Visionary, mentor, cultural ambassador – all terms synonymous with the distinguished founding artistic director and conductor of Vesnivka Choir, Halyna Kvitka Kondracki, or simply, Kvitka.
Kvitka Kondracki was honoured on March 1, 2025, with the Ukrainian Canadian Social Services Toronto Markian Ochrymowych Humanitarian Award for her exceptional dedication throughout a 60-year musical career to preserve and proliferate the resilient spirit of the Ukrainian language through the beauty of choral compositions and the power of song.
Я дуже вдячна дирекції Суспільної Служби за цю нагороду. Не знаю чи є якийсь другий нарід, що має таку велику пісенну культуру як українці. ПІСНЯ, це національний скарб нашого народу, і ми маємо подбати щоби на кожному концерті прозвучали українські пісні. Наш обовʼязок є плекати, розвивати і поширювати нашу рідну пісню.
I am very grateful to the Board of Ukrainian Canadian Social Services for this award. I don’t know if any other nation has a song culture as rich as that of the Ukrainian nation. SONG is the national treasure of our people, and we must ensure that Ukrainian songs are heard at every concert. Our responsibility is to preserve, develop, and share our national song.
The story began in 1965 when Kvitka was tasked with teaching a small group of girls at St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic School in Toronto to sing. That group of girls became Vesnivka – the preeminent women’s choir renowned on the world stage.
Under Kvitka’s leadership, Vesnivka has performed Ukrainian classical, contemporary and folk choral music in 12 countries on three continents. In 1993, the choir was awarded first place in the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, a choral competition in Llangollen, North Wales. In the summer of 2000 Vesnivka participated in the first World Choral Olympics in Linz, Austria, bringing home a silver medal.
Committed to excellence, Kvitka has commissioned new works, and collaborated with internationally acclaimed artists. In 2001 she added a new member to the Vesnivka family – The Toronto Ukrainian Male Chamber Choir.
Her contribution to bringing Ukrainian choral music to audiences across Canada and beyond has been recognized with numerous awards including the Ukrainian World Congress St. Volodymyr the Great Medal, Ukrainian Canadian Congress Shevchenko Medal, and the Ontario Choral Federation’s Distinguished Service Award.
TSF congratulates Kvitka Kondracki on this honour. Throughout her career she has remained committed to preserving the Ukrainian musical legacy while nurturing new generations of singers who share the beauty of Ukrainian song.
Mnohaya lita!
About the Award
The Markian Ochrymowych Humanitarian Award was established to memorialize the humanitarian values espoused by Markian Ochrymowych, founder of Ukrainian Canadian Social Services Toronto and the organization’s first professional social worker.
Ukrainian Canadian Social Services Toronto is a front-line social services and settlement agency that provides critical help to our growing newcomer community as well as ongoing support to our seniors and vulnerable community members.