VIKTOR ROMKO - ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, LEVADA & ORION CHOIR “VASYL KARDASH”
- SEPTEMBER 2, 2025

The Levada and Orion Choir “Vasyl Kardash” is thrilled that Viktor Romko has been appointed as the new Artistic Director of the Ukrainian Youth Ensembles Corporation (YMA) TORONTO. He brings a wealth of experience and a vibrant vision to lead our corporation into an exciting new era. His vision and his passion is rooted in a commitment to focusing on choral techniques such as unified and expressive sound, blending, balance, intonation, diction, and rhythmic accuracy while placing a strong emphasis on community to uniting adults, seniors, new immigrants, young and mature choristers, musicians, including up-and-coming artists.

From a very young age, Viktor was passionate about music and choral singing. He graduated from the Uman Music School, Ukraine in Choral Conducting. Later, he attended the Odessa Conservatory and graduated with a degree in Choral Conducting. During his studies at the Conservatory, he directed the Song and Dance Ensemble of the Odessa High Vocational Maritime School and the Odessa Agricultural Institute Choir. After graduating, Viktor worked as a teacher and held the position of Deputy Dean at the Institute of Culture in Mykolaiv. Here, he directed the Pribuzhsky Folk Song and Dance Ensemble as well as the Horytsvit Folk Choir in the city of Nova Odesa.

Due to Viktor’s many successes, he and his choir participated in the 1995 Music Fest Competition in Kyiv. Under Viktor’s leadership and direction, his Stepove Village Choir, achieved the First All-Ukrainian Competition of Choirs, a great achievement for a young upcoming choral conductor. Viktor’s musical profession enabled him to travel, tour and perform in varied European countries such as Greece, India, Poland, etc., including Canada.

This 2025-2026 Choral Season, the Ukrainian Youth Ensembles Corporation (YMA) TORONTO, the Levada and Orion Choir “Vasyl Kardash” commemorates its 40 years. In this new chapter, we look forward to Viktor’s guidance in shaping our corporations next decade of strong, rich and impactful artistic work. We invite you to join us in welcoming Viktor Romko!

«Хай пісня завжди буде поміж нас»! "May the song always be among us"!

ВІКТОР РОМКО - МУЗИЧНИЙ КЕРІВНИК ХОРУ ЛЕВАДА і ОРІОН ім. ВАСИЛЯ КАРДАША - 2 Вересня 2025

Пан Віктор завжди захоплювався музикою і хоровим співом. Йдучи за покликом серця, пан Ромко закінчив музичне училище по класу хорового диригування в м. Умань, Україна. Пізніше і Одеську консерваторію за спеціальністю диригент хору. Під час навчання у Консерваторії керував Ансамблем пісні і танцю Одеського Вищого морехідного училища та хором Одеського Сільськогосподарського Інституту.

Після закінчення Консерваторії працював викладачем - заступником декана Інституту Культури в м. Миколаїв. Одночасно керував Прибузьким Народним Ансамблем пісні і танцю м. Миколаїв та народним хором «Горицвіт» в м. Нова Одеса Миколаївської області.

Особливим своїм досягненням вважає працю з Хоровою Капелою с. Степове Миколаївської області, яка під його керівництвом перемогла на Першому Всеукраїнському конкурсі хорових колективів у м. Київ (1995 р.).

Разом із музичними колективами виступав на гастролях в Індіїї, Греції та Польщі. Музична професія супроводжувала його життя у різних країнах Європи та в Канаді.

Наступного року наш хор Левада – Оріон ім. В. Кардаша м. Торонто буде святкувати своє 40-ліття. Ми дуже задоволені готуватися до нашого ювілейного концерту під керівництвом талановитого музичного керівника, Віктора Ромко.

«Хай пісня завжди буде поміж нас»!.

DR. SVITLANA LYSOGOR - PAST ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
SEPTEMBER 2022 - JUNE 14, 2025

In the course of a diverse 20-year career in all aspects of music performance and education, Dr. Svitlana (Lana) Lysogor has proven to be a dynamic and energetic musician dedicated to the highest musical standards through performance, teaching and research. She has worked with a number of ensembles in Europe and North America, producing groups of outstanding quality and performing in the world’s best concert halls including Carnegie Hall. Lana has performed in ten countries on three continents and developed her repertoire which included compositions by J.S. Bach, G. F. Handel, W.A. Mozart, J. Brahms, F. Mendelssohn, F. Schubert, S. Rachmaninoff, and many others. Dr. L. Lysogor’s significant teaching experience includes positions in the role of a university professor, opera chorus master, church music minister, college professor and school teacher. She taught a varied selection of courses including piano, voice, theory, conducting, music literature, musicianship (The Royal Conservatory of Music, Toronto-Montreal and ear training. Her work experience includes positions of artistic director/chorus master for the Edmonton Male Chorus, Milton Choristers, Windsor Symphony Orchestra Choir, University of Windsor Chamber Choir and University Singers, Calgary Boys Choir Society, among others.

