UKRAINIAN WAR REQUIEM to Tour Canada with Axios Men's Ensemble in Nine Cities
The JUNO Award-winning a cappella work was composed by Benedict Sheehan, a two-time GRAMMY nominee.
At a May 21st fundraising event celebrating their 2026 JUNO Award, Edmonton's Axios Men's Ensemble announced their National Tour that will take them to nine Canadian cities in ten days this November. Tour stops include Edmonton, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Montreal, Ottawa, Hamilton, London, Kitchener, and Toronto.
In 2022, Axios commissioned Benedict Sheehan, a two-time GRAMMY Award nominee, to compose a memorial in response to Russia's aggression in Ukraine entitled Ukrainian War Requiem. This aggression, 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.
This year, the Axios Men's Ensemble was awarded Canada's highest musical honour—a JUNO Award for the Classical Album of the Year (Large Ensemble) for the recording of the Ukrainian War Requiem. This marks the first time in JUNO Awards history that an a cappella recording has earned this distinction in the category.
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.
Featuring over 50 performers, the ensemble brings together members of the Axios Men's Ensemble, Pro Coro Canada—and select soloists from North America, Europe, and Ukraine. The tour performances will be conducted by Maestro Michael Zaugg.
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