Celebrating the life of Myron Shatulsky Part 1

In September 2023, the National Committee of the Association of United Ukrainian Canadians, took the decision to celebrate the life of Myron Shatulsky who passed away on July 25, 2023 at the age of 93. The decision of the National Committee was in recognition of his enormous contributions to the AUUC throughout his life.

The celebration took place on April 20, 2024 at the Ukrainian Labour Temple in Winnipeg, a place which held great significance for Myron. Andrew Thompson, AUUC Vice-President, and member of the UCH editorial board attended the celebration and wrote the report which follows.

What a Celebration! What a Man!

The Ukrainian Labour Temple was a feast for the senses. The air was electric, lights twinkling everywhere. So much history, so many memories, so much love. Because, at its core, the AUUC is all about family. The family into which you are born, the family you adopt and those who take you in.

Myron Shatulsky was, in so many ways, a family man. Born into a highly significant and influential family, he built a legacy of his own that will last well into the future. And everyone he met became a part of his expansive family. And family is what gathered at the Labour Temple.

Jim Mochoruk, who welcomed everyone as Master of Ceremonies, noted Myron’s amazing achievements as a consummate musician and conductor. And, as the son of the illustrious Matthew Shatulsky, it became clear that Myron was “a chip off that block”. Jim noted that Myron was a storehouse of memory. While working on his history of the Co-op, anytime he had a question it was “ask Myron,” who had a prodigious memory of and love for the Hall and the AUUC. There was always a twinkle in his eye when he told his stories and the passion and twinkle lasted well into the 2000’s. He was the most uncommon “common man.”

Jim then introduced the Ukrainian Festival Choir to perform. With Olga Shatulsky also singing, the Choir provided lyrical, haunting melodies to bid farewell to a beloved colleague and the warmest of men. There was sweetness and hope in every note that transported us to a higher plane. And then Olga spoke to us all. Her gracious thanks to the AUUC National Committee for this celebration flowed into her memories of 67 years of marriage to her husband, companion, friend and critic. The two met at Palermo in 1950 while attending an AUUC school. Following Palermo, Myron received a scholarship and went to Kyiv while Olga went to Hamilton. Myron’s three years in Kyiv were fundamental to his growth and, upon his return to Canada, he founded the Folk Music and Dance group and began teaching at the young age of 23. Myron and Olga married in 1956, the same year as the Ivan Franko 100th anniversary celebration. And there were so many celebrations, tours and festivals. In 1959, he wrote music to Remembering a Comrade; in 1961, he wrote his Canadian Dance Suite; in 1985, he wrote the , which was performed in Edmonton and Calgary; in 1985, he started the Mandolin Quintet. Then he moved into writing for the Herald, contributing columns from 1999 to 2016. In all things, Olga said he loved life and peace.

The Festival Chorus returned for more music, singing Mama Cherry Tree, the Bandura Song (so significant in Ukrainian music and culture), and the Highlands Song, celebrating the Carpathian region (that had the audience clapping in time). Also notable was 10-year-old Katherine Koziy who played a solo piano piece: Memory, which was dedicated to Myron and sang There in the Cherry Garden, dedicated to Olga.

Rhonda Hinther spoke next of her memories of Myron, his legacy and strong presence in the history of the working-class people. His efforts along with those of Nolan Reilly contributed to making the Ukrainian Labour Temple achieve the status of national historic site. Rhonda noted Myron gave her a four-hour interview while she was working on what became her dissertation which was enormously valuable. Myron was a key speaker at major events, a wonderful person and a great spirit. “He is missed.”

Vera Seychuk spoke of her adoption into the AUUC family from her early years in the Russian Canadian Federation when, at 13, she joined the young dancers at the Hall. Vera’s memories of togetherness with the Workers Benevolent Association, AUUC and all those lovely festivals and lifelong friends remain cherished. And close to her heart is the warm presence of Myron who was at the core of so many of these memories. Her love for Myron and his Hutsul Wedding Dance endures to this day. Myron left an important and lasting legacy

Next to perform was the Winnipeg Mandolin Orchestra, conducted energetically by Annis Kozub, who played six pieces.

