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What is "Barvinok"?! Barvinok is the Ukrainian name for the periwinkle flower. This flower plays an important role in the traditions of many countries. The periwinkle is used as an ingredient in traditional folk herbal medicine. Many nations use this beautiful flower symbolically in their poetry and songs. Ukraine has adopted it as its symbol of faithful love, friendship and long life. The Musical Director and Founder of the Barvinok Ensemble, Nina Tritenichenko and her husband Evhen, came from Ukraine and brought their love of Ukrainian traditions and folk music to California. |
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Nina Tritenichenko is the founder and musical director of the Barvinok ensemble. She is a professional bayan (chromatic accordion) performer, vocalist and music arranger. |
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Evhen Tritenichenko plays the guitar, sopilka (Ukrainian wooden flute), snare drum, and sings baritone in vocal numbers. Evhen also provides all technical support, including sound system, CD production, computer design and website maintenance. |
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Ihor Kunasz is the Ensemble's bass singer, announcer and percussion player. Dr. Ihor Kunasz is a member of the Minerals Advisory Board at the University of the Arizona. He was national president of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration and is the recipient of its prestigious Hal Williams Harding Award. Dr. Ihor Kunasz is the President of the Ukrainian- American Society of Tucson. |
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Zenia Kunasz has been singing all of her life. Her first solo was at age seven in a displaced persons’ camp in Germany. When she came to America at age 8, she continued to sing as a soloist in church and school choirs in Cleveland, Ohio. Zenia graduated from Kent State University as a voice major with a B.S. in music education. She taught music in elementary and secondary schools in Pennsylvania. After the birth of her two children, she decided to devote her time to raising them but never gave up an opportunity to sing at weddings, concerts, and gatherings with friends. She and her husband, Ihor, lived in various countries of the world and learned to love the music of many nations, but her first love has always been the music of Ukraine, her country of birth. |
