Leléka was founded by Ukrainian singer and songwriter Viktoria Leléka in the spring of 2016 in Berlin. The first line-up of the band, in addition to Leléka herself, included pianist Robert Wienröder, double bassist Thomas Kolarczyk, and drummer Jakob Hegner. Leléka won the Creole – Global Music Contest in 2017 and the European Young Jazz Talent Award at the Internationale Jazzwoche Burghausen in 2018. They came in second place at the Young Munich Jazz Prize in 2019. Following the self-titled EP Leléka (2017), the quartet, which was also included in Ralf Dombrowski’s book “111 Reasons to Love Jazz,” released their debut album Tuman in 2019 with Povel Widestrand as the new pianist.
In 2020, Leléka wrote and produced the music for the Ukrainian historical television series There will be people, which aired on the STB. Since 2021, the band has been working with the GLM label and the Musszo booking agency. In September 2021, Leléka released their second album, Sonce u Serci, which was nominated for “Band of the Year” at the Deutscher Jazzpreis the following year.
Help Us Create 2,026 Pysanky in One Weekend
This year, the Toronto Ukrainian Festival is marking its 30th anniversary with a special challenge: create 2,026 pysanky together in 2026.
From September 18 to 20, festival visitors are invited to join us at Bloor Street West and Windermere Avenue and help us reach our goal of 80 pysanky every hour, for a total of 2,026 over the weekend. All supplies will be provided, so everyone is welcome to take part.
More than a celebration of Ukrainian culture and tradition, this is an act of solidarity with Ukraine. Every pysanka adds to a collective message of hope, strength and support.
Good prevails with every pysanka. Write with us. Together, we can do it. Stand with Ukraine.