About "Collage"

The music ensemble "COLLAGE" was founded in September 1996 by five students of the Lysenko Academy of Music (Lviv, Ukraine). By the summer of 1997, the ensemble had won critical acclaim at the International Youth Festival (joint event with the Wagner Festival) in Bayreuth, Germany. "Collage" has grown into a virtuoso class ensemble on performance tours throughout Europe and North America.

Group leader, Halyna Zhuk (violincello) and Sophia Soloviy (soprano) are prizewinners of international competitions for solo performances. Flutist Serhiy Lutsenko plays a unique instrument with an old style mastered by only a few musicians today.

The repertoire is a "collage" (hence the ensemble name) of diverse compositions numbering more than 60 pieces of various styles and genres, ranging from well-known classics to a number of beautiful selections of Ukrainian music. The program demonstrates the high standards of the group’s musical training and the versatility of these young musicians.

Favorite Ukrainian composers include M.Lysenko, a contemporary of R.Schumann, who introduced the era of romanticism in Ukrainian music. S.Ludkevych composed mainly choir music around the beginning of the 20^th century. V.Barvinskiy, Ukrainian composer and patriot, was exiled to Siberia during the Stalin-period repressions in the Soviet Union. His "Lord’s Prayer" reflects the deep spiritualism of the Ukrainian people.

The ensemble's second album, "Collage 2000," includes music of different styles and areas. The selections range from a sonata composed by Giovanni Legrenzi (15th century) to a light-hearted version of "Ouverture Collage," which was written for the ensemble by the young composer Oleh Zhuk. The instrumentals of J.Strauss, K.Saint-Saens, A.Petrov, and Scott Joplin's Ragtime promise an exciting musical kaleidoscope. The selections of Ukrainian music on this CD include: an aria from the D.Bortnianskyi (1725–1825) opera "Alkid"; a Ukrainian folksong, "Von Dorf zu Dorf" (Vid sela do sela/From village to village), edited by Yuriy Meitus; the song "Schlaf Jesus, schlaf" (Spy Isuse, spy/Sleep Jesus, sleep) composed by Iosyp Kystakevych, edited by Serhiy Hurin. Soprano Sofia Soloviy sings in Ukrainian, Italian, German and Polish. (www.collage.brama.com)

Discussion

1. Why is Ukraine called "the most singing nation"?

2. Speak on the role of choral singing in preserving Ukrainian cultural heritage.

3. Comment on the importance of cultural heritage festivals.

Project Topics

1. Traditions of Christmas singing in Ukraine.

2. Ukrainian choral music.

3. Heritage festivals in Ukraine.

Lesson 5. Ukrainian popular music Quiz

1. Name some popular Ukrainian groups and singers. What can you say about them?

2. What do you know about Eurovision contest?

3. Who is Oleh Skrypka? Say a few words about him.

Eurovision 2004 – Ruslana

15 May 2004, Istanbul, Turkey: Ruslana from Ukraine has won Eurovision song contest!!!

This year’s Ukrainian Eurovision entrant, Ruslana, is a highly successful singer, producer, dancer and composer. With an extensive musical education, a strong vocal talent and unique style, Ruslana’s best-selling album, “The Wild Dances,” was the first ever to go Platinum in the Ukraine.

Ruslana's music is unique and heavily influenced by Ukrainian ethnic styles. Her Eurovision song and performance of “Wild Dances” is inspired by the Carpathian Mountains and is sung partly in Ukrainian and partly in English. Together with an innovative dance show and stunning costumes, it promises to be a show the like of which Europe has never seen before. Ruslana is always experimenting and rejects standard approaches. She is a person with ‘wild’ energy.

Ruslana writes, produces and directs all her work, including her music videos. She has won several awards including the All Ukrainian Festival of Modern Songs, Best Performer, Best Song, Best Video, and Best Personality for two years’ running in 1999 and 2000. Her most recent album, “The Wild Dances,” has sold 170,000 copies.

