Toronto Bandura Festival

06/13/2025

06/07/2025

06/05/2025

Last Friday, TBF held its second Bandura on Bloor concert to an enthusiastic audience in Etobicoke!

Thank you to our incredibly talented performers, Mariia Smolinska and DIVKA!

A big thank you goes to our volunteers, Oleksander Petlura, Anastasiia Shpilieva, and Mykola Pyskir.

Thank you to our fantastic photographer, Carlos M. Gárate (Gárate Photography), for these incredible photos and for capturing the emotions of the concert so well!

Thank you to our sponsor, Ukrainian Credit Union ( ), for helping us make this event possible!

Finally, and most importantly, thank you to all our guests who attended and helped make this event a success! We hope you enjoyed the show, and please stay tuned for exciting updates and new shows planned for this fall!

#фестивальбандуривторонто #бандура #бандурацекруто #бандуранаблурі #маріясолінська #дівка #альт

05/29/2025

The Toronto Bandura Festival's newly launched project, Bandura on Bloor, returns with a second concert tomorrow, featuring Victoria-based and Odesa-native Ukrainian bandurist Mariia Smolinska and Toronto-based folk fatale duet band DIVKA! This Friday at Bandura on Bloor, you will get a chance to hear a truly versatile programme filled with compositions from all over the world, including folk music from Ukraine and other European countries, world music, contemporary pieces, unique covers of popular songs and soundtracks and more - all performed on bandura!
Don't miss this show and get your tickets at:
https://www.showpass.com/bandura-on-bloor-may30/

Big thank you to our sponsor Ukrainian Credit Union for helping making this even possible!

05/28/2025

Introducing our concert venue for our Bandura on Bloor show on May 30th! Royal York Road United Church is a wonderful venue for small chamber concerts and the acoustics at the church are going to be incredible for our show this Friday. The church is fully accessible with stairs and an elevator and there is plenty of parking on streets adjacent to the church. It is walking distance away from Royal York TTC Station, but, those who wish, can take a TTC bus from the station for two stops which takes you right beside the church. We're looking forward to seeing you all this Friday! If you still haven't purchased your ticket, there are still a few days left! Link:
https://www.showpass.com/bandura-on-bloor-may30/

05/26/2025

In addition to our show on May 30, Maria Smolinska will play a set this Saturday at 6 p.m. at Drom Taberna!

05/26/2025

Check out our interview with Alina Kuzma and Zoë Ëoz from DIVKA on our YouTube channel! Link below in the comment section👇
https://youtu.be/bVszV9ToHpM

Interview with Alina Kuzma and Zoë Ëoz from DIVKA, who will be performing at the second Bandura on Bloor 2025 Concert Series show on May 30, 2025, at the Roy...

05/17/2025

Premiere of our interview with Maria Smolinska is today at 3pm ET on our YouTube channel! Video link below in the comment section.

Interview with Mariia Smolinska, who will be performing at the second Bandura on Bloor 2025 Concert Series show on May 30, 2025, at the Royal York Road Unite...

04/30/2025

Only two days left to get your Early-Bird tickets for our Bandura on Bloor show on May 30 featuring Maria Smolinska and DIVKA! Children (Under-12) are free! Don't miss this opportunity to listen to some wonderful bandura music! All net profits will be donated to the Canada-Ukraine Foundation. For tickets, visit: https://www.showpass.com/bandura-on-bloor-may30/

This is a reminder that our Early Bird tickets sale for our second Bandura on Bloor show on May 30 ends in just over two weeks on May 2! Purchase your tickets now for only $25 to secure your seat for a unique folk music sonic experience from two badass emerging Toronto musicians from DIVKA - Alina Kuzma (bandura) and Zoë Ëoz (viola), as well as some enchanting instrumental music from BC-based and Odesa native bandurist Mariia Smolinska. At our concerts, there is something for all types of music lovers!

Like our first concert, all net proceeds from this concert will donated to the

For tickets visit:
https://www.showpass.com/bandura-on-bloor-may30/

#бандура
#бандурацекруто
#українськамузика
#музика

#фестивальбандуривторонто #фестиваль #бандуранаблурі

04/25/2025

Introducing our second featured artist for our second Bandura on Bloor show on May 30 - Maria Smolinska (The Legend of Bandura)!

Mariia Smolinska is a talented bandura player from Ukraine who has gained recognition in international competitions and festivals. Born in Odesa, Mariia began playing the bandura at the age of 7. In 2015, she earned her diploma from the Odesa College of Arts and Culture, studying in the class of Olha Kasyanova and giving her first solo concert. In 2019, Mariia obtained her bachelor’s degree from the Odesa Conservatory (A. V. Nezhdanova Odesa National Academy of Music), where she studied under Liudmyla Chernetska. This period was filled with numerous performances and competitions contributing to her artistic development. In 2021, Mariia received her master’s degree in musical art from the Odesa Conservatory.

Mariia’s performances range from meditative melodies and lyrical compositions to energetic and danceable tunes, including tracks from her favourite video games, captivating audiences with emotional depth and vibrancy. With a strong educational background, Mariia combines traditional Ukrainian music with contemporary influences, including jazz and popular covers. She also creates unique arrangements, showcasing the limitless possibilities of the bandura. Mariia actively engages with her audience through her social media project, “The Legend of Bandura,” where she shares her art and encourages a greater appreciation for the bandura. Her passion and creativity make each performance a unique and unforgettable experience.

Tickets for our second show are still on an early bird special for one more week until May 2nd! Don't miss this wonderful concert and a fundraiser for Canada-Ukraine Foundation, and get your tickets for only $25 at:
https://www.showpass.com/bandura-on-bloor-may30/