Gala concert of the festival “Northern Star 2025” held

The gala concert of the festival “Northern Star 2025” opened with a performance by the ensemble “Kolor”. Festival guests were addressed by the Association’s chairman Volodymyr Palamar and the First Secretary of the Embassy of Ukraine in the Republic of Estonia, Inna Bibik!

All winners of the festival received diplomas and gifts! The festival was organised by the Association of Ukrainian Organisations in Estonia, the Ukrainian Youth Association in Estonia and Prosvita - Ukrainian Cultural and Educational Society in Estonia.

The festival is supported by the Estonian Ministry of Culture (Kultuuriministeerium) and the Integration Foundation (Integratsiooni Sihtasutus)!

The ensemble “Rodovid” offers a unique performance of folk songs by a female quartet led by Zinaida Vinchura.

This year’s programme featured talented and unique performers:

1. Vocal and instrumental ensemble
   “Dzherelo”
   Artistic director Taras Muzychko
   Tallinn, Estonia
2. Ukrainian song and dance ensemble “Volya”
   Artistic director Yevhenii Novokhatnii
   Chief choreographer Anastasiia Kozachok
   Vocal group leader Kateryna Chalova
   Tallinn, Estonia
3. Vocal ensemble “Malvy”
   Artistic director Anastasiia Remen
   Kohtla-Järve, Estonia
4. CHOREOGRAPHIC ENSEMBLE “KOLOR”
   Artistic director NINA GETS
   Tallinn, Estonia
5. Ensemble “Dzherela”
   Trio Maryna Bykovets, Liudmyla Bykovets, Yuliia Liuliaks
   Duo Maryna Bykovets and Yuliia Liuliaks
   Artistic director Maryna Bykovets
   Pärnu, Estonia
6. Vocal ensemble “Rodovid”
   Artistic director Zinaida Vinchura
   Tallinn, Estonia
7. Vocal group “Strumochok”
   Alisa Stohnieieva, Liubov Laur
   Artistic director Liubov Laur
   Tallinn, Estonia
8. Vocal studio “Karamel”
   Vocalist Polina Revta
   Artistic director Yana Balakina
   Tallinn, Estonia
9. Folk ensemble “Zhurba”
   Artistic director Volodymyr Leibiuk
   Tallinn, Estonia
10. Vocalist Pavlo Pasyniuk
    Tallinn, Estonia
11. Musician Di Yurii
    Tallinn, Estonia
12. Vocalist Mariia Hrabchuk
    Tallinn, Estonia
13. Musician Lev Nyzhnyk
    Artistic director Serhii Nikitin
    Tallinn, Estonia
14. Vocalist Yevheniia Verhun
    Duo Yevheniia Verhun and Anastasiia Verhun
    Tallinn, Estonia

The ensemble “Dzherelo” performed “Hei, plyve kacha” and with this song remembered at the festival all the soldiers who died in the Russian-Ukrainian war…

In 2014 “Hei, plyve kacha” became widely known as a symbolic song during the farewell to the Heroes of the Heavenly Hundred on the Maidan.

Today it is a symbol of national mourning and struggle.

Its first lines were published in 1923 by Vasyl Grendzha-Donskyi, although he is not the sole author of the text. The song was popular among the fighters of the Carpathian Sich and soldiers of the UPA, and in the 1940s it was first recorded by folklorist Dezyderii Zador.