She has performed at numerous festivals and has toured widely in Ukraine. From 24 November 2003 to 4 January 2004, Ruslana toured in Ukraine visiting 25 of the country’s largest cities.

Wild Dances – the Album

In December 2002 Ruslana started work on a new album which she was invited to record at Peter Gabriel’s London ‘Real World’ studio.

The album – “Dyki tantsi” (“Wild Dances”) – was released in Ukraine on 11 June 2003. By October that year, it went Platinum. It was the first-ever album to do so in Ukraine and Ruslana received the award for this achievement at the 2003 Ukrainian Music Awards.

“Wild Dances” is a modern take on traditional Ukrainian ethnic music based on ancient Hutsul rhythms and dances.

Ruslana at Eurovision

It was her success and popularity in Ukraine that led the country’s national broadcaster to ask Ruslana to sing at Eurovision in Istanbul.

Her style is best described as “drive-ethno-dance” and is a unique and distinctive sound. The musical stylistics of the Wild Dances include the ‘drive’ of rock music, the energy of modern dance music and a variety of ‘mountain’ rhythms and motives.

Elements of the Carpathian Mountains’ flavour are catchy Hutsul music and a mystical character and energy. Based on this flavour, Ruslana has created her own unique rhythm and melodic style as well as dances using modern moves based on ancient Carpathian dances.

Ruslana’s image is unique, original and exotic. It consists of a unique vocal manner including ethnical authentic sounds and exclamations and a driving and energetic model of stage behaviour reflecting the ‘mountain’ temper of the singer.

Ruslana’s Eurovision performance is accompanied by a dance show, ‘Zhyttia Ballet’ (‘Life’ Ballet). The dancing is a synthesis of modern dancing and national Ukrainian rhythmoplastics. The dance concept attempts to eliminate the border between the Ancient and the Modern and develop a unique dance style, which can potentially become a hit at discothèques. The dancing performance will be directed by Iryna Mazur.

The costumes – designed by Roksolana Bohutska – include leather, jewels and metal parts. They will be partly made by craftsmen in the Carpathian Mountains.

Ruslana is planning more expeditions to the Carpathians, but the rest of her time before Eurovision will be dedicated to studio work, rehearsals and promotional activities.

Wild Dances

Just maybe I’m crazy, The world spins round and round and round shi-di-ri-di-duy, shi-di-ri-di-da-na I want you to want me as I dance Round and round and round shi-di-ri-di-duy, shi-di-ri-di-da-na

Forever and ever go, go, go wild dancers!!

Day-na-day-na Wanna be loved Day-na Gonna take my wild chances Day-na-day-na Freedom above Day-na-da-na-da I’m wild ‘n’ dancing

Desire Inside you My head spins round and round and round shi-di-ri-di-duy, shi-di-ri-di-da-na I want you To want me So I dance round and round and round Hey, shi-di-duy, shi-di-ri-di-da-na

Forever and ever Go, go, go wild dancers!!

Day-na-day-na Wanna be loved Day-na Gonna take my wild chances Day-na-day-na Freedom above Day-na-da-na-da I’m wild ‘n’ dancing

He-e-e-ey!

Dance forever, come and be mine, Dance together, till the end of time Dance together go, go, go wild dancers!!

Day-na-day-na Wanna be loved

Day-na Gonna take my wild chances Day-na-day-na Freedom above Day-na-da-na-da I’m wild ‘n’ dancing

The Winner

Dressed in white leather and wearing stylish sunglasses Ruslana appeared 30 minutes late at the Abdi Ipekci Arena to tell the Press all about her Eurovision victory on Saturday night.

After loud “Hurraaa” Ruslana and her team thanked Turkey for the terrific show. “I love Turkey so much,” Ruslana declared. “This country made me popular and happy. I have a second home country now.” She also thanked her native Ukraine, her security team, the Press, her Delegation and her General Manager.

But Ruslana had more people to thank, including her parents who also appeared at the Press conference. Ruslana dedicated her winning trophy to her parents, who tearfully accepted the glass, Swedish-designed award.

