TORONTO BANDURA FESTIVAL

TBF’s newly created project – Bandura on Bloor returns with a show featuring Victoria-based and Odesa native Ukrainian bandurist Mariia Smolinska and Toronto-based folk fatale duet band DIVKA! 

Friday, May 30, 2025
7:30 PM (Doors 7:00 PM)
Royal York Road United Church
851 Royal York Road, Toronto, ON

Early Bird tickets for only $25 available until May 2nd!
For tickets to this event visit: https://www.showpass.com/bandura-on-bloor-may30/

DIVKA is comprised of bandurist (esoteric Ukrainian harp) Alina Kuzma and violist (not a violin) Zoë Ëoz. They perform primarily Eastern European folk songs about badass women in all their glory. As a sonic rebel reckoning, DIVKA’s music is charged with mythology and traditional village singing with generations of femme power, mystic whimsy, and a dash of vengeance.
With sharp tongues and a deep passion for ethnomusicology, Alina Kuzma and Zoë Ëoz bring a unique sonic experience using bygone folk songs from global women’s music-making traditions. DIVKA weaves a sonic constellation of delicate arpeggios and guttural ancient invocations. Alina Kuzma, a tradition-refocusing bandurist and vocal forest nymph, brings a rich waterfall of sound with her mastery of the bandura. Her ethereal vocals and skillful plucking transport listeners to a mystical realm where folklore comes alive. Zoë Ëoz, a chaos-nurturing violist and raging woodland sprite, adds a layer of complexity and tension to DIVKA’s sound. Their viola balances wild energy with refined technique, equally alarming and enchanting audiences with her spirited performances.
Birthed in October 2024, DIVKA has burst onto Toronto’s world music scene. In a short time, they have performed in different global genres and collaborated with many renowned local artists and groups, including Leen Hamo, Jaash Singh, Naghmeh Farahmand, Marichka Marczyk and Kosa Choir. Last fall, they launched their single, Harbuz, and toured in Senegal in West Africa.
If you want to find out more about DIVKA and listen to some of their music you can check them out on the following links:
Website
Instagram
Facebook
YouTube
TikTok

Mariia Smolinska (born June 21, 1996) is a talented bandura player from Ukraine who has gained recognition in international competitions and festivals. Born in Odesa, Mariia began playing the bandura at the age of 7. In 2015, she earned her diploma from the Odesa College of Arts and Culture, studying in the class of Olha Kasyanova and giving her first solo concert. In 2019, Mariia obtained her bachelor’s degree from the Odesa Conservatory (A. V. Nezhdanova Odesa National Academy of Music), where she studied under Liudmyla Chernetska. This period was filled with numerous performances and competitions, contributing to her artistic development. In 2021, Mariia received her master’s degree in musical art from the Odesa Conservatory.
Mariia’s goal is to popularize the bandura as a standalone instrument and to showcase its limitless possibilities to the world. She is also an avid gamer who loves creating and playing various arrangements of video game soundtracks on the bandura. Mariia’s husband, bandurist Georgiy Matviyiv, influenced her musical creativity by introducing her to jazz and inspiring her to create a creative page on social media – The Legend of Bandura. Mariia and Georgiy live in Victoria, BC, where they actively participate in charitable events and concerts, continuing to promote the bandura.
If you want to find out more about Mariia and listen to some of her performances you can check her out on the following links:
Instagram (The Legend of Bandura)
Facebook (The Legend of Bandura)
YouTube (The Legend of Bandura)
TikTok (The Legend of Bandura)
YouTube (Mariia Smolinska)
Facebook (Mariia Smolinska)