The new director of the Veriovka Choir spoke candidly about conflicts and the cult of personality
Vadym Yatsenko, Honored Artist of Ukraine, who recently became the director of the Hryhoriy Veryovka National Honored Academic Ukrainian Folk Choir, shared his first impressions of his new position. According to him, leading this renowned ensemble has not been easy, as he faced criticism and a tense atmosphere within the choir right from the start.
The conductor also noted that there were internal conflicts within the group and that a sort of “cult of personality” had developed, which was affecting the working atmosphere. At the same time, Yatsenko emphasized that he is determined to gradually change the situation and work toward uniting the group so that the choir can continue to develop successfully and maintain its high professional standards.
In particular, the conductor responded to critics who accused him of failing to properly preserve the choir’s traditions. He emphasized that while the ensemble is a product of the Soviet system, this does not diminish its value to Ukrainian culture.
The choir director paid special attention to the legacy of his predecessor, Anatoliy Avdievsky, who led the ensemble for 50 years. Yatsenko noted that the “cult of personality” surrounding the former director is still palpable in the choir’s office.
“I’ve never seen so much of Anatoliy Tymofiyovych in my life. Every wall and every office is covered with his portraits and busts. On the third floor stands a bust of Veriovka. Next to it is a photo of Avdievsky, and until today, all of this was surrounded by bouquets of artificial flowers. “It’s a little creepy,” the artist said.
In addition to external challenges, Yatsenko faced problems within the ensemble. He noted that he’d already had several arguments with staff members who tried to make decisions without consulting him.
“I’ve seen a lot in just two days. I realized that there’s even more to be done. I’ve had arguments with various people who think they can do things without my knowledge,” the conductor emphasized.
Despite this, Vadym Yatsenko has already begun work on his first major project. He stressed that he does not plan to follow “well-trodden” paths and believes in the future of the revitalized choir.
According to Yatsenko, the appointment sparked mixed reactions online. He shared this on his Facebook page.
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