Alexis Kochan-Budyk

Singer and culture-maker Alexis Kochan was born in Winnipeg’s North End. She earned a Master’s degree in Psychology from the University of Manitoba while simultaneously studying music and beginning a multi-faceted career as singer, teacher, producer, and recording artist.

Ms. Kochan’s interest in the oldest layers of Ukrainian folk music led directly to her first recording, Czarivna (The Princess), an album of songs connected with ancient seasonal rituals, produced with Arthur Polson and the principal players of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra. Paris to Kiev, released in 1994, brought together musicians and styles from different worlds and began a process of collaborative musical exploration. Further stages in this artistic journey saw the release of three additional recordings in the Paris to Kiev series.

She co-directs and performs in ‘Night Songs from a Neighbouring Village’, a program exploring the commonalities and contrasts between Ukrainian music and the musical traditions of the Jews of Ukraine. Her voice can also be heard on an album of lullabies produced for the Children of Chornobyl Canada Fund.

As a speaker and workshop leader, Ms. Kochan has worked with educators, education students, singers and speakers, business women, and choral and instrumental ensembles.

Alexis Kochan joined the TSF Board in 2023.