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ORPHEUS vocal ensemble founded in Lviv, Ukraine, in autumn 2000, is a male a cappella group with eight singers. All members are professional singers and musicians, all of them graduated the Higher Musical Academy in Lviv and their diverse musical backgrounds contribute to the musical expression of the ensemble.

The group is flexible in number to expend into different styles of singing. All music are performed a cappella. The main areas of speciality are Orthodox church music (liturgical), folk and popular Ukrainian songs and some examples of original Ukrainian, world music as well as well-known a cappella classics. ORPHEUS also perform new songs - composed and arranged by the group members themselves, all of them featuring surprising and exciting arrangements.

A principal line during group's performances is based on the full-timbre vocal sound like in the best Slavonic traditions. Their repertoire mixes styles of music ranged from straight harmony pieces with an intricate blend of voices to exciting solo performances with the rest of the group members providing a swinging backing.
From 2001 till those days the group had many successful performances in Ukraine and abroad.

2001-2002

ORPHEUS started its concert activity in early 2001, during the Christmas period in Ukraine. Later, in June, the group greeted Pope John Paul II from Vatican during his visit to Ukraine and in October ORPHEUS was invited to the World Championship of Performing Arts in Hollywood (California, USA).

The first international success came in June 2002, when Orpheus participated at International Church Music Festival in Coventry (England), where they had an extremely enthousiastic welcomed both by the audiences and festival staff. After the festival the group gave a few concerts in Holland and Germany. In August and September 2002, ORPHEUS participated as a guest at XXV International Folk Festival in Wegorzewo (Poland), and at X Jubilee Folk Festival in Sovetsk ( Kaliningrad region, former - Konigsberg), Russia.

2003-2022

May 2003, Orpheus started cooperation with the dance children ballet "Veseli cherevychky" from Lviv and association JPS (France);
July 2003, the ensemble participated in Festival D'ETE in Chaille les Marais in France under the name of "Le Kobza de Galicie" vocal group, and after that festival had a several successful concerts across Vendee-region in France;
December 2003, Christmas Proms project (presented by Stardust Theatre BV, the Netherlands) to perform together with Christmas Proms orchestra, choir and other worldwide's soloists. During that period ORPHEUS had a successful chance to sing in the best concert-halls of Holland including the Concertgebouw (Amsterdam), Nederlands Congrescentrum (Den Haag), De Doelen (Rotterdam);
May 2004, ORPHEUS concert tour throughout the France (Lille, Paris, Vendee-region, Lourdes, Provence);
July - August 2004, series of successful concerts in Bretagne and Vendee regions of France;
July 2004, participated in 5eme Festival d'Ete (Chaille les Marais) organized by Le Jean-Baptiste Theatre de Verdure;
August 2004, participated in 16eme Festival Musical "Mer at vie 2004";
November 2004, concert tour in Italy;
December 2004, Christmas Proms project (presented by Stardust Theatre BV, the Netherlands). Concerts in the best concert-halls of Holland including the Concertgebouw (Amsterdam), Nederlands Congrescentrum (Den Haag), De Doelen (Rotterdam);
2005, concert tour in Italy (February), three concert tours in France (May, July & November) and Christmas tour in the Netherlands (December);
March 2005 - International Sacred Music Festival in Lourdes (France);
June 2005 - International Church Music Festival in Bern (Switzerland) and Chester city (UK);
September 2005 - Television Festival of Ukrainian Songs and Music "Goritsvit" in Lviv, (won in the nomination "Vocal group");
April 2006 - participation in a dirge of the victims of Chernobyl, who served Cardinal Lubomyr Husar in Rome (Italy); concert tour in Italy(Napoli, Roma, Salerno, Bolzano);
May 2006, split concert tour through France with the children dance ballet "Les Joyeux Petits Souliers";
June 2006 - International Church Music Festival in Chester (UK);
July 2006, concert-tour through France, organized by French Association Vendee-Ukraine;
October 2006 - VI Festival of Ukrainian sacred music in Gijitsko (Poland);
In 2006, "Orpheus" organizes two charitable concerts in Lviv, funds from which were transferred to children, patients with leukemia and children of the rehabilitation center "Dzherelo";
November - December 2006, more than 30 concerts in France and Holland with a special concert programs;
2007, three concert tours through France and the Netherlands;
June 2007 - International Church Music Festival in Bern (Switzerland);
Autumn 2007, ORPHEUS made the recording of musical DVD-film (production by Morasound studio, The Netherlands);
October 27, 2007 - concert project "Autumn Rapsodia", (Lviv, National Dramatic Theater named by M. Zan’kovetska);
January 2008 - participates in the New Year's Project "Shchedryi Vechir" in the People's House in the city of Kyiv, to the invitation of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Ukraine;
March 10, 2008 - charming concert-evening of the memory of Taras Shevchenko "Oh, not equally to me", where new works on the words of the poet were performed and there was a collection of funds for the hematological department of the children's hospital;
March 11, 2008 - "Orpheus" Brest participation in a large concert project "We are your children, Ukraine, organized by the Kyiv National University of Culture and Arts of Ukraine (National Palace "Ukraine”, Kyiv); This year the group had many concerts in France, Holland and Germany;
January 2009 - organised a charitable concert for collecting funds for the hematological department of the Children's Hospital of Lviv;

