Ukrainian Village Voices, July 20

Traditional lyrical music of Ukraine features at a special edition of Sunday Soundscapes with a performance by Ukrainian Village Voices, an ensemble based in New York City.

The concert on July 20 at Emmanuel Episcopal Church starts at 4:00, presented by the Friends of the Weston Library and the Weston-Siversk Sister City partnership program. Seating is limited, so reserve a ticket here. A $20 donation at the door is suggested, $10 for students.

Ukrainian Village Voices has performed throughout the New York region, in Canada, and in Ukraine. The ensemble has appeared at venues including the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, the United Nations, Lincoln Center, the Brooklyn Folk Festival, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and the Ivan Honchar Museum in Kyiv, Ukraine.

The group’s repertoire aims to entertain and preserve the singing styles of Ukraine’s villages, some long-held by tradition, some heard by members in travels to various parts of the country.

Sponsors for the ensemble’s performance are welcome and sought. To learn about sponsorship opportunities, email Iryna Akolzina or call (347) 924-4383.

More below on how to help Siversk, after this brief video from the 2023 Smithsonian Folklife Festival.

Children of Siversk

Summer camps generously supported by Weston residents give displaced children of Siversk respite from three years of war and a chance to learn, refresh, and reconnect.

In a June 26 call with First Selectwoman Samantha Nestor, Siversk Mayor Alexei Vorobyov said the camps also offer relief to displaced parents, whose daily challenges include providing care and comfort to stressed-out kids.

Contributions to Ukraine Aid International’s Weston-Siversk Sister City Partnership program can be made here to help keep the camps going.

Two camps are scheduled for July, but funds are short for the second. A hoped-for third session is not yet funded at all. Each two-week camp accommodates 40 children and costs only $8,000.

Mr. Vorobyov told Ms. Nestor he “cherishes this relationship,” and that Weston’s assistance helps focus his own limited resources on defending the city.