Anna Starushkevych
In the early 1920s, George Gershwin attended a concert by the Ukrainian National Choir at Carnegie Hall, where he heard the traditional Ukrainian lullaby Ой, ходить сон коло вікон (The Dream Walks by the Window). The opening melody of this folk song later found its way into the beginning of Gershwin’s world-famous aria Summertime.
Below is Anna’s jazz–operatic crossover improvisation on Summertime, followed by a video of her performing the original Ukrainian lullaby at the picturesque Whitehorse Hill in England — part of her spontaneous Folk Songs in Nature recording series.
THUNDERSTORM
Inspired by the formidable force of nature, Anna improvised her vocals directly over the recording of a real thunderstorm, blending her voice with the sounds of rain and thunder.
Experience the experimental piece:
Find a quiet place where you can really listen and dim the lights — or switch them off completely.
Put on your headphones, close your eyes, and let the sound surround you.
As the music unfolds, pay attention to any images or emotions that come to you.
When the final note fades, take a moment to sit in stillness. Then write down what you saw and felt.
To learn more about the Thunderstorm Study, follow this link.
