PRIMER | Calling All Toronto Art Song Lovers: Pavlo Hunka Is Back In Town
By Joseph So on August 12, 2018

For a second year, the distinguished British-Ukrainian bass-baritone Pavlo Hunka will be in Toronto to hold the Ukrainian Art Song Summer Institute at the Royal Conservatory of Music, August 13 to 19.

For those unfamiliar with this event, it’s the brainchild of Pavlo Hunka. Born in the UK to a Ukrainian father and a British mother, Hunka is passionate about promoting Ukrainian art songs. He established the Ukrainian Art Song Project (UASP) in 2004, with a mandate to discover, preserve, and promote these songs to classical music communities worldwide.

Hunka is a familiar figure to Toronto opera lovers. He sang with distinction at the Canadian Opera Company for several seasons in the 2000’s. Since establishing UASP, Hunka has returned on many occasions, to give recitals, masterclasses and to make recordings of these neglected songs, involving many Canadian artists.