A poetic and musical event was held at Vasyl Stefanyk Carpathian National University on the occasion of the 212th anniversary of Taras Shevchenko’s birth. The event brought together the university’s leadership, students, teachers, and guests to honour the memory of the great Ukrainian poet, artist, and thinker, and once again to feel the power and relevance of his words.
Organisers: Faculty of Philology, Educational and Scientific Institute of Arts, and Centre for Student Development and Leadership.
The event began with an introductory speech by the hosts, who emphasised the significance of Taras Shevchenko for the Ukrainian people. They emphasised that the poet was not only an artist, but also a voice of his time, a leader of thought, and a symbol of the struggle for truth, freedom, and love for his native land.
The event continued with a speech by Natalia Maftyn, Doctor of Philological Sciences, Professor of the Department of Ukrainian Literature, Faculty of Philology, on the topic “Shevchenko – Singer of Ukrainian Chivalry.” In her report, she highlighted the significance of the poet’s work in shaping Ukrainian identity and emphasised the relevance of his ideas in modern times.
The artistic part of the program opened with the prologue “Will Heaven Not Leave Us…”, performed by students of the SM-22 group of the Department of Performing Arts. The performance was prepared by the teacher of performing arts, Oleg Derkach, and the course’s artistic director, Olesya Pasichnyak.
The holiday’s musical atmosphere was created by the performance of the song “The Sun is Setting,” with lyrics by Taras Shevchenko. The work was performed by a trio of students from the Educational and Scientific Institute of Arts: Natalia Konovalova, Lilia Kuz, and Marta Ornat. The arrangement was prepared by Honoured Artist of Ukraine, Associate Professor Olga Molodiy.
The poetic side of the event was continued by Yulia Manyakina, a second-year student at the Faculty of Philology, who read an excerpt from the poem “Haydamaki”.
The Ukrainian folk song “Not a Tall Poplar” was performed by Sofia Derevyanko, a student of the Faculty of Philology. The next number was the poem “Dug Grave” performed by a third-year student of the Faculty of Philology, Veronika Shkurley.
The musical program continued with a duet by law students Yana Yatskiv and Elizaveta Fedun, performing the song “Oh, Fog”. Anastasia Slobodyan, a second-year student of the Department of Performing Arts, also joined the artistic world, presenting an excerpt from the work “Drowned”. The performance was prepared by the teacher of performing arts, Oleg Derkach, and the course’s artistic director, Olesya Pasichnyak.
The song “On a Very High Cliff” was performed by a fifth-year student at the Educational and Scientific Institute of Arts, Solomiya Volosenko. The performance was led by Honoured Artist of Ukraine, Natalia Shevchenko.
A third-year student at the Faculty of Philology, Viktoria Osadchuk, recited the poem “Cold Ravine”.
The event culminated in a choir performance of “My Thoughts,” with lyrics by Taras Shevchenko, music by Artem Pyvovarov, and arrangements by Maryana Husar. The poetic and musical event concluded with a performance of one of the poet’s most famous works, “The Testament.”
The event once again proved that Taras Shevchenko’s words remain relevant today, inspiring new generations of Ukrainians and uniting them around national and spiritual values.
