Natalia Dzenkiv aka Lama

It was a good year for Ukraine, pop-wise: the country got its own MTV channel, and participated in the MTV European Music Awards ceremony in Munich on 1 November. Natalia Dzenkiv, a diminutive young lady from Ivano-Frankivsk who goes by the stage name Lama, won the ‘Best Ukrainian Act’ prize.

The first thing Natalia said is that she learned a lesson early this month in Munich: there’s a huge difference between show business in the West and show business here. Everything is under control there. An artist is surrounded by technical and security personnel: there’s no panicking, no shouting or crying. Natalia also noticed that a positive attitude prevails over there. You don’t find a lot of downcast people, moping around in depression. It’s just the way it is. The most memorable people she met in Germany were Muse, the British band that recently played Kyiv’s Palace Sport, and the band Justice, from France. She also liked a Foo Fighters performance she saw in Munich before the ceremony, and was impressed how they managed to excite a sold-out house.

When talk turns to the Ukrainian music scene, Natalia says changes have to be driven by the bands themselves, and the music they put out. Production quality can get better, but in the end it all comes down to the musicians and the songs. Today a lot of good young Ukrainian bands are coming up, and Natalia has faith that the native music scene will be a rich one. Her favourite bands at the moment are Okean Elzy, Esthetic Education, and Dazzle Dreams. Natalia’s native western Ukraine has given us many arts figures of note. Ivano-Frankivsk is the capital of contemporary Ukrainian literature, one of the stars of which is Natalia’s acquaintance Irena Karpa, the writer and rock singer. In 1997 the two met in the same recording studio, where Irena was working on a project with her band Faktychno Sami and Natalia was singing in the duo Magia. Natalia likes Karpa as both a writer and singer, and they had a lot of fun when they met again this year through MTV, for which Karpa is a Ukrainian host. Natalia says her Munich experience led her to feel a lot more responsibility for her art, and that now she wants to try even harder to do her best and improve the quality of the things the does. She believes strongly in the power of her music, and realises that there are a lot of things to do in the future. Soon, for example, there will be a new video to launch, and a tour to complete.

Particularly interesting is Natalia’s view of the Ukrainian pop scene, where everything is based on public relations and marketing. She says she does her best to be minimally influenced by that sort of dirty business. Her team has its own strategy and makes its own mistakes, and Natalia says she’s immune to star fever, and that her image consists of being herself: what you see is what you get. The name Lama was Natalia’s idea, not some producer’s, and Natalia does her own styling, with the help only of one hairdresser, who colors and cuts her hair. She says that there’s a big problem in Ukraine when it comes to finding professional stylists and personal designers. Real specialists are always busy, and she doesn’t trust the young amateurs. “In Munich there were a lot of stylists, and I heard adequate recommendations for the first time in my life.” Munich also turned out to be a place where you can buy inexpensive clothes, and Natalia found shopping there to be a pleasure. Natalia moved to Kyiv from Ivano-Frankivsk seven years ago, and remembers that it was hard here at first. She was a popular singer in western Ukraine, but there was no room to grow there. In the capital, there were possibilities. “Now I feel like Kyiv is my city too,” she says. “I like to meet up with my friends at Antresol and walk in the Botanical Gardens.” Such a life might be far from the bright stages of Munich, but it suits this unpretentious star just fine.

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Bandurist: Victor Mishalow

Victor Mishalow was born in Sydney, Australia and began to study bandura in 1970 unde Peter Deriashnyj. In 1974 he studied with Hryhory Bazhul, a former student of Hnat Khotkevych (known as the “father of the modem concert bandura”). In 1978 Mishalow received a grant from the “Australia Arts Council” enabling him to continue his studies in North America with prominent emigre bandurists, including Peter Honchanenko, Peter Kytasty, Hryhory Kytasty, Leonid Haydamaka and Vasyl Yemetz. In 1979. Victor received a scholarship to attend the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Kyiv, where he studied with noted bandurist and professor Serhiy Bashtan. In Ukraine, he also studied with Heorhy Tkachenko, the last remaining bandurist to perform in the authentic kobzar tradition. Victor Mishalow holds a bachelor’s degree in Musicology and Ethnomusicology from the University of Sydney, and a postgraduate diploma in Music Education. He has over 70 articles and publications to his credit.

Performing is an important facet of Mishalow’s work. He has given recitals and has made appearances in North America, Europe and Australia, including solo performances in venues such as Carnage Hall (New York), Massey Hall (Toronto) and the Sydney Opera House. He has also appeared at a Royal Command Performance in the Netherlands. Victor has completed several concert tours in Ukraine, with over 70 solo concert recitals. He has appeared as instrumental soloist with the Tommy Teaco International Orchestra in Sydney, Australia and the Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus in Detroit. Mishalow participated in producing the music for 4 documentary films.

One of Victor Mishalow’s most consuming and important task at land is to install to the youth of Ukrainian heritage the love of the Ukrainian culture through form of music, namely the bandura, (the voice and soul of Ukraine). Mishalow, with his technical expertise has attracted over 130 students that have been the playing the bandura in the short time that he has been in Toronto. Mishalow is the founder of the Hryhory Kytasty Bandura Chorus, and along with the Bandura Chorus have received support and acknowledgment from various support agencies: Taras Shevchenko Ukrainian Foundation, Prometheus Foundation, Canadian Ukrainian Congress, Ukrainian Canadian School Board, World Federation of Ukrainian Women’s Organizations, and many others.

It is the dream and aspiration of Mishalow to update. to bring in new and contemporary elements, and to make the music of bandura loved by all music enthusiasts. This new direction is best exemplified in his recent releases of Bandura Magic and Bandura Christmas Magic.

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News Section

We are proud to annouce ukrainian news services we are launching. This is the place where you may read the latest and vote for your favourite news. It aggregates news from the most famoust ukrainian resources.

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