Wind Ensemble concert Blachowicz Family
Saint Xavier University’s Wind Ensemble director, Justin Antos, Ph.D., left his mark on attendees of the March 22 ensemble concert.
The concert took place at Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights, IL.
At the performance, the Wind Ensemble performed the Ukrainian folk composition titled “Ніч яка місячна”, which translates to “A moonlit night” or “The night is so moonlit,” according to Antos.
Antos further explained that the piece is based on the Ukrainian expression “‘the night is so bright, you can gather needles,’ meaning that there is so much light from the moon and stars that you could see a needle on the ground.
The performance was livestreamed to Ukrainian refugees in Ireland. Included in this group was a friend of Antos’ who lived in Mariupol. Prior to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Mariupol was home to about 425,000 people, according to AP News.
Now, 90% of Mariupol’s residential buildings have been damaged or destroyed by Russian shelling as noted by PBS. As a result, many Ukrainians were forced to flee.
Among those impacted was a friend of Antos’.
After his wife was killed by Russian shelling, he and his son were forced to flee their hometown and seek sanctuary in Ireland.
“I wanted to give him and his Ukrainian friends the message that even though we are thousands of miles away, we are thinking about them, their happiness, and their safety,” voiced Antos.
As of Feb. 2024, approximately six and a half million Ukrainians were recorded across the globe as they dispersed to find refuge, according to the UN Refugee Agency.
Antos prefaced this performance with a speech in Ukrainian, which not only greeted the refugees but also told them they were loved and emphasized the notion of “Glory to Ukraine.”
Wind Ensemble member Laura Blachowicz said that the song was made more beautiful knowing that “what we did could hopefully uplift people who needed it.”
“Ніч яка місячна” was one of many pieces performed during the “A Night on the Town” themed concert and was specifically chosen for its contrast to the up-tempo selections on the program.
This was also the first time that the Wind Ensemble performed a Ukrainian folk composition under Antos’ direction. Antos expressed that he felt compelled to share the experience with students.
“As someone who works in the arts, I felt honored to be able to offer this piece to audiences as an attempt to preserve the Ukrainian culture and revere those whose lives were tragically lost,” Antos stated.
Antos shared that he is the son of a Ukrainian immigrant, so he has always been proud of his Ukrainian heritage. However, he voiced that it is an unsettling feeling to know that there are people committed to eradicating his culture.
“We can all read about the atrocities happening in other parts of the world right now and feel sorrow, but these evils hit differently when you can see your mother or your children in the faces of the people being carried out lifeless from underneath rubble,” continued Antos.
This concert did not mark the end of the Wind Ensemble’s concert season; the ensemble will partake in the combined concert between Wind Ensemble and Chamber Ensemble on April 21 at 3 p.m. in the Music Performance Space.
The ensemble will perform a Malaysian march titled “Bunga Raya (Hibiscus) March” composed by Yeo Chow Shern and a Latin fusion piece titled “Gelato con Caffé” composed by Toshio Mashima.
Antos stated that together, he and the ensemble work hard during their rehearsals in order to “to diagnose areas of improvement and determine how we can communicate the highest level of artistic integrity throughout our performance.”
More information about the Wind Ensemble can be found on the university website under the “Liberal Arts and Humanities Division” tab.
*This article was edited on 4/17/2024 at 5:36 p.m. to include correct performance times.*