Text: Svitlana Prokopchuk
From Lviv to Switzerland
Fourteen-year-old Bozhena Trubich now lives in Switzerland, but her heart still belongs to the Lviv region. She fondly remembers the cozy atmosphere of home and, of course, her family who stayed in Ukraine. “I even miss the shops that are open 24 hours a day,” she smiles.
Music from childhood
Since the age of six, Bozhena attended a music school in Sambir, where she learned to play the violin. Later, she also took up the piano, and after moving to Switzerland, she became interested in the organ – an instrument that is rather rare in her home country. “There are many organs in churches here, so I wanted to give it a try,” she explains.
In Sambir, Bozhena was already singing in the ‘Cisarivna’ choir, which operates at the local House of Creativity, and she also performed as a soloist during celebrations. Later, in high school, she took part in various school competitions.
In addition, Bozhena danced in the folk ensemble ‘Barvy’, with which she toured across Ukraine.
For Bozhena, singing is more than just a hobby – it’s a way to express herself. “I took part in a competition organized by the Ukrainian-Swiss association ‘Vidnova’, where I performed the song ‘Zombie’ – first in Ukrainian, then in English – and won second place,” she adds proudly.
A voice in the choir
Today, Bozhena sings in a choir led by Zoryana Mazko. For her, this is an important step in her artistic development, as choral singing helps her feel the unity of voices and the energy of the stage. “I want to keep singing all the time,” the young girl admits.
Alongside music, there is also theatre in her life. At school, she participated in a stage performance about the modern world that combined dance and spoken word. Once a week, Bozhena also attends a youth theatre group in Einsiedeln, organized by a Ukrainian woman. Currently, they are preparing a joint project with Swiss students. However, music remains her greatest passion.
Looking to the future
Bozhena dreams of continuing to take part in competitions and to further develop her voice through choral singing. In the future, she hopes to become a singer and musician. “When I sing a sad melody, I remember my childhood. When it’s a cheerful song, other memories come back. But in any case, music always leads me home,” says the young vocalist.
