Ensemble Cherubim

The mission of Ensemble Cherubim is to create bridges between Ukrainian culture and global audiences through vibrant, innovative performance. This relatively new choir has been invited to perform in major festivals and venues coast-to-coast. It first assembled to make a recording of Dmitry Bortniansky choral concertos (Naxos, 2013), and it reconvened in 2022 in response to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In recent years, it has performed at the Berkeley Festival and Exhibition, the New Haven Festival of Arts and Ideas, the Saint John Paul II National Shrine in Washington, DC, and at the Ukrainian Institute of America in New York City. Ensemble Cherubim’s singers come from varied ethnicities and artistic backgrounds. Each singer is featured in a solo moment in this concert. Many of them are coveted members of leading choirs across America, and some are directors of their own choirs. Some have appeared as soloists with esteemed ensembles such as American Bach Soloists and Los Angeles Master Chorale. Many are alumni of the UC Berkeley Chamber Chorus. All have embraced the Ukrainian language and its music—into their voices, hearts, and souls—as their own. Their next concert is at St. John’s Episcopal Cathedral in Los Angeles (tomorrow afternoon). Their album of Ukrainian carols, recorded in Hertz Hall on the Berkeley campus, will be released by Centaur Records in 2026. ensemblecherubim.org.