Tickets are $60/person. This will include the performance, appetizers, sweets and coffee.

Wine and beer $5/glass $8/can

Attendees will have a chance to purchase raffle tickets @ $20 each for donated Niagara wines.

This event is Cash Only.

“FREEDOM AND PEACE FOR UKRAINE” – Fundraising Concert in Support of Ukraine.

May 12, 2022 at Club Roma in St. Catharines. Reception starting at 5:30, performance starting at 7pm

Featuring Quartetto Gelato, Korinya, Silver Bells – Bandura Trio, Inga Filippova – Soprano, Gloria Verhovsky – Violin, Mira Solovianenko. – Soprano, Victoria Kogan-Korchinsky – Piano, Atis Bankas – Violin

All musicians are donating their performances.

Ukraine needs everyone’s support now.

Music Niagara and friends felt compelled to respond to this humanitarian crisis in a meaningful way by holding a fundraising concert in support of Ukraine.

Proceeds from the concert will go directly to supporting humanitarian aid in Ukraine, providing immediate help, medical aid, food supplies, and protective gear.

“If our efforts will help to save even one life, we have accomplished our goal” – Atis Bankas

All funds raised will go directly to the Canada-Ukraine Foundation

Guest Speakers

Irene Shumylo-Newton – President of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, Niagara Region Branch.

Patricia Latyshko – President of the Ukrainian Women’s Organization of Canada – National Executive

Guest Musicians

Quartetto Gelato

Virtuosic showpieces and romantic ballads, blazing gypsy tunes and forgotten chestnuts, all brought to life with multi-instrument mastery: this is Quartetto Gelato—a popular and highly unusual classical quartet. QG consists of Colin Maier – oboe & vocals, Tino Popovic – violin & vocals, Kirk Starkey – cello, and Matti Pulkki – Accordion

With sold-out performances in New York, Washington, L.A., London, Tokyo, Hong Kong and elsewhere, this dazzling ensemble has enchanted audiences and critics worldwide with its exotic blend of musical virtuosity, artistic passion and humour. With a performance repertoire that spans the globe and includes classical masterworks, engaging vocals, the sizzling energy of tangos, gypsy and klezmer songs, the group’s theatrical stage presence and relaxed humour establish an intimate rapport with audiences worldwide.

Quartetto Gelato’s international career was launched when they won the coveted title of NPR Performance Today’s “Debut Artist of the Year.” The group’s first DVD, Quartetto Gelato: A Concert in Wine Country, was picked up by PBS throughout the U.S. in 2007 and is still broadcast regularly. The group is regularly heard on CBC, Classical 96.3 FM, NPR, PRI, and NUR networks, not to mention the soundtrack of the Hollywood film Only You, starring Robert Downey Jr and Marisa Tomei. At the 2010 INDIE Awards, Quartetto Gelato was honoured as Best Classical Ensemble, and achieved unique global reach when Canadian astronaut Dr. Robert Thirsk chose their first two CDs to take on board during his NASA flight on the space shuttle Columbia, to literally be heard around the world!

QG released their 10th album in 2021 “Tasty Tunes” which features a blend of fun, eclecticism, international flavours, multi-instrumentation, vocals and superb musicianship.

Korinya

Korinya (“roots” in English), began as a family band in 2005. It has since developed into a young, contemporary folk band that presents Ukrainian folk music with a fresh, grassroots sound. Hear the voices of the steppes, the cheerful melody of the sopilka, and the soulful fiddle-playing that tie this band to their roots. Members include Sana Shepko (violin), Zoya Shepko (accordion), Alina Kuzma (vocals), and Nick Hladio (double bass).

