UKRAINIAN WAR REQUIEM Canadian Tour to Hit Nine Cities This November
Sopranon Andriana Chuchman and tenor John Tessier join conductor Michael Zaugg and over 50 performers for the program.
On March 28, 2026, the Axios Men's Ensemble and the recording of its 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.
On May 21, Axios announced a 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. Tour performances will be conducted by award-winning Maestro Michael Zaugg, Artistic Director of Pro Coro Canada. Featuring over 50 performers, the touring ensemble brings together members of Axios, the tenors and basses of Pro Coro - and select soloists from North America, Europe, and Ukraine.
Axios is pleased to announce two Canadian soloists for the project: soprano Andriana Chuchman and tenor John Tessier. Andriana Chuchman has earned much acclaim for performances of a wide range of repertoire, including the heroines of Mozart and Handel, 20th Century masterpieces, and the premieres of new operas and orchestral works. Recent highlights include Gilda in Rigoletto (Canadian Opera Company), Donna Anna in Don Giovanni (Houston Grand Opera), and Violetta in La traviata (Opera San Diego).
JUNO Award-winning tenor John Tessier has worked with many of the most notable conductors and stage directors of our day. Appearances of the recent past and near future include performances at the Teatro alla Scala Milano, the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Wiener Staatsoper, Carnegie Hall, the New York Philharmonic, Ensemble Orchestral de Paris and more.
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.
Said Axios chorister and president Damein Zakordonski, “this Requiem is more than just music. It is a reverent homage to those affected by the war, a reminder of the enduring human spirit, and a heartfelt tribute to Ukraine and her people.”
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