When the days are dark, the power of music will prevail.
We will take you on a captivating journey full of light,
wonder and enchantment
“MAGIC SONG”, is a short film and unique sand animation based on the Ukrainian folk chant, “Carol of the bells”, by Terry Heimat (director and composer) and Alex Sino (writer and producer). One of the world’s most beloved Christmas carols re-imagined, this international production is a sentimental gift to the families, the children and grandparents who cannot celebrate the holidays together because of the ongoing pandemic. In uniting some of the biggest names of the cultural landscape, “MAGIC SONG” is a testament to the profound healing power of music and arts.
RELEASE: December 23rd, 2021
PLOT:
A little girl is anticipating a miracle to happen on New Year's holidays. She is happy and excited. On a frozen glass she paints her Holidays wishes which she shares with her magic cat Shurik. Getting ready for a miracle night, she gets tired and falls in sleep. In a dream, the girl sees that a Wizard drops a magic box for her. Unfortunately she missed an important sign on the box “Open when times comes”. She opened the box before that time and saw the cookies in a shape of musical instruments but all of them instantly disappeared.
The Fairy from a “Sandy Land” comes to help a little girl. She calls her friends-musicians who played a “Magic Song” for a girl. With the help of musicians, Fairy and the girl travel to magical sand lands in search of magic cookies. On their way, there are musicians who, through their music, help to return the disappeared cookies. And some even go into space, because magic music is limitless. In the spaceship lead by the Musician-Commander and Magic Cat Shurik they find the missing cookies and return them to the girl with greetings. Everything worked out!
The girl wakes up to find a magic box on the table. When opening it, she remembers what the good fairy told her, - Believe in miracles and miracles whappen! The box was filled with cookies and it was the best gift for the girl, because now she knows - you need to believe in miracles.
THE IDEA:
The iconic Ukrainian folk chant “ Carol of the Bells” transports the listener to a magical place of innocence, warmth and childhood memories. A team of internationally renowned artists and producers have rearranged and modernized the message of “Carols of the Bells”, originally a story of a swallow flying into a household to sing of wealth that will come with the following spring. In 2021, the story will focus on unity, love, mental and physical health, arts, music and compassion!
MUSICAL BACKGROUND:
Shchedryk" (Ukrainian: Щедрик, from Щедрий вечiр, "Bountiful Evening) is a Ukrainian's shchedrivka, or New Year's song, known in English as The Little Swallow. It was arranged by composer Mykola Leontovych in 1916. "Shchedryk was originally sung on the night of January 13, New Year's Eve in the Julian Calendar (December 31 Old Style), which is Shchedry Vechir. Early performances of the piece were made by students at Kyiv University. Shchedryk was later adapted as an English Christmas carol, "Carol of the Bells", by Peter J. Wilhousky following a performance of the original song by Alexander Koshetz's Ukrainian National Chorus at Carnegie Hall on October 5, 1921.
CREATIVE TEAM:
Maestro Terry Heimat (artistic name of Taras Kutsenko): Director, Composer, Arranger and
Conductor, Ukraine/ China
Native of Ukraine, Taras began to study conducting with his father, conductor Vitaly Kutsenko - the traditions of the Leningrad School of conducting (N. Rabinowitz, Sherman) and Kyiv School (H. Rachlin). He studied at the Tchaikovsky Moscow State Conservatory - class of trumpet Professor V. Novikov and class of conducting Professor L. Nikolaev. Taras is a Winner of the international contests of the wind instruments and international awards of the composition and sound. In 2003 for his music for theatre productions and movies, he became a Winner of prestigious theatrical “Seagull” award. In 2013 Maestro Kutsenko founded the Kharkiv Virtuosi Sloboda Orchestra. With this team he participated in the projects of Francis Goya, Svyatoslav Vakarchuk, Trebyut of the ENIGMA and METALIKA groups. Since 2018 - Maestro Kutsenko is a Professor of the Zhangjiajie University China. In 2018, Maestro Kutsenko founded the Zhangjiajie Philharmonic Orchestra, Hunan, China, which he currently leads.
Dr. Alex Sino, Producer and Writer, USA/Ukraine
Alex Sino is an award-winning screenwriter, creative producer, and lyricist. He has worked with numerous established and emerging artists including Al Di Meola, Leonid Agutin, MC Solaar, Macy Gray, Arturo Sandoval, Rudy Perez, Anthony Jackson, Xavier Naidoo, Till Brönner, Orlando “Maraca” Valle, No Mercy, Jon Secada, Diego Torres, Amaury Gutierrez, Carlos Oliva, Omara Portuondo, along with many others.
Camilo Valencia, Sound Producer, Emmy Award Winner & Grammy Nominee, USA/Cuba
Cuban Born Camilo Valencia Started his musical carrier in the 1970’s in Miami Fl. Body of work to many to post these are some: Played, recorded, directed or musical arrangements for Ricky Martin, Jose Feliciano, Nestor Torres, Shakira, Carlos Oliva and the Judge’s Nephews, Movie Soundtracks Horn Arrangements for hit movies like Dirty Dancing / Havana
Nights
Alexander Gusev, Sound Design, Arranger and Sound Producer, Russia
Over 20 years writes and produces music for theatre and motion pictures. He is the Two time Winner of prestigious theatrical “Seagull” award.
Svetlana Telbukh, Sand Animation Artist, Ukraine/Germany
Svetlana has perfected the art of sand animation, she has participated in major TV shows including America Got Talent, Spain Got Talent, Germany Got Talent, she has performed shows all over Europe and is well-known for her artistic TV appearances.
Zhangjiajie Philharmonic Orchestra Hunan, China
The orchestra began its existence in 2018 as the first professional group, which included musicians from Ukraine. Since its foundation, the orchestra has been headed by the conductor, Taras Kutsenko (Terry Heimat). The orchestra has an extensive repertoire which includes works by world classics, Chinese composers and modern works of famous themes that the conductor composes specifically for the orchestra. The orchestra plays mainly classical music and crossover. The orchestra has received international acclaim at festivals and music awards.
The international celebrity list includes the following renowned Grammy and
International Awards Winning Artists:
Kutsenko - Ukraine/China
QUOTES:
“The Magic Song of the Carol of the Bells is a truly magical song. Anyone can sing the Ukrainian folk chants, arranged by Mykola Leontovich, and the effect will be the same - a festive mood, a fairy tale and energy that can make good dreams come true. A celebrity team of performers of our Magic Song show that they are still children inside and this once again shows that any man was created in the world of love and for the love of the world.”
Terry Heimat, Composer and Conductor
“Magic Song movie combines unique sound of philharmonic orchestra and world class soloist, great music and unique sand animation! We hope that it is a perfect holiday gift for people who could not celebrate holidays together with their families”
Alex Sino, Producer
“The Carol of the Bells is one of my favorite Holiday themes. And this production does not only unite international artists from diverse genres, it also captures a mutual feeling around the world: We have to stand together to overcome the darkness, we have to find the joy and give it to our children, we have to be compassionate towards each other. Love is the only way!”
Al Di Meola
“A unique crossover combination of traditional chants with contemporary rhythms and arrangements”
Richard Bravo
“Music The Universal Language, from Shanghai to Moscow to Miami... Merry Christmas!”
Camilo Valencia
MAGIC SONG
DECEMBER 23, 2021
