On 26 June 2024, Culbaba Theatre joined London Mozart Players, Hastings Sinfonia and Create Music String Ensembles for Stories of the Folk at De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill.
Conducted by David Angus and led by Simon Blendis, the concert explored folk music and its journey onto the concert stage. Bartók’s Romanian Folk Dances and Holst’s St Paul’s Suite met traditional repertoire, with Ukrainian music running through the programme.
Led by Artistic Director and choirmaster Olena Zdielnikova, Culbaba Theatre brought a programme of Ukrainian folk songs in classical arrangements and Prayer for Ukraine — Ukraine’s spiritual anthem — to a packed auditorium at De La Warr Pavilion.
A highlight of the programme was Zvuchat’ holosy (Voices are Heard), an original collaboration between Culbaba Theatre and composer Sam Glazer, performed with musicians of the London Mozart Players. Created together during rehearsals and specially arranged by Sam for orchestra, the piece brought our young organisation to the De La Warr stage.
Working alongside professional orchestral musicians gave our members valuable experience of rehearsing and performing within a large-scale production, while the concert introduced a wide British audience to Ukrainian musical culture through traditional repertoire, a major Ukrainian choral work and a new bilingual composition.
London Mozart Players later described Stories of the Folk as “truly special”, recognising Culbaba Theatre, Create Music and Hastings Sinfonia as collaborators.
For a company only a few months into its work, it was a remarkable beginning — and a strong foundation for the artistic collaborations to come.
We are grateful to London Mozart Players, Sam Glazer and The Good Story CIC, whose work brought this wonderful collaboration together and gave us such a valuable experience at the very beginning of Culbaba’s journey.
Journalist and writer Nicky Torode also captured Culbaba’s appearance at Stories of the Folk in her article for the Hastings Independent Press. You can read her account here: Celebrating Refugees — Nicky Torode, Hastings Independent Press.
