Singing card of Zhytomyr is chapel choir “Oreia” which celebrated 30th birthday. It’s one of the most unique choirs, the owner of nine Grand Prizes in international festivals. Maestro and owner Oleksandr Vatsek devoted 30 years of his life to “Oreia”.

“Why is it “Oreia”? Ray is a gleam, energy. After concerts people were saying that while the choir is singing, electric power is flowing: I share it with choir, choir shares it with audience.”
“We’ve been living in Vinnytsia. There is a steep with the river at the foot. I loved running and swimming. My father taught me to run barefoot in winter. I changed my clothes and then ran to classes.
In my early 25th I came to Zhytomyr to work as a choirmaster in ensemble of folk singing and dancing “Lionok”. Since that moment my carrier has started – great singers, good choir.”
“Since then Bohunia’s quarry stuck in my memory, because I adored the nature. Those times the water used to be cleaner.”
“My parents have been doctors. Father was a surgeon, mom was a “women’s goddess” and after has been teaching at university.”
“I had to continue the generation’s line.”
“At the close of his days my father asked me: “How did you get this talent? Where did you appear from?”
My father played all instruments possible: accordion, guitar, chromatic accordion, balalaika, domra and was incredibly singing. He had a tenor voice and in general our family is melodious”.
“I’m aesthete. Everything beautiful attracts me”.
“Person must be religious. There were a lot of religious denominations in our group. The main rule is normal human being. Not so much education but flexibility is important”.
“I remember my singers. Star-like? Valerii Kharchyshyn, Volodymyr Dybskii. There are opera singers as well:  Alla Popova, Liza Havryliuk and Liuda Solobchuk who is in Germany now.”
“God must be on the first place, then goes family and then staff members, but I’m sinful: work is on the first place for me. It’s difficult for my family to live with me”.
“It’s better to behave mannishly with men, therefore they’re toned. Working with girls requires telling some stories, whispering interesting associations”.
“Every rehearsal is like a gospel. I teach boys to be real men but not snivelers: where you put, there you’ll find. Lady must be elegant and beautiful, intelligent, exquisite”.
“Once we’ve started working in town council: there was a lot better acoustics and room where Shaliapin used to sing. Why don’t people organize some concerts there? Why don’t they sing on stairs? The sound is unbelievable, there’s a chance to have concerts”.
“The voice has the greatest power. There are sometimes cries, sometimes shouts. We are able to accomplish any project because of experience”.

Photo: Serhii Hryhorchuk
Noted by: Oksana Davydenko