SCRUTINY | Ukrainian Art Song Concert Showcases Artists Of Great Promise

By Joseph So on August 29, 2023

Now in its fifth year, the Ukrainian Art Song Summer Institute is designed to introduce the wealth of Ukrainian art songs to singers from Canada and abroad in a week of intensive masterclasses, culminating in a final concert. Having been attending these events except for 2020 and 2021 when the concerts were cancelled due to COVID-19, I am always struck by the high calibre of the performers, young artists with fresh, attractive voices, some of them may well become stars of the future.

This year was no exception. The concert took place at its usual venue, Temerty Theatre. It’s essentially a large rehearsal studio in the Telus Centre for Performance and Learning, a new building that houses the superb Koerner Hall, adjacent to the Royal Conservatory of Music. Sunday’s concert featured nine of the ten young artists, with theatre in the round seating and an ideal, intimate feel to the proceedings. The space was totally full — my guess is there were likely close to 200 in attendance. We were treated to a most enjoyable afternoon of vocalism…