Members
of the Ukrainian Male Chorus of Winnipeg
as published in the Winnipeg Free Press,
May 18, 1946, Page 3 under the article
titled, 800 Persons Attend Ukrainian
Recital At Prosvita Hall:
Director
Walter Bohonos
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Tenors
John Marian
Mike Hlady
Ted Perich
Stephen Saranchuk
Stephen Huculiak
Bassos
Peter Collins
M. Zawisliak
J. Kereluk
W. Mudry
W. Kuryk |
Second
Tenors
Hestor Harach
John Paiuk
John Hawryluk
Nick Boychuk
Bill Hominick
William Phillips
Baritones
Joe Popiel
William Bohonos
Mike Cyhanewich
Ernest Lewicki
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Biography
of Walter Bohonos and the History of
the Ukrainian Male Chorus of Winnipeg
Walter Victor Bohonos (1913-1997) was born
in St. Julian, Saskatchewan to Ukrainian
pioneer settlers. Educated in
Winnipeg’s public schools after the family
moved to Winnipeg in 1919, and active in
youth organizations sponsored by the
Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church, he first
thought of establishing a male chorus in
the early 1930s after teaming up with
Winnipeggers Myron Mason (Marian Masniak),
Peter Collins and Ralph Wickberg (Ralph
Gerry) to form the “Cavaliers,” a popular
vocal group that performed on network
radio.
The group’s repertoire included songs in
14 languages and they dedicated their
radio broadcasts to Manitoba’s many ethnic
groups. Later the group changed its
name to “The International Quartet” and
finally to “The Four Toppers". Under
that name, it moved to Toronto in 1939 and
gained recognition as “the best of its
kind in Canada". While singing
baritone with the quartet and arranging
its music, Bohonos also studied music at
the University of Toronto.
He returned to Winnipeg during the war,
and in the fall of 1944 organized the
16-voice Ukrainian Male Chorus. All
of the choristers were Canadian-born and
they included businessmen, tradesmen,
students, and professional men.
Although it held its rehearsals in the
Ukrainian National Home Association
building at the corner of Burrows and
MacGregor, the Chorus was not affiliated
with any community organization and it was
open to men of all religious
denominations.
By 1946 Bohonos was also voice teacher and
instructor of liturgical music at St.
Andrew’s College and choir conductor first
at St. Michael’s Ukrainian Greek Orthodox
Church and then at Holy Trinity Ukrainian
Greek Orthodox cathedral in Winnipeg.
The Ukrainian Male Chorus won local
recognition after winning the Manitoba
Music Festival Folk Song Competition in
1946, 1947 and 1948. Although it was
established to present Ukrainian folk and
religious songs to Canadian and American
audiences, the Chorus, which soon expanded
to 30 voices, also included the folk songs
of other peoples (“Blue Bells of
Scotland,” “Loch Lomond,” “Annie Laurie,”
“The Happy Wanderer,” “Let My People Go”)
in its repertoire. The Chorus
performed at Ukrainian-Canadian events
throughout Manitoba, and occasionally
visited Saskatchewan, Alberta, Ontario,
and the United States.
In Winnipeg it also sang at a command
performance for Their Royal Highnesses,
Princess Alice and the Earl of Athlone in
1945; at the City’s 75th Anniversary
Concert in 1949; with the Winnipeg
Symphony Orchestra under Walter Kaufmann
in 1951 and under Victor Feldbrill in 1961
and in 1967; at the nationally broadcast
and televised 1957 CBC “United Way”
spectacular that also featured vocalists
Juliette, Robert Goulet, and Joan Maxwell,
and comedian Dave Broadfoot; at numerous
conventions; and at gatherings of various
service clubs including the Rotarians,
Lions, Kinsmen, and the I.O.D.E.
Performances by the Chorus were also
broadcast by the CBC radio and television
network, by NBC and by the BBC.
Under contract with MGM records, the
Ukrainian Male Chorus recorded two 78 rpm
albums of Ukrainian folk songs and
Ukrainian Carols on the Quality label in
1950. At the time, it may have been
the first Western Canadian choir to make
records in a language other than English.
In 1965, the Chorus recorded two 33 1/3
rpm albums produced by RCA Victor
Recording Services. During the fall
and winter of 1967-68, the executive
addressed the issue of growing
“complacency” among Chorus members and
tried to “find a basic solution to the
present low quality of some sections of
the male chorus". Although plans
were made to reorganize the Chorus, it
became inactive. One of its last
performances was at the September 1970
“Starburst 100” concert sponsored by the
Ukrainian Professional and Business Men’s
Club in celebration of Manitoba’s
Centennial.
Over the years, prominent soloists and
singers included John Marian and Myron
Mason (who had also toured with Serge
Jaroff’s Don Cossack Choir), Emile
Budnick, Joseph Popiel, Walter Mudry,
Cecil Semchychyn, Serge Radchuk and Jerry
(Jaroslaw) Schur, and William (Bill)
Solomon (Conductor of the Hoosli Ukrainian
Male Chorus).
As published at MAIN
– Manitoba Archival Information
Network
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Photo credit: Winnipeg
Free Press May 16, 1946
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