Events to honor the 100th anniversary of the first performance of Shchedryk in the country planned in the US

Events are planned in New York and Washington to mark the 100th anniversary of Shchedryk's first performance in the United States.

This was announced by the Ambassador of Ukraine to the United States of America Oksana Markarova in an interview with Radio Svoboda.

According to her, Shchedryk for Ukrainians and Carol of the Bells for Americans is not only the most popular Christmas song but also an example of cultural diplomacy.

According to her, the ambassador recalled an incredible story.

The choir, which performed Shchedryk in the United States, went on a mission of cultural diplomacy to convey information through songs about the young Ukrainian state, which gained its independence in 1918, but, unfortunately, didn't keep it then. The choir happened to stay in the US as there was nowhere to go, and in the United States, new words in English were written for Shchedryk. And it will be 100 years since this song was first performed in New York, which has captured hearts in these 100 years," Markarova said.

In honor of this event, they plan to hold celebrations, which will be joined by the First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska.

"We will celebrate very actively. The First Lady is also involved in this process. She is actively involved in cultural diplomacy. We are currently planning many events in Washington, New York, considering some creative musical battles," Markarova said.

Note

"Shchedryk" is a Ukrainian folk carol, the music for which was written by Ukrainian composer Mykola Leontovych in the early twentieth century.

In 1921, the Ukrainian choir of Oleksandr Koshyts arrived in the United States, performing the famous carol at Carnegie Goal for the first time in America.

The concert was attended by a famous American musician of Ukrainian descent, Peter Vilkhovsky, who later wrote an English version of the Ukrainian carol Carol of the Bells.

Carol of the Bells is one of the most popular Christmas songs in the world today.