BBC "Carol of the Bells" Feature: Ukrainian-UK Choirs Create Unity Through Song

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Nov 17 2022: BBC correspondent Piers Hopkirk reports on a collaboration by two choirs—one from Kent and the other from Kyiv—as they celebrate the new bonds of friendship between the UK and Ukraine in the shared language of music.

While singers from schools across West Kent were put through their paces in the UK, hundreds of miles away in Kyiv, singers gathered between the air raid sirens for their part in a "Carol of the Bells" recording project uniting both countries in song.

This timeless classic is widely known in the west with the English lyrics by Peter Wilhousky published by Carl Fischer Music, featured widely in film, television, and seasonal celebrations. The timeless tune originates from the traditional Ukrainian carol, "Shchedryk," by Mykola Leontovych.

The aim of this project is to blend recordings in Ukrainian and English by choirs in Kyiv and Kent to create a single track. It will then go on sale to raise money for the reconstruction of Ukraine, all in time, they hope for the Christmas charts. (Update: Now Released!)

Thank you to the organizer, Christina Yates, to the trans-continental musicians singing in solidarity with Ukraine, and to BBC News for reporting.
See more and learn all about "Carol of the Bells" at
https://www.carlfischer.com/carol-of-the-bells

See and support the final product of this collaboration here:
Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88By5OwPIuE
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/track/4fWLWmkEWmTgfcd84b6vN1
iTunes - https://music.apple.com/gb/album/carol-of-the-bells/1656184542

Aired on BBC News November 17, 2022
Carl Fischer Music
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