Music / A Ukrainian Musical Journey, Larissa Kovalchuk, soprano and bandura, Anna Dove, piano. At Wesley Music Centre, Forrest, May 31. Reviewed by LEN POWER.

Ukrainian musicians, Larissa Kovalchuk, a virtuoso bandura player and soprano, and Anna Dove, pianist, presented a program of Ukrainian classical and traditional pieces as well as works by Puccini, Gershwin and others.

Kovalchuk studied voice, bandura and conducting at Ukraine’s leading Kyiv Conservatorium of Music. In 1993 she was awarded the national laureate in performing arts of Ukraine and soon became one of the nation’s leading performers with international concert performances in France, Germany, Latvia and Estonia.

Since moving to Australia, she has performed widely at festivals, recorded with SBS and the ABC, and has played in concerts with the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra. She is currently teaching voice and musicianship at the Riverina Conservatorium of Music in Wagga Wagga.

The informal tone of the concert was set immediately with Kovalchuk’s warm and charming style, humour and interaction with audience members. At one point in the concert, while about to play the bandura (Ukrainian harp) she asked audience members to decide if they wanted to hear a happy or sad piece of Ukrainian music. The vote was for happy and Kovalchuk obliged with a piece of great beauty.

As well as playing the bandura, Kovalchuk sang various Ukrainian prayers, folk songs and anthems, accompanied by pianist, Anna Dove. She has a beautiful voice of great clarity and power. Her performances of O Mio Babbino Caro from Puccini’s opera, Gianni Schicchi, and Summertime from Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess were particularly sensitive.

Anna Dove played solo piano works, both Ukrainian and by other composers. Her playing was excellent.

This was a delightful concert with many haunting, beautiful pieces of music. Unfortunately, there was no program, and it was not possible to catch the names of the Ukrainian pieces and composers as they were announced from the stage.