Things you didn't know about UCU members

Orest Sushko with Mykola Liskiwsky (centre) and
Petro Kytasty (right) - the two remaining survivors
 of the Kapelia Banduristiv that originated in Kyiv in
1941 during WWII and eventually made their way to
Detroit. Their friendship with Orest’s father Makar
paved the way for Orest to record a very
personal facet of history.

Spot light on:

Orest Sushko

Recently we had a chance to speak with Orest Sushko, a long-time UCU member who currently resides in California. Orest is the producer and director of Music of Survival – The Story of the Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus. This documentary is a vivid chronicle of 17 members of the Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus (Капеля Бандуристів) and their harrowing journey through WWII. In the face of death – they played on, singing of their homeland and liberty. They defied the odds, and their gift of music carried them across the ocean to freedom, where their legacy continues today.

In his day job, Orest is an Emmy Award winning re-recording film mixer. He has worked on many well-known films including Crash, History of Violence and Eastern Promises. The latter film netted him a 2008 Genie Award for Best Achievement in Overall Sound.

His film, Music of Survival chronicles the history of the Bandurist Chorus, weaving together a visually rich narrative on the history of the bandura, coupled with rare archival footage and moving performances - all shepherded through the compelling interviews from the last two survivors of the early Chorus; Petro Kytasty and Mykola Liskiwsky. (Information on how you can help support this project is at the end of the post - click the "read more" link to see it)
The film draws a sympathetic portrait of the post-World War II émigré community and celebrates the resilience of a culture that has survived centuries of repression. Orest draws the comparison to what the Ken Burns documentary series on the American Civil War and the History of Jazz gave North American audiences in terms of a deeper understanding of their own culture. In that same manner, he feels that Music of Survival brings out the deepest roots of our traditions and the very best in our Ukrainian national character.

The film crew and bandura performers in Ukraine, 2009. L to R:
Kost Cheremsky (Bandurist - Kharkiv), Volodymyr Voyt
(Bandurist – Kyiv), Orest Sushko, Ao Loo (sound recordist)
and Michael Ellis (Director of Photography)

So how does a Ukrainian-Canadian living in California come around to devoting much of his spare time over the past decade to a project like Music of Survival? Well that is quite an interesting story in itself. Orest Sushko is a native of Ontario, having grown up in Hamilton. A graduate of McMaster University, he developed an early interest in music and film. When he moved to Toronto to pursue his career, he had the good fortune to meet some remarkable mentors. His craft led him to a position with AllianceAtlantis Communications. Through his work there, he met acclaimed director David Cronenberg.

His work with David helped to open the door to Hollywood, and California – (the two have collaborated on six films to date, the latest being A Dangerous Method and the upcoming Cosmopolis starring Robert Pattinson). Orest moved to The Golden State in 2005. On a parallel track, he joined the Bandurist Chorus in 2003 following in the footsteps of his father Makar Sushko who was the first Canadian to have joined the Detroit-based Chorus back in 1949. Naturally, with this kind of family connection to the Chorus added to Orest’s film-industry experience and contacts, one can see why he might want to tackle a documentary on the subject. And to top it off, Orest’s maternal grandfather Pavlo Stepovyj was a master bandura maker.

Years ago Orest had seen the documentary Standing in the Shadows of Motown about a group of devoted musicians and their crucial involvement in the success of Motown. The film shed light on how these men and their contribution had faded away over time without any form of notoriety. “They were unknown to most, and they were largely forgotten,” says Orest. “With that reckoning, a light bulb tripped on in my head … I thought to myself what a wonderful tribute to those guys – and then it dawned on me that we have our own story in a Ukrainian ‘band of brothers’ that we need to pay homage to – the Kapelia (Chorus).”

“I was at a point in my career where I could give back to the community, and thought a documentary film would be a unique way to profile their story and this rich legacy to the wider world,” he explains. A generous grant from the Shevchenko Foundation got him started along with Jim Temerty, founder of Northland Power, and well-known philanthropist, who each took a keen and early interest in the project. Both have worked tirelessly to help Orest with funding and promoting the film. Ukrainian Credit Union Limited has also played a small role in supporting Orest because his stated desire “to give back to the community” fits so well with our own mandate of building community.

Help support final production!

The film is nearing completion, but even with the enthusiastic support of his financial backers and many people in the film industry who have helped make the film a reality, Orest could still use some support to make sure he can wrap the project up this year and start promoting the film to a global audience.

You can make a tax-deductible contribution (earmarked for the film) directly via the Shevchenko Foundation in Canada www.shevchenkofoundation.com or the Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus in the USA www.bandura.org. All donors will be acknowledged in the film’s credits.

To learn more about the documentary as well as about upcoming release details, and to see a trailer for the documentary, please visit www.musicofsurvival.com.

To read profiles about other UCU members, employees and directors, please visit the Spolight on... page