On February 24, 2009 - participation in the creative evening of Kyiv composer Oleksandr Saratskyy ( National Philharmonic of Ukraine);
March, 2009 - Solemn academy on the occasion of the 370th anniversary of the birth of Hetman Ivan Mazepa and the 130th anniversary of Simon Petliura in Kyiv (National Palace "Ukraine”, Kyiv);
June 2009 - 25th anniversary festival of church music in Rome (Italy), concert in Pantheon (within the framework of the festival) and participation in the audience with the Pope Benedict XVI;
December 25, 2009 – concert at the rehabilitation center "Dzherelo" (Lviv);
January-April 2010 – TV-show "Ukraine got a talent - 2" and is part of the 50th of the best semifinals of the project;
January 16, 2010 - Participation in the All-Ukrainian Cossack Art West "Be Free!" With the participation of President of Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko (Kyiv);
On January 22, 2010, the team took part in the opening of a memorial board devoted to the famous American singer of the Ukrainian origin – Kvitka Tsisyk (Lviv);
On September 12, 2010 - participation in the festival "Lenta za Lentoyu";
On November 5, 2010, the group celebrated its’ 10-year anniversary with two concerts with a new show program "History of Music" at the Lviv National Academic Opera and Ballet Theater;

July 28, 2011 - Concert on the occasion of the baptism of Kyivska Rus (the territory of the Holy Mikhailovsky monastery);
August 22, 2011 - concert on the occasion of the Independence Day of Ukraine in the city of Lviv (Lviv State Opera Theater);
August 24, 2011 - Lviv, Market Square (Concert to the Independence Day of Ukraine);
September 09, 2011 - Concert of the group "Orpheus" on the occasion of the celebration of the Day of Zhytomyr, 1127th anniversary, (Zhytomyr Regional Ukrainian Music and Drama Theater named after Ivan Kocherga);
September 16, 2011 - solemn concert dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the TV-4 channel (Ternopil Academic Regional Drama Theater named by T. Shevchenko);
On September 16-17, 2011 - in the village of Zarvanytsia (Ternopil region) Orpheus took part at the concert and the Archyerian Liturgy accompanied by pilgrimage of the Power structures of Ukraine;
September 9, 2012 - participation in the international festival “Border - 480 - Granica” (Nyzhankovichi, Lviv region);
September 13, 2012 - participation in the solemn patriarchal divine Liturgy (with the participation of Patriarch Filaret) in the chapel of the belt of the Blessed Virgin Mary on a healing source of a submersible (Zaglynna);
10-21 December 2012 - Christmas concert tour in the Netherlands;
January 15, 2013 - Ukrainian Christmas Festival in Lviv (Lviv State National Opera);
January 18-20, 2013, on the invitation of the "Ukrainian Cultural Center" of the city of Surgut (Russia) Orpheus took part in "Christmas Evenings";
February 26, 2013 - participation in the creative evening of the poetess Anna Kanych (Lviv, National Philharmonic);
March 5, 2013 - solo project of OKTE "Orpheus" and jazz pianist, composer Oleksandr Saratsky "Swing together" (Kyiv, Column Hall of the National Philharmonic of Ukraine);
March 9, 2013 - participation in the solemn concert on the occasion of the 199th anniversary of Taras Shevchenko (Lviv, National Academic Opera and Ballet Theater);
June 21, 2013 - the concert project "Swing together” (Lviv, National Philharmonic);
September 2013 - concert tour in Switzerland and France, participation in the Foire de Minees anniversary exhibition in Challans;
On October 5, 2013 - a performance on the solemn concert of poet Bogdan Stelmakh;
