Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus Brings Music of Resistance to Wesleyan
Katja Kolcio, chair and associate professor of dance, once imagined a career in international relations. But when her research on Ukraine was discouraged by former colleagues, she turned to the arts—where she could speak freely.
“Art is a way to assert existence and vitality,” Kolcio said. “History books can be rewritten to erase a culture, but art resists erasure—it insists on presence. You cannot deny a dance, a song, or a musical instrument.” Kolcio, whose family includes generations of political and performance artists, has long used choreography to weave traditional Ukrainian art forms with contemporary movement. Soon after joining Wesleyan's faculty in 2000, she began incorporating the bandura—a 60-stringed folk instrument often called Ukraine’s national instrument—into her work.
The bandura carries centuries of tradition and resilience. And it has a rich history in Connecticut—the Women’s Bandura Ensemble premiered at Wesleyan in 2016, and scores of young musicians continue learning the instrument at summer camps in the region. Kolcio’s 2014 multimedia piece marking the onset of the Russian invasion, To Not Forget Crimea, featured the bandura.
This fall, Kolcio helped bring the Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus of North America to Crowell Concert Hall for its first Connecticut performance since 2007. Founded in Kyiv in 1918, the chorus has endured repression, exile, and decades of Soviet bans. Now based in Detroit, the ensemble preserves and shares Ukraine’s cultural memory through music.
“The bandura is more than an instrument—it’s a vessel for passing on Ukrainian history, culture, and morals through song,” said Oleh Mahlay, the chorus’s artistic director and conductor. “Our mission to preserve and share Ukrainian culture is absolutely crucial during Russian’s ongoing war against Ukraine, its people, and its culture. We hope Wesleyan audiences can appreciate the beauty of the bandura, the important cultural role it plays, and the resilience of our people.”
Kolcio said the performance comes at a critical time. “People are finally paying attention,” she said. “Much of [the chorus's] repertoire is about resistance to Russian aggression.” That spirit of resilience resonates with Wesleyan students like Oleksandra Volakova ’27, from Kremenchuk, Ukraine, who has organized language workshops, film screenings, and fundraisers for demining efforts in liberated regions. Yaryna Kholod ’28, from Kyiv, partnered with WesDems to host a livestream discussion with leaders from the Ukrainian Women’s Fund and the Ministry of Defense.
“This work is crucial,” Kolcio said. “Performances like the Bandurist Chorus and these student-led initiatives remind us how art can galvanize awareness, empathy, and action.”
