.The Yara Arts Group has receivedincreasing attention from both the publicand the media, including well-knownpublications such as The Village Voiceand American Theatre. The importanceof Yara's work is noted in AmericanTheatre's September 1993 issue:"Cultural heritage can be reclaimed, atleast in part, through memory - and oneof the people helping Ukraine rediscoverits voice is Virlana Tkacz."Yara's next public event will be aworkshop production of Yara's ForestSong at La Mama Experimental Theatre inNew York City during the first weekendin December. For reservations and moreinformation, please call (212) 475-6474.MUSIC REVIEW: ''Rejoice/ a masterful Christmas recordingby Oles KuzyszynThe musical "stocking stuffer" of theseason has arrived, and in sparkling digitalsound, no less. This CD (also availableon cassette), "Rejoice," is a collectionof traditional Ukrainian Christmascarols, in masterful, instrumentalarrangements by composer/arrangerYurij Antoniuk of Lviv, Ukraine.The 33-year-old Mr. Antoniuk isfamiliar to Western audiences throughhis performances with the group "VeselyiLviv," which recently toured NorthAmerica. He served as the ensemble'skeyboardist and arranger, and wrotesome of the group's original songs. On"Rejoice," however, we have the opportunityto experience another side of Mr.Antoniuk, certainly more indicative ofhis skill and sophistication as a composer,arranger and synthesist.A graduate of the Lviv Conservatorycomposition department, Ms. Antoniuk isnow a professor of throry and improvisationat the Lviv Musical College. Hischallenge in recording "Rejoice" was torecast these beloved, age-old "koliady"and "shchedrivky" in a fresh, contemporarymold, palatable to an audience ofwide-ranging musical tastes, and diverseexpectations.Moreover, the recording was truly asolo project. Without the benefit of additionalmusicians or vocalists, the performerrecorded all the parts himself on aKorg OlAV FD synthesizer. It can be saidwith every confidence that Mr. Antoniukwas more than equal to the task. Hisarrangements are highly expressive, selfpropelling,and not at all constricted bythe chosen medium. In his hands, thesynthesizer breathes with life and generatesa kaleidoscope of ever-changingsonic textures.The first selection, "Spy, Isuse, Spy"(Sleep, Jesus, Sleep), alternates betweenbeautifully understated statements of themelody by tine piano, guitar and woodwindtextures, accompanied by velvetystrings. Several modulations as well as agradual addition of percussion heightenthe level of intensity. Poignant harmoniesprovide a fresh setting for the gentle lullaby."Na Nebi Zirka" (The Star in the Sky)contrasts effectively by virtue of its livelytempo and the ebullient mood of theaccompaniment. The basic melodicmotive is then skillfully developed, drivingtowards a celebratory bridge section,newly composed, and bursting withorchestral grandeur. In this piece particularly,Mr. Antoniuk's instrumental adaptationeffectively conveys the joy andoptimism of the underlying lyrics.In "V Poll, Poll" (In the Fields), themelodic material is manipulated differently,in fact alternated with an original,somewhat "funky" melodic fragment,and set against a clever percussion pattern,resulting in an almost polyrhythmiceffect. This pattern serves as the mainimpetus for the piece, over which subtiestatements of the melody and countermelodyglide. Several tongue-in-cheek,baroque-like phrases finally give way tothe "funky" countermelody, which in animprovisatory fashion brings the piece toa close.A joyous mood is reintroduced in "Oy,Dyvna, Dyvna" (Oh, Wondrous Family),with short statements of the melody bythe brass, accompanied by a motoric,staccato synthesizer accompaniment. Themelodic motive then undergoes someskillful permutations and is incoфoratedinto a full-blown orchestral statement ofsome original material composed by Mr.Antoniuk."Chy Doma, Doma?" (Is She atHome?) again bespeaks the arranger's(Continued on page 18)