KITKA presents: Nova Radast’ Stala feat. Gramnitsy, Kitka & Friends
Kitka’s Daily Wintersongs Offering for December 25, 2020
A New Joy Appeared
Kitka learned this uplifting Christmas carol from a 1997 recording by the Belarusian student folk ensemble Gramnitsy, directed by Prof. Vladimir Zenevitch. Variants of this song are sung not only in Belarus, but also in Russia and Ukraine. In addition to Gramnitsy, our original inspiring source of this song, Kitka invited our alumnae, and a group of Belarusian, Russian, and Ukrainian friends to contribute their voices to this international virtual choir. We envisioned this project as a gesture of solidarity with, and hope for, the people of Belarus, who have been engaged in a long struggle against authoritarianism, a struggle that becameespecially intense this past year.
Gramnitsy was founded in 1993 at the Belarusian State University of Culture and Arts in Minsk. This amazing student ensemble has shared their interpretations of traditional Belarusian songs, dances, and instrumental music in Belgium, Holland, France, Germany, Poland, Ukraine, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, Latvia, Great Britain, Turkey, Korea, and beyond.
Vladimir Zenevitch, the artistic director of Gramnitsy, was born in the Gomel region of Belarus. He studied choral conducting, folk music and aesthetics at the Institute of Philosophy and Law at the Belarusian National Academy and Sciences and the Belarusian State University of Culture and Arts in Minsk, where he now teaches Belarusian traditional culture, musical arrangement, and choral conducting.
Learn more about Gramnitsy at: https://www.facebook.com/GRAMNITSY
Kitka will share donations received today (12/25/20) with Belarus Together, a non-profit organization providing humanitarian aid to Belarusians who have suffered political repression and violence. Learn more about this worthy organization at https://belarustogether.net
NOVA RADAST’ STALA (A New Joy Appeared)
Belarus, arr. Vladimir Zenevitch
“A new joy appeared, such as never had been known before. Above the stable, dawn’s bright light shone. Where Christ was born of the Virgin, in human flesh, He was incarnated as a human, and wrapped in swaddling clothes. Angels sing his glory in Heaven. They proclaim peace in Heaven and on Earth.”
Recorded on the albums: GRAMNITSY: Krasavik (Auvidis Ethnic) And KITKA: Wintersongs (Diaphonica), available from http://www.kitka.org/shop and http://kitka.bandcamp.com
Performed by
Gramnitsy, Vladimir Zenevich, artistic director (https://www.facebook.com/GRAMNITSY)
Ivan Aksenchyk
Maksim Bahdenets
Artsyom Barychevsky
Alena Dramkova
Kseniya Drevnitskaya
Darya Habrukovich
Iryna Litvinchuk
Tatsiana Kamarova
Stanislav Klian
Siuzana Mauchan
Palina Shumila
Tatsiana Staravoitava
Kitka Women’s Vocal Ensemble Kelly Atkins, Briget Boyle, Shira Cion, Erin Lashnits Herman, Janet Kutulas, Hannah Levy, Maclovia Quintana, Katya Schoenberg, and Lily Storm
Kitka Alumnae:
Leslie Bonnett, Lucia Comnes, Deborah Dietrich, Juliana Graffagna, Phoebe Jevtović Rosquist, and Elizabeth Setzer
And Our Ukrainian Friends
Jura Josyfovych, Mariana Sadovska, and Nadia Tarnawsky
With
Kostroma
Nataliya Bondar, Ksenia Krugloff, Tatyana Teodorovich, and Leysan Fatykhova-Villasenor
Slavitza
Aleksey Borovskikh, Svetlana Borovskikh, Asya Brister, and Alisa Wesson
Volya
Raisa Asriyants, Olga Sukhover
Video editing by John Nilsen
Audio mixing & mastering by eO (Eric Oberthaler)
Project direction by Kelly Atkins, Janet Kutulas, and Shira Cion with special thanks to Vladimir Zenevitch and Volya Dzemka
Click here to explore the Wintersongs Village
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