reviewvancouver: Homin Choir

The Lviv-based Homin Choir arrived at the Massey Theatre for their 282nd performance of a mega tour spanning Ukraine, Europe, and North America. Led by conductor Vadym Yatsenko, the ensemble maintained a remarkably fresh energy, appearing as genuinely invested in the music as if the journey had only just begun.

Doors opened at 6:30 p.m. to an audience already gathered in great numbers. There was no intermission and no printed program. The performance started without an introduction, setting the atmosphere immediately as the choir - uniformly dressed in white shirts, black trousers, and white sneakers - stepped onto a Hutsul (Carpathian) carpet. Homin’s rendition brings a raw, organic quality to the music; the voices don't just sing, they breathe together, mimicking natural elements like wind and water.

Early pieces like "You Have Become a Stranger" featured a duet with tender yet strong voices. The ensemble integrated effective theatrical moments, including "funny" moves in "I Love You with My Soul" that made the audience laugh, and a purposeful blackout during "Cornflower Blue Eyes" that created a proper sensation. The atmosphere reached a high point during "Night over the Carpathians" when the choir left the stage to perform on the floor, bowing as they came closer and closer to the first row.

The energy shifted to pure celebration with the pop classic "Hai, Zelenyi Hai," featuring a tube shaker and tambourine, followed by a powerful arrangement of legendary Volodymyr Ivasyuk’s "I Will Go to the Distant Mountains." The Massey’s acoustics served the group well, capturing a natural reverberation and echo that allowed the singers to immerse themselves in the performance.

The concert’s final song, "Red Ruta", saw both the audience and the choir waving their lit mobile phones, followed by a nostalgic song about Kyiv This tour pursues a double mission: sharing Ukrainian culture and supporting Ukrainian defenders, having raised over 30 million Ukrainian Hryvnia. On stage, they auctioned two special Choir edition sets of Ukrposhta stamps signed by the renowned General Zaluzhnyi for $1,500 each. After a charity lottery, the concert concluded with the Ukrainian anthem and a five-minute standing ovation.