Meet Our Choir Director: Olesia Shewchuk

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                                                                                                        Olesia is a classically trained singer & pianist, composer, TV actor, dancer and award                                                                                                          winning filmmaker. She grew up immersed in the Ukrainian community of Winnipeg                                                                                                              where she began singing and playing guitar in a Ukrainian folk duet ensemble with                                                                                                              her sister at age seven. They went on to perform at over 100 banquets and festivals                                                                                                            from New York to Toronto to Chicago to Ukraine, with numerous TV and radio                                                                                                                      appearances and released a recording of Ukrainian folk songs, “Spring Nights”, which                                                                                                          was distributed across North America by Yevshan. 

 

                                                                                                        Olesia sang as a member and soloist for a decade with the St. Vladimir & Olga                                                                                                                    Church Choir. She was a youth counsellor with Plast Ukrainian Youth Scouts where                                                                                                              she taught Ukrainian folk songs weekly for three years, and led camps & bonfire sing-                                                                                                          a-longs with her guitar. 

 

                                                                                                        Now based in Vancouver, Olesia has sung as a soloist with the Vancouver Symphony                                                                                                          Orchestra (‘Tribute to Ukraine’ in April 2022), the New Westminster Symphony                                                                                                                      Orchestra, the Vivaldi Chamber Choir & Orchestra, The Vancouver Folk Orchestra as well as at recitals and events. With the AUUC she performed as a vocal soloist at the 90th Anniversary Gala at Centennial Theatre, and at some of the dance concerts. She has performed onstage in 23 musical and theatre productions and has had recent actor roles on Netflix, NBC, Fox, ABC, Bravo, Freeform, CW and Global.

 

Olesia is also a composer. She has composed choral works, Ukrainian songs, camp songs, award-winning short film scores and is currently writing and composing a feature length musical. Most recently her short film, “The Perfect Spot”, that she produced, wrote, composed, sang, acted, and edited went on to win awards at the Adria Shorts Film Festival, Southern Shorts Awards, and the Lucky Penny Opera Competition. 

 

Olesia is fluent in Ukrainian.