Viktoriia Slyvka and Khristina Castaneda

Songwriters Showcase


Viktoriia is a Ukrainian bandura player sharing intimate, tradition-rooted performances. Her music blends the resonant voice of the bandura with heartfelt vocals, creating a calm, deeply personal atmosphere. Carrying both cultural memory and quiet strength, her performances feel less like concerts and more like shared moments.

Kristina holds a deep reverence for the music embedded in everyday life - the clank of metal hooks on a flagpole, the whistle of a faucet, the thrum of a ceiling fan - believing the ordinary to be extraordinary and inherently musical. For Kristina, music is the shared fire that brings humans together in a shared experience, in a way that nothing else can.

Songwriter Showcase encourages the creation and sharing of original music by regional singer songwriters.

Refreshments will be available. The event is free and open to the public, though donations are greatly appreciated to support the ongoing efforts to bring regional talent to the Center’s stage.

February 19, 2026, from 7-9 pm
Free, donations appreciated. Refreshments available.

Sponsored by Mark and Mary Ellen. This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.

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