The 26-year-old black-haired singer also handed a trophy to her Ukrainian Head of Delegation, her team and dancers. Ruslana decided to save the last (and biggest) trophy for herself, before immediately changing her mind.

“This one is for another person,” Ruslana told journalists. “A person who tolerates my wild character. I want to tell him I love him – my husband.” Alexander – to whom Ruslana has been married to for five years and who helped to develop the choreography for the “Wild Dances” – promptly arrived and kissed his wife.

But if Alexander thought he was going to keep the trophy, he was mistaken. Taking back the trophy from her husband almost immediately, Ruslana corrected herself: “This trophy belongs to Ukraine.”

By this stage Ruslana was also fighting back the tears and started another series of thank yous, this time to all the countries she visited during her promotional tour: Malta, Belarus, Latvia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Slovenia, Monaco, Iceland, Estonia, Lithuania, Portugal, Spain and Turkey.

She also thanked the UK – where she recorded “Wild Dances” – and sent her best wishes to UK Eurovision entrant, James Fox as well as to all the people at home who voted for her.

Ruslana announced she will release a new CD and has plans to tour all over Europe shortly. She also has plans to tour Japan and the US. In the future, Ruslana also hopes to compose a musical or Rock Opera.

Ruslana said she was sad to leave her “beloved Turkey” so soon, but said the night of the Eurovision Final had been “absolute happiness that will stay with me all my life”.

Asked what makes a good and successful song, Ruslana said it’s a combination of perfect vocals, original style, powerful sound, luxurious costumes and special efforts in choreography and performance. Ruslana also thanked her costume designer, Roksolana.

Ruslana, who has always said her work is innovative and original, admitted she could see the parallels between her “Wild Dances” costumes and those worn by US TV character, Xena Warrior Princess. However, she maintained that unlike Xena, the ‘Wild Dancers’ are not hostile, merely “wild in style”.

Ruslana admitted she was in doubt about the quality of her Eurovision entry after she heard this year’s Belgian, Spanish and Turkish Song Contest entries and said there was a point where she almost gave up the chance to come to Istanbul. “It was a fighting for each tune,” she said.

Asked to describe her relationship with her parents Ruslana said: “My parents are fantastic people who love me and I will do my best to devote my life to my children as well. I love them very much.”

Ruslana’s father said he was the happiest father in the world at his daughter’s victory. His own 80-year-old mother stayed up all night watching her granddaughter at the Eurovision Song Contest.

And how had Ukraine reacted to her victory? Ruslana read out an SMS message she’d just received: “Hell, all the TV channels in Europe are talking about you. All bars in the streets are playing your song. Ukraine is crazy about you!”

Ruslana assured journalists that Ukraine will put on next year’s Eurovision Song Contest with the same professionalism that Turkish broadcaster, TRT did in 2004.

After Serbia & Montenegro awarded Ukraine 12 points, one journalist wanted to know whether the Serbia & Montenegro song, “Lane Moje” could be successful in Ukraine.

Ruslana explained her own music is very similar to that of the Balkan countries and therefore her people will also like it. She said she’d love to work with the Serbian group in the future.

Concluding the Press conference, Ruslana finally thanked the press conference host who assured her: “You will become a world-wide star”.

Ethno-Pop

Promotional action of the album “Wild Dances” says that this is a revolution for the Ukrainian pop-music. I must admit that this is really so. This is a new and even somewhat revolutionary quality. Ruslana has always differed from the rest of the Ukrainian pop-singers by her special attitude to native musical traditions and traditions themselves. If her first steps in this direction were well-known Christmas concerts and actions aimed at renewal of castles and fortresses of the Western Ukraine, now in her creative work musical roots of the Carpathian mountains quite naturally are brought to the forefront. Combined with modern quality of a sound and a voice, as well as the manner of performance, which, I hope, touch everybody, this music just turns into merry and light energy.

(www.eurovision.tv/english/593.htm)