Zhayvir

2000 – the choir “Zhayvir” was created in the Center of Creativity of Children and Youth of Galicia (Lviv).

The choir’s repertoire includes classical and spiritual choral works, arrangements of folk songs and authentic folklore, popular music, carols, Christmas carols, jazz compositions and modern choral works. Our great achievement is the diversity of the repertoire and individual vocal lessons. Of course, children begin their studies with small songs, children’s songs, and later can sing works of classics of Ukrainian choral music Leontovych, Stetsenko, Vakhnyanin, and modern composers. The repertoire emphasis is on the work of Ukrainian composers because it is one of the keys to national self-identification. We sing quality music of various genres and styles. That’s how children grow, learn, cultivate musical taste, develop voice, master different manners. To develop the individual vocal talent of each member of the choir, to unite in the choral sound, fully mastering it, preserving the ensemble, giving timbre to each part, these are basic ideas of our team. This is a unique feature of “Zhayvir”.

Currently, the team involves children and youth of different age groups: 3-5 years – the younger group “Zhayvoryatko” (teacher Anna Keivan); 6-9 years-middle group “Zhaivoryata” (teacher Alexandra Soloviy); 10-18 years -s enior group “Zhayvir” (teacher Nataliya Chmyr-Kozyar); 18-25 years – concert mixed choir (existed until 2010. These children were able to sing “Carmina Burana” by K. Orff, “Habanera” from Bizet’s opera “Carmen”, “Virgin Mary” from “All-Night” by Rachmaninoff, “Lacrimosa” from “Requiem” by Mozart, along with Kupala songs, spirituals). Children and young people thoroughly study academic vocals (individual lessons), choral art, get acquainted with musical literacy. Our goal is to raise children and young people in love with the treasure of Ukrainian culture – choral art, inexhaustible world traditions of choral singing. During 20 years of existence, the collective has visited many cities of Ukraine and 18 countries of the world, becoming the winner of the international festivals-competitions in Norway, Austria, the Czech Republic, Poland, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Macedonia, Bulgaria, etc.

During 20 years, more than 300 children sang in the ensemble, many of whom chose music (vocal, conducting) as their future profession, although this is not the main purpose of education in the choir. The goal is to bring up a person with a wonderful musical taste, for whom such eternal values as love, faith, traditions, song, nation, state, the language will be paramount.

The choir recorded and released 6 CDs: 1. “Carols and Christmas carols” (“Koliadky ta Schedrvky”, 2003); 2. “Let us pray” (“Pomolymols'”, 2004); 3. “We are Ukrainians” (“My – ukraintsi”, 2004); 4. “Zhaivir sings. 10 years” (“Spivaye Zhayvir”, 2010); 5. “Children of the Earth” (“Dity Zemli”, 2013); 6. “Wheel of Being” (“Koleso buttya”, 2015). CDs of soloists: 1. “Miss from Lviv” (” Pannochka zi Lvova”, Sofia Marysenko, 2011); 2. “Father’s shirt” (“Bat’kova Sorochka”, Roman Grabovensky, 2011). CD of the choir leader Natalia Chmyr-Kozyar “New Day” (“Novyi Den'”, 2013).

The choir together with the Freestyle studio shot 5 music videos:

“Our Christmas” (“Nashe Rizdvo”)

“Na Ivana, na Kupala”

“Children of the Earth” (“Dity Zemli”)

“Life has opened” (“Vidchynylosya zhyttia”)

“Enchanted Lviv” (“Zacharovanyi Lviv”).

2003 – the choir was awarded the title of “Exemplary artistic collective of Ukraine”.

2005 – the choir celebrated the first 5-year anniversary at the Lviv National Philharmonic and launched the annual choral festival “Zhayvir sklykaye druziv” (or “Zhayvir gathers friends”), which aims to revive and promote choral culture among children and youth, educational activities among listeners, as well as the promotion of Ukrainian choral culture figures, in particular, artists-conductors, whose work is connected with Lviv. (House of Organ Music, Lviv). Over the 14 years of the festival’s existence, more than 14,000 participants from Ukraine took part in it.

2008 – the choir was awarded the title of “People’s Art Collective of Ukraine”. In 2008 the choral textbook “Zhaivir sings” (“Spivaye Zhayvir”) (author Natalia Chmyr-Kozyar) was published with methodical recommendations, concert scripts, music material that took up almost 600 pages! (It is important to remember that all the works were sung by the choir “Zhayvir”, soloists of the choir in 2000-2008. The textbook was a gift to the choirs that participated in the festival “Zhayvir sklykaye druziv”. Currently, it is used by leaders of choirs throughout Ukraine). 2012 – the second part of “Zhayvir Sings. Junior Choir” (“Spivaye Zhayvir. Molodshyi Hor”) was published (author-teacher of the choir Zoryana Martin). 2020 – the book “Steps of choral skill” (“Skhodynkamy horovoyi maysternosti”) was published (author – Zoryana Martin).

2010 – 10th anniversary of the choir, the big anniversary program “Vidchynylosya zhyttia” (National Drama Theater named after M. Zankovetskaya). First part Second part.

2013 – the coir confirmed the honorary title of People’s Art Collective of Ukraine, awarded to the team in 2008.

2015 – the 15th anniversary of the choir, the big anniversary program “Koleso buttya”.

2016 and 2017 – the theater. M. Zankovetska – together with Solomiya Chubai and Picardiyska Tertsiya “Zhayvir” took part in a large charity project for autistic children “Lullabies for Oleksa”.

February 15, 2017 – “Zhayvir” became the Laureate of the First Prize of the International Interactive Competition for the best performance of the work of the famous British singer Katie Melua, as a result there was an award concert with Katie Melua in Lviv (for the first time in Ukraine).

2017, 2018 – “Zhayvir” celebrates Christmas on the stage of the Lviv Opera with the world-famous choir. G. Ropes, singing as a special guest at the concert.

2017 is full of projects, including: “Tradition” (Church of the Transfiguration, Lviv) with Father Luka Mikhailovich and the choir “Kyiv” (leader Mykola Hobdych); “Mosaic” together with the famous Lviv singer Ulyana Gorbachevska and the band from the village of Luhansk.

2018 – for the second time “Zhayvir” confirmed the title of “People’s Art Collective of Ukraine” with a large four-hour concert with a diverse, diverse program.

2019 – the All-Ukrainian competition of young conductors named after Mykola Kolessa was launched within the framework of the All-Ukrainian Choral Festival “Zhayvir sklykaye druziv”.

Over 20 years of creative work the choir “Zhayvir” sang about 700 concerts with various genre programs.

More information about the choir ZHAYVIR on social media.

Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, Official website

Choir Festival “Zhayvir sklykaye druziv”

e-mail: zhayvirchoir@gmail.com

Mobile phone: +38 (097) 5821857

Founder, artistic director and conductor of the People’s Art Ensemble of Ukraine of the children’s and youth chamber choir ZHAIVIR – Natalia Chmyr-Kozyar (graduate of the Lviv National Music Academy named after Mykola Lysenko), organizer and director of the All-Ukrainian choral festival “Zhayvir sklykaye druziv” and the All-Ukrainian competition of young conductors named after Mykola Kolessa; expert of the Ukrainian Cultural Foundation; teacher-methodologist of Lviv Children’s Music School №1 named after A. Kos-Anatolsky; Excellent education of Ukraine.