UKRAINIAN WAR REQUIEM National Tour to Begin in November

On Friday, November 6, 2026, over 50 voices from Axios Men's Ensemble, the tenors and basses of Pro Coro Canada and soloists from North America and Ukraine will begin a National Tour of Ukrainian War Requiem that will take them to nine Canadian cities in ten days.

The Tour opens at St. Basil's Ukrainian Catholic Church in Edmonton, followed by stops in Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Montreal, Ottawa, Hamilton, London, Kitchener, and Toronto. Performances will be conducted by award-winning Maestro Michael Zaugg, Artistic Director of Pro Coro Canada.

In March of this year, Ukrainian War Requiem were awarded Canada's highest musical honour - a JUNO Award - for Classical Album of the Year (Large Ensemble). This marks the first time in JUNO Award history that an a cappella recording has earned this distinction in the category.

ABOUT THE PROJECT

In 2022, Axios commissioned Benedict Sheehan, a three-time GRAMMY Award nominee, to compose a memorial in response to Russia's aggression in Ukraine entitled Ukrainian War Requiem. The war, which began in 2014 and escalated with a full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022, has tragically claimed countless lives. This music is a solemn tribute to these victims.

Sheehan's composition, spanning 12 movements, draws inspiration primarily from the Byzantine burial service, a ritual shared by Eastern Catholic and Orthodox churches. Reflecting Ukraine's diverse linguistic and religious landscape, the Requiem also weaves in elements from Jewish and Roman Catholic traditions. These varied texts serve multiple purposes: they offer solace and strength to the living, especially those grieving; they provide a space for praying for both victims and aggressors; and they ultimately aspire to convey hope, peace, and goodwill.