I’m thrilled to be heading to Ukraine July 5th-July 18th this summer. I’ll be singing with Evangelion Chorale and connecting with musicians and composers in Ukraine. This trip is very different from previous tours in that there are Ukrainians rehearsing simultaneously who will be singing with us and translating for us. After committing to the trip, I’ve found out that some of the Ukrainian singers with us are friends of mine that I met in 2006!!! This will be an incredible tour. For those of you who weren’t able to attend our spring concert, one reason why I’m especially excited about this trip is the prospect of connecting with fans or family of Ivan Mychik, the amazing choral and vocal composer who gave me a copy of his music in 2006, some of which we performed on “Beauty Awake,” our spring concert. I am very sad to have learned recently that he passed away, but I hope to learn about the legacy he left.
The music we’re performing is fantastic. From Monteverdi to a spiritual arrangement done recently by Dr. Jon Veenker, there’s a wide range. Many of the singers in Evangelion are members of other high caliber choral ensembles as well. We have members from MN Chorale, the National Lutheran Choir. Evangelion, directed by Dr. Dennis Port, has been to Ukraine 7 times before and has developed a positive reputation and following there. Bringing hope and good news to Ukraine through sacred choral works: a beautiful tradition to be a part of.
Please be praying for Naomi and my two sweeties. P and A (1 and 3) are beautiful and smart, but they can be a huge challenge like any kids their age. Besides getting ready for this tour, I’m in the thick of concert planning for the rest of the year as well. Any well-wishes, babysitting offers, and mommy support would be a God-send.
Also, any financial support would be greatly appreciated. Go to our support page for specifics for this trip.
Here’s a sample of our itinerary in Ukraine.
- Sunday, July 8, a.m. church service at Cherkassy Baptist Church
- Sunday, July 8, p.m. evening concert at Cherkassy Baptist Church
- Monday, July 9, evening concert in Poltava,
- Tuesday, July 10, free day in Poltava and Kyiv
- Wednesday, July 11, evening concert in Zhitomyr
- Thursday, July 12, evening concert in Luts’k
- Friday, July 13, evening concert in L’viv
- Saturday, July 14, evening concert at organ hall in Rivne
- Sunday, July 15, evening concert at Central Baptist, Kyiv
- Monday, July 16, evening concert with KSOC orchestra at Tschaikovsky Conservatory auditorium, Kyiv
Nice post, Nate! Such great memories of our time there in 2006. Sadly, Ivan Mychik passed away a couple of years ago, unbeknownst to many of us who knew him.