Heinali & Andriana-Yaroslava Saienko »Гільдеґарда«

Commission | CTM 2025

Together with Ukrainian singer Andriana-Yaroslava Saienko, the composer Heinali reimagined Hildegard von Bingen's compositions with authentic Ukrainian folk singing techniques and generative monophony and polyphony techniques on modular synthesiser.

A joint commission by CTM Festival wth GMEA–Centre National de Création Musicale d'Albi-Tarn, Unsound, and Athens & Epidaurus Festival, the acclaimed work »Гільдеґарда« (Hildegarda) highlights the visceral quality of Hildegard von Bingen's writing, which is often missing in traditional Early Music interpretations. This requires the singer to put in a raw, almost inhumane transcendent effort. Through »Гільдеґарда,« Heinali and Andriana-Yaroslava Saienko place Ukrainian traditional culture in a broader European context, actualising Hildegard's material to express their war-related experiences and a different, and challenging understanding of spirituality that arises from these.

The compositions have been released as a celebrated album of the same name via the Unsound label.

  • Гільдеґарда (Hildegard), by Heinali & Andriana-Yaroslava Saienko

  • Гільдеґарда (Hildegard), by Heinali & Andriana-Yaroslava Saienko

Supported by GMEA–Centre National de Création Musicale d'Albi-Tarn, Unsound, Athens & Epidaurus Festival, and CTM Festival.