Yuri Ivan conducts the St. Constantine Ukrainian Catholic Church Choir at the church in Minneapolis.

While many in Ukraine regularly hear the sounds of air raid sirens, and some, exploding rockets, the sound of music will fill St. Constantine Ukrainian Catholic Church in Minneapolis starting at 5 p.m. Oct. 16. The church is hosting the 13th annual Byzantine Choral Festival Concert. Five choirs from the Twin Cities metro area, including St. Constantine’s, will perform.  

But the war is impacting the concert, as well. Sacred music is typically the only type of music sung at the annual festival, and some will be featured this weekend. But given the war Russia launched in Ukraine earlier this year, other types of music will be incorporated, said professional conductor Yuri Ivan, who conducts St. Constantine’s choir. “Because of the war, we will also allow songs that could be related to the war,” he said. 

For example, one song Ivan said St. Constantine’s choir will perform is “a former folk song” titled “The Duckling,” which now has an arrangement that, since 2014, when Russia annexed Crimea, is often sung at the funerals of fallen soldiers. “It’s a sad folk song,” Ivan said. 

The lyrics describe a duckling who swims far away, gets lost and “it won’t be coming back to its mother,” Ivan said. “That’s the imagery.” 

Another Ukrainian Orthodox choir will sing “God Save Ukraine.” At the concert’s end, led by two of the choirs, a song by “world-famous composer” John Rutter will be sung, Ivan said, one Rutter wrote in response to the war a couple months ago. 

This past week, the Russian military launched attacks by drones, missiles and rockets at sites across Ukraine, including civilian infrastructure in cities such as the capital, Kyiv. The attacks followed heavy damage to the only bridge connecting Russia with the Crimean Peninsula.  

The festival is free and open to the public. Freewill donations will be directed to humanitarian aid in Ukraine, Ivan said.  

St. Constantine, founded in 1913, is the only Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in Minnesota. Its choir includes professional singers and other volunteers who are members of the parish and sing at the 10 a.m. Sunday liturgies and at weddings, funerals and special events.   

All five participating choirs are based in the Twin Cities metro area: 

  • St. Constantine Ukrainian Catholic Church Choir 
  • St. Katherine’s Ukrainian Orthodox Church Choir 
  • From Age to Age 
  • St. Mary’s Orthodox Cathedral Choir 
  • Two Rivers Chorale 

 Visit the choir’s Facebook page for more information and to see and hear clips of performances.