The band has performed several times in Ukraine, including a charity tour in 2010, where they traveled to orphanages and convalescent homes. This trip was followed by another in 2012, where Korinya won first place at the Boyko Festival. Korinya performs at festivals, weddings and other events across Canada and the US, including the Bloor West Village Toronto Ukrainian Festival, the Clearwater’s Great Hudson River Revival, and the Capital Ukrainian Festival in Ottawa. Korinya has performed at LaMama Experimental Theatre of New York City, and has been the featured party band at Kosa Kolektiv’s Malanka in Toronto as well as the Cleveland Malanka in Ohio. The group has two full-length studio albums: Korinya (2013), and Zemlya (2017), a live recording album: En Route Tour 2019, and is in the process of recording a new studio album for release in 2020. You can find Korinya’s music on CD Baby, Google Play, Apple Music, Bandcamp, Spotify and iTunes

Inga Filippova – Soprano

Hailed by critics “Very musical and an intelligent singer, vocally secure and expressive’’, Ukrainian Soprano Inga Filippova Williams already started her vibrant music career Engagements for 2011 include Cio Cio San in Madama Butterfly with Voice Afire Pocket Opera; First Lady in Die Zauberflöte, Nedda in Pagliacci with Opera Lyra, Vanessa in Vanessa with SOLT  Messiah – Soprano with the Ontario Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Marco Parisotto Florida Concert Tour 2012. The winner of the Prix Lyrique Allemand Bourse Sebyllas Hesse Annee 2011 from Jeunes Ambassadeurs LyriquesInga. Filippova has proven herself to be an exceptional talented opera singer where ”Her beautiful and flexible full lyric voice, even from top to bottom, is tailor made for this most exacting of Mozart heroines, with excellent floritura and huge high Cs” in Cosi Fan Tutte – Fiordiligi, Le Nozze   di  Figaro”- Coutessa conducted by Mario Bernardi, Die Zauberflöte – First Lady conducted by Tyrone   Paterson, Beethoven Ninth Symphony conducted by Peter Oundjian, Gabriel Faure Requiem conducted by Woloschuk William. Mrs. Filippova as a laureate of Jeunes Ambassadeure Lyriques   2011, was representing Canada on the 7 Klaudia Taev International Voice Competition in Estonia. 2011 Finalist of many local and International competitions like: Riccardo Zandonai, Italy 2016, Louis Quilico Voice Competition 2008, Laureate of Jeunes Ambassadeurs Lyriques Voice Competitions 2008, 2011, 2013. National Association Teacher of Singing competition where she received a Scholarship and Award as “The Most Promising Young Artist”. In 2008 she was a  Finalist and prizewinner at the 12 Julian Gayarre International Singing Competition in Pamplona, Spain. Finalist of Czech and Slovak Voice Competition 2009, Ben Steinberg Musical Legacy Award 2009. First place at Ukraine: Musical Tribute Competition. As well she participated in the Pavarotti International Voice Competition in Modena, Italy. Mrs. Filippova Williams graduated from the Artist Diploma Program at the Glenn Gould School, Toronto .

Gloria Verhovsky

Born in Mississauga, 15 year old violinist Gloria Sophia Verhovsky has been playing since the age of four. Currently, she is studying at the Phil and Eli Taylor Academy of Music under the instruction of Atis Bankas.

She is the winner of Stankovych’s International music competition in Kyiv, Ukraine (2017,18,19), the winner of the Kiwanis music festivals in Toronto, the Davenport Music festival (2012, 13, 14), and she has won the Grand Prix, named after Marta Krawtsiw-Barabash of Toronto in the Ukrainian music festival, from 2011 to 2019. She has also helped arrange many concerts at St Bernard’s Roman Catholic church.

Victoria Kogan – Piano

Russian born Dr Victoria Korchinskaya-Kogan is one of the most significant pianists of our time. Praised as “an admirably gifted performer’’ by Yuri Temirkanov, “the pianist of great talent, having extraordinary skills and boundless musicality” by Mikhail Pletnev and a “true artist” by Yefim Bronfman, Victoria is the winner of The Stravinsky Piano Competition, Andorra Piano Competition, E-Piano Competition in Minneapolis and I International Piano Competition In Korea among others.

Born in Moscow, 1978 as the granddaughter of the famous violinists Leonid Kogan and Elizaveta Gilels, Victoria started to play the piano at the age of 5. One year later she debuted at the Small Hall of the Moscow Conservatory. Her mother Prof. Dr. Nina Kogan is working at the Moscow Conservatory. Her uncle Pavel Kogan is a Russian violinist and conductor who currently leads the Moscow State Symphony Orchestra.

