(CARTERET, NJ) -- Mayor Daniel J. Reiman announced that the Borough of Carteret will join with St. Demetrius Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral and St. Mary’s Ukrainian Catholic Church on Sunday, May 15th beginning at 12:00pm to present ‘Stand with Ukraine,’ a concert and cultural event to benefit humanitarian relief efforts for Ukrainian refugees at the URSB Carteret Performing Arts & Events Center.
“Ukrainian Americans are a vital part of our Carteret and Central Jersey Community, so to see what is happening in Ukraine breaks our hearts,” said Mayor Dan Reiman. “My office reached out to the Ukrainian Embassy and local Ukrainian churches at the beginning of the Russian invasion and we have worked together to coordinate this event. I’m proud of Carteret for always coming together to benefit those in need and I look forward to assisting our brothers and sisters in Ukraine.”
‘Stand with Ukraine’ will feature vendor exhibits & ethnic food for purchase, as well as live Ukrainian performers, including Slau Halatyn, the Boyan Choir, ISKRA Ukraining Dance Ensemble, Olya Fryz, and Alexei Yavtuhovich. All proceeds will be donated directly to humanitarian efforts which benefit Ukrainian refugees. For more information on the Stand with Ukraine fundraiser, visit CarteretPAC.com.
Slau Halatyn is a singer/songwriter, recording engineer and studio owner based in New York City. His studio, BeSharp, specializes in Jazz and Musical Theater/Cabaret recordings. At an early age, Slau began performing with various bands throughout New York, eventually leading him toward engagements as a session musician for radio, television, and film. Slau has been a regular contributor to the New York City Songwriters Circle at the Bitter End and has released two solo albums, “The Weight of Words” in 2001 and “Years Have Gone By” in 2021. Slau has also released several Ukrainian language albums as half of the very popular duo “Darka & Slawko” and won the Favorite International Band award at the Chervona Ruta Festival in Chernivtsi, Ukraine in 1989.
Alexei Yavtuhovich is a violinist who was born in Belarus. He graduated with a Master’s Degree in violin performance from the Belarusian Academy of Music in Minsk, Belarus. He has performed internationally in Ukraine, Russia, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Norway, and Spain as a member of the Belarus State Concert Orchestra, the prestigious Belarus State Chamber Orchestra, and the Belarus String Quartet. Alexei emigrated to the US in 1996 and restarted his artistic career in 2015. In 2018, Alexei founded Collegium Musicum NJ, a music society offering a series of professional music concerts, educational and community outreach programs, master classes, and pre-concert lectures and discussions. Alexei is currently the organization’s president and artistic director. Collegium Musicum NJ, in collaboration with the Rotary Club SASY and “Rise and Share Middlesex,” has recently created a project organizing musical events to raise funds to purchase and ship medical supplies and equipment to Ukraine.
Boyan Choir of the Ukrainian Catholic Church of the Assumption of the BVM, Perth Amboy, NJ, under the artistic direction of Alla Korostil, has performed throughout the metropolitan area for many years. In 2019, they released their first CD of Ukrainian Christmas carols. They have participated in several fundraising events in solidarity with Ukraine..
Iskra Ukrainian Dance Ensemble, based in Whippany, NJ, was founded in 2011 as an outreach of the Iskra Ukrainian Dance Academy, one of the late Roma Pryma Bohachevsky’s schools. Under the artistic direction of Andrij Cybyk, Iskra represents many regions of Ukraine, highlighting the colorful indigenous costumes, the individual musical styles and, of course, the particular dance movements founds in each one. A performance by the Iskra Ensemble is always an event filled with beauty, humor, and excitement!
Olya Fryz has entertained Ukrainians around the world with her music for over 25 years. This multi-talented vocalist and accomplished bandura instrumentalist has performed throughout the US and Canada at numerous festivals, interactive children’s shows and concerts. In addition to her solo musical career, Olya is a member of the newly formed Ukrainian Women’s Bandura Ensemble of North America. Growing up in New York City and performing for many years in the tri-state area, Olya is honored to be a part of the fundraising efforts for Ukraine and to share her love of Ukrainian music with you.
The URSB Carteret Performing Arts & Events Center is located at 46 Washington Avenue in Carteret, New Jersey.