Lana holds a Doctor of Music Degree from McGill University, Schulich School of Music (Montreal, Quebec) in performance with a concentration in choral conducting and Diploma (M. Mus. and B. Mus. Degree Equivalent) from the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre (Tallinn) in music education and chamber ensemble piano performance. Lana held memberships with professional organizations such as UNESCO International Music Council (France) and she is skilled in four languages. Currently, she is the Music Education Director at St. Demetrius School Toronto TCDSB and Sister Servants of Mary Immaculate Music School Director. We wish Dr. Svitlana Lysogor much success in her new endeavours!

IHOR MAHEHA - PAST ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
SEPTEMBER 2008 - JUNE 2016 / SEPTEMBER 2018 - DECEMBER 2021

The Levada & Orion Choirs (YMA) Toronto sincerely thank Maestro Ihor Maheha for his devotion, creativity and skill in fulfilling the role of the Artistic Director from 2008–2021. We staged many great, unique and memorable concerts under his direction and collaborated with renowned groups/individuals such as the Celebrity Symphony Orchestra & Dr. Andrzej Rozbicki, Zahrava Theatre & Josyf Terlecki, singing in Ukrainian, Polish, French, Italian, English: Celebrating the Cossack Spirit, 60th Anniversary of St. Nicholas U.C.C, Toronto,100th Anniversary of St. Josaphat’s U.C. Cathedral, Passages–an Immigrant story showcasing the music of Bohdanka Pahuta our resident chorister amongst many other artistic presentations. We wish Ihor and Halyna Maheha health, happiness and much success in all their new undertakings!

Ihor Maheha- Biography
In 1977, Ihor Maheha graduated with Honours, as Choral Music Teacher, from the Chortkiv Pedagogical College. In 1982, he graduated from the Faculty of Choral Conductors at the Kazan State Conservatory.

During his studies, between 1979 and 1982, Maheha initiated, organized and conducted both Children and Teachers’ Choirs within City Elementary Schools. His many choirs successfully performed at various concerts and festivals. From 1982 to 1984, he conducted the Chortkiv Railway Choir and, in 1985, accepted a position at the Chortkiv Pedagogical College, teaching musical choir disciplines and conducting.

From 1986 to 2000, Maheha conducted the Bilivsky Choir which, under his direction, obtained the distinguished title of “National Folk”. During this same time, in 1993, he also conducted the Raiyduha Choir in the city of Chortkiv. Simultaneously, at Chortkiv College, he organized the Berehynia Women’s Choir, and it, too, gained the distinguished title of “National Folk” in 1998 under his musical direction.

Ihor Maheha’s musical and creative initiatives became widely recognized. He received the highest praise as a strong organizer, innovator, and master of choral and vocal music. In 2001, he graduated from the Chortkiv Cantor/Catechitical College as a Cantor Specialist (Diak-Rehent). His talents as an accomplished musician (piano, accordion, bajan), in composing choral and operatic music, as well as his myriad efforts and contributions to the musical arts, raised public awareness in every city in which he worked and performed. Under his direction, Maestro Ihor Maheha and his many choirs participated – with distinction – in countless musical competitions across Ukraine, Belarus and Poland.

Moving to western Canada in 2002, Maheha became the Conductor of both the Choir at the Ukrainian Catholic Church in St. Paul’s, Alberta and “Troyanda”, the Ukrainian Folk Choir. In 2005, he was the conductor of the St. George’s Ukrainian Catholic Church Choir in Oshawa. In 2006, he moved to Toronto where he is both Conductor of the Holy Eucharist Ukrainian Catholic Church Choir and Principal Cantor.

Since October 2008, the Ukrainian Youth Ensembles are proud to present Maestro Ihor Maheha as the Artistic Choral Director of both the Levada Women’s Choir and the Orion Men’s Choir. Inspired by his expertise and passion for choral music, both choirs aspire to achieve higher levels of choral excellence. Expanded repertoire, choral development and innovative ideas point to an exciting and promising future for the Levada and Orion Choirs under his artistic direction.