- A piece written by the Welsh actor Anthony Hopkins, a beautifully sweet music carrying nostalgia, longing and hope, putting a spring in your step

- An Argentinian piece “Tango Nuevo”, the carefree voyaging of an engaged spirit restless to discover as much as possible as soon as possible as deeply as possible

- A song of Japanese love

- “We Rise Again”, an ongoing adventure where the world opens and shows its abundant beauty and challenges and brimming over it all is an uninhibited exuberance

- Ukrainian suite, a simply beautiful lyrical evocation of memories of Ukrainian culture and family

- Jazzy Gesture, written by Myron at the request of the orchestra’s clarinet player, included at Olga’s request.

- Our next speaker, Ted Kardash, a long-time friend of so many, spoke of his lasting memories of Myron, of how the Hall and its people shaped his life. He played mandolin for many years and although life took him far away to San Diego, he retains his little pictures of Myron, of the many victories of his choruses, both male and female. So many dance groups, so many musicians. And, he remarked with a sly grin, his memory of Bill Bilecki thinking of the young Myron and Olga that they “had something going on.”

Our final speaker was Kathy Schubert who thanked everyone for being there, so many people touched by Myron. Kathy also noted so many graphics over the years had been done by Myron. In an eloquent personal note, even though there were any number of things to be said and celebrated about Myron’s life and achievements, what was most important to her was that he was not just the man of achievements but her “cool uncle.” She liked to believe she was also his favorite niece. She smilingly recalled how Myron would show the children how he could remove his thumb. When she was a teenager and young adult, the trips to see her cool Uncle Myron and equally cool Auntie Olga glow in her memory. One story in particular, about Myron’s fear of suspension bridges “that shook,” reveal the human behind the towering figure Myron became. So many family stories, so much love between the cool uncle and his favorite niece. And what mattered to Myron most was family. At the end of her remembrance she introduced the memoir Myron had written: Music in My Life. The book was published for the occasion of his celebration of life and a copy was given to each person in attendance.

Jim Mochoruk returned to the podium to thank everyone for coming from near and far. And everyone in the Hall knows, according to Myron, we are all his family and his legacy and love will last for a very long time.

Myron Shatulsky passed away recently after a life time of cultural activism and commitment to his Ukrainian heritage. He will be remembered as someone deeply embedded in the service to others and resistance to oppression. While he engaged his Ukrainian- Canadian community in many ways, it was his love of music and song that conveyed his passion so poignantly.

Myron was born in the old Grace Hospital and grew up in the fabled North End of Winnipeg. He attended King Edward School, Faraday School and later, Isaac Newton High School. He studied drafting and machine design at the Manitoba Technical Institute.

He took violin lessons at the Bornoff School of music. Later he participated in the String Orchestra at the Ukrainian Labour Temple (ULT) and was a member of the Isaac Newton High School Student Orchestra.

In 1950, he received a scholarship from the Association of United Ukrainian Canadians (AUUC) to study in Kyiv, Ukraine. After completing three years of studies at the Conservatory of Music and Choreographic Institute in 1950 he returned to Winnipeg. There he worked as a choir and orchestra conductor and folk-dance instructor. In 1967 he worked for a short time as a machine design draftsman for Winnipeg Motor Coach Industries.

When he and Olga moved to Toronto in 1968 he worked for Stanley A. Grant designing crests. There he became an associate conductor of the Shevchenko Male Chorus and Toronto Mandolin Orchestra. In 1970 this group made a successful concert tour of Ukraine.

In 1972 Myron and Olga moved to Vancouver - Coquitlam where Myron worked for Morgan Power Operations. During his time he wrote the book “The Ukrainian Folk Dance,” published in 1980. Myron's book was highly significant to the development of Ukrainian dance in Canada and his work “Canada Suite” incorporated elements of traditional First Nations dance.