November 3, 2013 - participation in the jubilee congress of young people "Ukrainian Youth – to Christ";
November-December 2013 - Poland (Celebration of the "Camerton" choir. Concert tours in France and the Netherlands);
December 26, 2013 - performance on EuroMaydan in Kyiv in support of the Revolution of Dignity;
April-July 2014 – concert tours in France and Switzerland;
June 30, 2014 - concert dedicated to the Constitution Day of Ukraine in the city of Lviv;
On October 14, 2014, performance in the solo project of Nina Matvienko;
On December 17, 2014 - a charitable concert on the needs of the ATO soldiers in the cultural center of the Embassy of Ukraine in Paris, France;
December 2014 - Christmas tour through France, the Netherlands and Germany;
December 20, 2014 - Concert Project "The Promise of Christmas" in the Netherlands;
January 13, 2015 - participation in the solo project of Oksana Mukha;
January 16-17, 2015 – concert project "The Christ is born" with the Cultural and Art Center "Joyeus Petits Souliers" (Lviv National Academic Opera and Ballet Theater);
January 19, 2015 - Orpheus took part in the ecumenical consecration of water on Market Square in Lviv;
February 10, 2015 – concert in the memory of Kvitka Tsisyk;
January 12, 2018 - concert project "Christmas in Lviv";
May 25, 2018 - ART-Club "Vienna Terrace", concert program "Vocal Express" (Lviv);
July 2018 - participation in the shooting of video movie a romantic comedy "Dzidzio first time";
September 20-21, 2018 - participation in Svatováclavský Hudební Festival (Czech Republic);
November 12, 2018 concert project "Hymn of the Love" (“Hymne à l'amour”), (Lviv, National Drama Theater named by M. Zankovetska);
December 2, 2018 - Festival Des Musicales à Nîmes (Grand Temple De Nîmes, France);
January 9, 2019 - "Christmas Fantasy" (Lviv, National Drama Theater named by M. Zankovetska);
January 2019 - performance on a solemn academy dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Unity of Ukraine (Lviv, National Academic State Opera Theater);
January 7, 2021 - "Charitable Christmas concert from Orpheus " (Saints Peter and Paul Garrison Church, Lviv);
"Pride of Lviv region 2019" in the national rating "100 men of Lviv region";
Tour in Switzerland (August, 2021);
On September 12, 2021 - a jubilee concert to the 21st anniversary of the "Orpheus-21" (Metropolitan Gardens, Lviv);
September 21, 2021 - Concert of October "Orpheus" in a wooden temple with. (Vovkiv village, Lviv region) within the framework of the project "Transboundary Trail of Wooden Architecture.
February 2022, only in the last few years, the Orpheus octet had concert tours in France, the Netherlands, Germany, the Czech Republic, and Switzerland, and since the beginning of the full-scale armed aggression against Ukraine, it has repeatedly participated in concerts to raise funds for humanitarian aid to the needy and the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Ukraine and abroad;
June 2022 - concert tour (Switzerland);
November - December 2022 - concert tour in France and the Netherlands;
December 14, 2022 - Christmas concert at the College de Bernardins (Paris, France);
April - May 2023 - concerts in France with the "Veseli Cherevichki" art center;
May 26, 2023 - performance at the Festival de Montfaucon music festival (Besançon, France);
June 2023 - concert tour (Switzerland);
November - concert tour in France organised by the charitable association JPS;
December 2023 - Christmas concert tour in the Netherlands;
April 2024 - concert tour in France organised by the charitable association JPS;
June 2024 - concert tour (Switzerland);

