Choir
Since 1902, our parish has had the great priviledge of having maintained a mixed choir, which enhances the atmosphere of liturgical celebrations with their singing of composed choral music. Our choir, already well-established by 1904, was recognized as the first Ukrainian choir in Canada. The first director was Wasyl Rudko.
Particularly instrumental in the musical development of the choir and its repertoire were directors Wasyl Tymkiw and Father Boniface Sloboda, OSBM. After the Second Vatican Council, the Synod of Ukrainian bishops permitted liturgical celebrations, first in Ukrainian, and then in English. Thus, in the early 1970s, it was Father Sloboda who saved the precious collection of our choral liturgical music, by re-arranging the pieces into modern Ukrainian from the Old Church Slavonic. Almost all of those arrangements are still in the choir's repetoire.
Saint Nicholas Choir has maintained a high standard and wide repertoire for many years. The Choir has produced several reccords and has sung at various important occasions outside the parish. Following the efforts of Father Sloboda, subsequent directors- Mykola Suchynsky, Ernie Lewicki, and Peter Kwasny- have continued this tradition.
Each Sunday, at the 10:00 Divine Liturgy, the choir sings various liturgical compositions by renowned Ukrainian composers such as: Bortniansky, Vedel, Leontovych, Lysenko, Arkhanhelski, Rimsky-Korsakov, Stetsenko and Koshetz.
Recently, guest conductors have been invited to hold workshops with the choir, among them Bill Smiegal of Vancouver and Tannia Navolska of Winnipeg. Our choir always welcomes new members. Come and join us in singing praises to the Lord!