Ukrainian Folk Song Workshop with Darka Dusty

The Portland Folkmusic Society and EJC Present a Ukrainian folk song workshop led by Darka Dusty!

All ages $10 adv/$12 door. 

Darka Dusty is a first-generation Ukrainian-American singer-musician born in Detroit and based in Portland. As half of Darka & Slavko, she traveled from the U.S. to Ukrainein 1989 to play at Chervona Ruta, the first independent Ukrainian pop music festival. The duo won “Best International Band” honors and returned to play in that country several times. These days Darka is often seen leading Darka Dusty and the Borshch Beatniks, which performs original songs that include jazz and country influences along with Ukrainian. 

For this workshop, she will return to her roots in traditional Ukrainian music, and teach a few of those songs to participants -- including harmonies. “We’re called the singing nation. When you get Ukrainians together you’re going to have three-part harmony,” Darka explained.

The date of this workshop is significant, as it is close to the anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine of Feb. 24, 2022. “Ukraine is going through its most upsetting time since WWII,” Dusty said.

Since 1976, Portland FolkMusic Society has been active preserving, presenting and promoting folk music and arts in the greater Portland Oregon area. PFS sponsors song circles, concerts, workshops and retreats – in person and virtual – and helps its members and the whole community pass the word around about folk music events, from old time ballads to sea shanties, from 60’s protest folk to contemporary singer-songwriters.

PFS is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization.