A friendship forged in high school more than six decades ago has led to a concert in Kamloops by the Kyiv Symphony Orchestra and Chorus (KSOC).
It’s a bit of a convoluted story — as those that reach across 60 years can be — but in essence, Toews encountered his teen-years friend at church in Scotch Creek, learning the friend’s son Wes Janzen, is connected to Music Mission Kiev, which is the organization behind the orchestra and chorus.
The musicians tour North America and Toews helped add Kamloops to their itinerary, with a stop on Thursday, Sept. 18, at the Calvary Community Church, 1205 Rogers Way, at 7 p.m.
White the focus of KSOC revolves around missionary work through music, the program will include include Ukrainian folk songs, a connection with the roots of the group.
Music Mission Kiev began in 1992, soon after the fall of the Soviet Union, when American priest Roger McMurrin went on vacation to Kiev.
With a background in music — McMurrin was then the music director at his church in Orland — he hired singers and an orchestra to present two concerts, one with various classical music and another with just Handel’s Messiah, performed in English.
The reaction was strong and McMurrin went on to create Music Mission Kiev to support their church, humanitarian and musical work.
The mission continues to support widows, orphans and a Christian children’s club in Kiev.
Janzen, a professor at Trinity Western University and a conductor, began to work with the orchestra and has remained with it since and helped put together this tour, the second one for the 42 musicians in North America.
Admission is by donation with the money going to the mission for its evangelistic and humanitarian works.
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