In general, since the beginning of the full-scale war against Ukraine, thanks to the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy, which facilitates short-term trips on tour to members of the group, the ORPHEUS vocal group, in an unchanged composition, tries to constantly continue its work, rehearsal processes, concert tours through European countries, with the aim of popularization among the citizens of the Netherlands , France, Switzerland, Germany and Austria, the idea of supporting Ukraine in the war, the spread of Ukrainian culture, musical wealth, song traditions of Ukraine, cultural exchange with various European musical groups and artists, and also participates in charity concerts and fundraising for the purchase of material support for various units of the Armed Forces.

Except those main events ORPHEUS usually gives concerts in Ukraine and Lviv region on demand. ORPHEUS also mostly perform in private occasions, sing frequently in different companies' and organisation' official events, celebrations as well as in other private parties. ORPHEUS also takes part at Divine Services on Sundays periodically and gives many performances through Lviv region during Christmas celebrations with a special concert program.

Rewards and gratitude

July 2, 2010 - for the merits of the revival of spirituality in Ukraine and the establishment of the Local Ukrainian Orthodox Church, the team participants were awarded the orders of St. Nicholas the miracle worker;
2010 - for fruitful labor, high professionalism, a significant personal contribution to the preparation and conduct of the creative report of the Lviv region within the framework of the Festival of Arts of Ukraine Members of the team are awarded with gratitude from the head of the regional state administration;
2010 - thanks to the head of the regional state administration for high professionalism, perennial fruitful work, a significant personal contribution to the development of musical art and on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the creation of a team;
2011, the city of Lviv - the team was awarded with a diploma-gratitude for participating in the conduct of a charity action "Christmas Candle shines" aimed at children with special needs, pupils of the educational and rehabilitation center "Source" of the Gary Bowman Charitable Fund;
March 6, 2012 - for talentance, skill and promotion in the formation of high artistic tastes of the personnel of the Western Regional Department of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, participants of the Orpheus Group are awarded with certificates;
2012 - the "Orpheus" group was awarded with a letter of international public organization "Cultural and Research Center of Ukraine and China" Lananda "for the important contribution to the development of Ukrainian-Chinese relations and the strengthening of friendship between the peoples of Ukraine and China and assistance in conducting a festive academy on the occasion of the 20th anniversary. Establishment of diplomatic relations between Ukraine and PRC.
2019 - by the Decree of the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko all participants of the ORPHEUS vocal group were presented to a high state award and personally received the titles as "Honored Artist of Ukraine", Andriy Khavunka received the title "People's Artist of Ukraine";
On January 10, 2020, Metropolitan Epiphanius of Kyiv and All Ukraine awarded the "ORPHEUS" octet with the Order of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker for the revival of Ukraine's spirituality, devotion to the ideals of good, and significant contribution to the public good.

In July, 2001 group released their first demo CD, but in a year in July, 2002 they released CD - "Ukrainian sacred music and Christmas songs". In November 2003, ORPHEUS recorded a new CD "Popular Ukrainian songs" that was released by Mirasound record company in December 2003. In September 2004 the group recorded theirs third CD by the same company with the popular world’s pieces! This CD - "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" has been released in the Netherlands in December 2004! At the end of 2007 Orpheus recorded and released its first DVD film "Songs from the heart". In August, 2010 the group released the new album under the title "Lenta za Lentoju" and in 2011 released the double DVD - "Anniversary concert" in two parts. In 2013 Orpheus had a project "Let's Swing Together" and recorded the live double CD from the concert under the title "Let's Swing Together" and in 2017 released a new CD of Orthodox sacred music. The latest DVD was recorded in the concert "Christmas in Lviv" in 2018. You can look more closely at our CDs and DVDs, order them or listen and view some music samples and video trailers on our music page.

Gratitude of listeners give a confidence in precision of the selected course that is based on the classical vocal and traditions of Ukrainian choral singing.

"We hope to meet honourers and new partners in order to find a mutual road to the "Temple of Music" - eternal and excellent!"