Hi, my dear friends!
Today I want to show off a project Shchedryk – Carol of The Bells: Unwrap the Holiday Magic that was made by my friends from PHOTINUS Studio. My role was quite small - I was a lawyer who advised on the contract, but I'm still happy that I was involved in this wonderful project.
In recognition of the cultural contributions Ukraine has made to the world throughout its history, Art on theMART is hosting an eight-day showing of Shchedryk – Carol of The Bells: Unwrap the Holiday Magic, a holiday-themed projection spotlighting the work of Ukrainian composer Mykola Leontovych, who arranged the melody of “Carol of The Bells” in 1916. Shchedryk – Carol of The Bells premieres on Art on theMART Thursday, November 10, 2022, at 8:30 p.m., and will be on view nightly through November 17 at 8:30 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.
Shchedryk – Carol of The Bells recounts the history of Shchedryk (the original Ukrainian title of “Carol of the Bells”), from the ancient origins of Ukrainian caroling culture through to the world-renowned “Carol of The Bells” tune. The animated holiday-themed projection relays the original Ukrainian lyrics, which tell a story of a swallow returning home for spring. The roots of the song go back to pre-Christian times in Ukraine when Ukrainians sang folk songs in the spring and asked the gods for abundance in the new year. The projection’s lead artist, Max Robotov, is currently enlisted in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and stationed near the front lines of the conflict. The core team includes:
Max Robotov – Lead Artist
Ivan Svitlychnyi – Lead Creative Director
Oleksiy Sai – Lead Animator; Creative Director
Georgiy Potopalskiy – Composer
Tina Peresunko – Narrative Curator
Sofiya Dzhurynska – Lead Project Coordinator
The father of more than 150 musical compositions, Mykola Leontovych, was born in the city of Vinnytsia, Ukraine, in 1877. Leontovych attended a seminary in Kamianets-Podilskyi but decided against the priesthood, instead choosing to teach voice and music lessons. His passion for music brought him to St. Petersburg in 1903 to pursue a formal education in the field. By 1916, Leontovych had finished his masterpiece: Shchedryk, a choral piece composed of a simple folk melody that mesmerized audiences. Met with broad acclaim from its debut performance in Kyiv, Leontovych would go on to tour the world performing Shchedryk. A performance in Carnegie Hall in 1922 was described by the New York Times as “simply spontaneous in origin and artistically harmonized.”
Shchedryk became an instrument of Ukrainian diplomacy at the beginning of the 20th century. The world tour was meant to form a positive perception of Ukraine abroad and help in the recognition of the independence of the Ukrainian People’s Republic, proclaimed in 1918. The Christmas-inspired English lyrics were written by American composer Peter Wilhousky after he heard Shchedryk. His version of the song, with unchanged music and the new title “Carol of The Bells,” quickly became a classic once it was published and copyrighted in 1936. “Carol of The Bells” would reach the height of its popularity when it was included in the soundtrack for the blockbuster holiday movie Home Alone, and it lives on as a staple of holiday music around the world. Today, there are more than 1000 variants of Shchedryk.
About PHOTINUS
PHOTINUS Studio was founded in 2018 by a group of artists and musicians including Max Robotov, Liera Polianskova, Ivan Svitlychnyi, and Georgiy Potopalskiy. The studio creates and develops interactive light & sound installations, direct multimedia and video mapping presentations pertaining to VR and other digital technologies in addition to teaching young professionals in PHOTINUS School. The co-founders have participated in international art exhibitions, including Venice Biennale, Transmediale Vorspiel, Digital Cultures, Ars Electronica Festival, Strichka Festival, Kyiv Lights Festival and others. Max Robotov (who serves in the Ukrainian Armed Forces), Liera Polianskova, Ivan Svitlychnyi, and Georgiy Potopalskiy created the “Shchedryk” 3D video projection in 2021. Shchedryk was developed with the financial support of the British Embassy Kyiv and the Western NIS Enterprise Fund (WNISEF).
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