Victoria received her M.M. and D.M.A. from the Moscow Conservatory where she studied with Lev Vlassenko, Sergei Dorensky and Pavel Nersessian. Her masterclasses include studying with Andreas Stayer, Dmitry Bashkirov, Claude Frank, William Nabore and Jose Feghali.

Mira Solovianenko – Soprano

Mira’s vocal career spans over 10 years of performances and appearances across Europe, South and North America. She has headlined and starred in productions at Kyiv’s operatic stages, performed with the National Academic Choirs and Orchestras of Ukraine and has served as a lead vocalist at the prestigious National Organ and Chamber Music Hall of Ukraine. Mrs. Solovianenko took part in performances in Ukraine as well as in over 20 International Festivals and concert tours across the countries of Eastern and Western Europe, as well as concert tours in Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, and Chile. In 2010 Mira was awarded the title of “Honored Artist of Ukraine” a High honor bestowed upon a citizen for contributions to the cultural fabric of the country and for artistic contribution to the society.
A resident of Toronto since 2015, Miroslava continues to actively perform throughout Canada and has headlined a number of concerts.
Ms. Solovianenko’s repertoire includes music ranging from baroque to modern, incorporating the music of composers such as Bach, Handel, Caccini, Pergolesi, Vivaldi, Puccini, and Sartori. Starting in 2018, she has become one of the founders artistic and creative director of the Nightingale Music Festival, a project to increase the presence of classical opera across North America.

Silver Bells

“Silver bells” is a trio of bandura players and singers: Yaroslava Stasiv, Olga Noskiv and, Maria Soudak, professional musicians. It was founded in 1977 at the city of Ivano-Frankivsk, Halychyna (Galicia). The “Silver bells” were very popular in Ukraine and abroad. The singers performed in concerts in Great Britain, Czech Republic, Romania and Poland. The audience enjoyed their beautiful voices, great music and repertoire. In 1994, the trio brought their talents to Canada and found their heart and home here. Since that time they have taken part in concerts in the Toronto community.

Atis Bankas – Violin

Lithuanian born Canadian violinist extraordinaire Atis Bankas has performed as a soloist in Canada, Europe, the United States, Korea, Japan, the former Soviet Union, and with orchestras under the direction of Nejme Jarvi, Iona Brown, Andrew Davis, and JoAnn Falletta among many others. Chamber music collaborators include pianists A. Laplante, S. Goodyear, R. Silverman, R. McDonald, N. Kogan, among many others. Atis Bankas is dedicatee of numerous new works by composers such as G. Kulesha, H. Freedman, D. Varelas, M. Bronner, V. Bartulis, A. Navakas, G. Samsonas, D. Hyman, S. Burbi, A. Shenderovas, P. Tiefenbach, and many others.

Atis Bankas is the first violinist of the Gould String Quartet, a member of Potsdam Trio, leader of Ensemble CamerAtis and Leader and Artistic Director of of the Canadian Chamber Academy Orchestra.

Mr. Bankas is the Founder and Artistic Director of Music Niagara, a highly regarded annual international summer music festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario marking it’s 20th anniversary in the 2018 season. Bankas’ solo and chamber music performances have been featured on CJRT, CFMX, CBC and NPR radio networks. He has recorded on Fidelis, Analekta, Radioservis and CBC labels.

Sponsors and Donors

$5000

$1000

$500

Donating the venue

Donating the wine and all proceeds

Donating the appetizers

Donating the filming and editing

Donating the sunflower seeds

Donating the flowers and greenery

Donating his Professional Photography Skills

Donating Wine

Donating Beer

Donating Beer

We welcome additional sponsorship starting at $1,000. 

In return for your generosity, we will ensure that your contribution is recognized in the following ways:

• Logo listed on Music Niagara’s website, Sponsorship Page, Thank You Page and Watch Live Page
• Logo listed on all e-blasts/electronic newsletters sent out to 2,000 subscribers
• Significant recognition at the event through announcements and in the Program
• Logo listed on advertisements
• Tax Receipt

If you would like to be a sponsor, please contact Karen Lade at klade@musicniagara.org