Winter Songs of Ukraine

Ukrainian music has a rich history that dates back to ancient times. It is a blend of folk, classical, and contemporary music styles that have evolved over centuries.

This holiday season, the House of Ukraine invites you to attend a magical evening of Ukrainian winter culture. Experience the vocal and instrumental musical traditions that have warmed the hearts of Ukrainians throughout the centuries.

December 18th, 2023 at Mingei International Museum

The concert will feature a selection of popular and lesser-known Ukrainian winter music, from the Christmas to New Years and other feasts and holidays during the winter months. Ethnomusicologist and folkloric vocalist Inna Kovtun will open the show with a flow of live vocal performance and informative talk about the contexts and rich traditions that are practiced with the music. The concert will also feature holiday songs played on Ukraine’s national instrument, the bandura, performed by Duet Malvy and The Andrij Kytasty Bandura Ensemble of San Diego.

Come explore this beautiful and captivating musical tradition. You will be transported to a holiday spirit like never before.

6:00PM Doors open, Opening Reception, and Silent Auction
7:00PM Concert
9:00PM Closing Reception, Silent Auction winners announced

Tickets: $60
Use code EARLYBIRD20OFF for 20% discount till December 1, 2023.

More information about sponsorship opportunities.

About our performers:

Inna Kovtun is a performer, cultural ambassador, a master of music, and a guardian of Ukrainian traditions. She is a true luminary in the world of folk music and ethnography. With a Master’s in Music and a wealth of experience, she is the driving force behind several musical projects, including the “Rozhanytsya” folk ensemble and the ethno-rock band “Astarta.” Her work has taken her around the globe, sharing the beauty and depth of Ukrainian music with diverse audiences.

Duet Malvy are sisters Kalyna and Uliana Leshchuk, bandura and vocal performers. Hailing from New Jersey, the sisters play Ukrainian songs of their ancestral homeland to American audiences. Their skill for performing musically complex lyrical songs on Ukraine’s national instrument, the bandura, has impressed audiences of the United Nations, The World Trade Center, General Consulate of Lithuania, and more.

The Andrij Kytasty Bandura Ensemble of San Diego is Southern California’s freshest bandura music endeavor. These young musicians are all about the bandura which is the soul of Ukraine.

About the venue:

MINGEI INTERNATIONAL MUSEUM was founded in 1978 and presents works of folk art, craft and design. The Museum has a rich history and commitment to furthering the understanding of art of the people (mingei) from all eras and cultures. Objects in our Collection reflect a joy in making, by hand, useful objects of timeless beauty that are satisfying to the human spirit.