About Me
Welcome to my homepage! I am Olga Zaitseva-Herz, a scholar, educator, and artist with a Ph.D. in Music from the University of Alberta. With a background that spans music performance, sound design, ethnomusicology, musicology and vocal pedagogy, I am passionate about exploring the intersections of music, culture, and community. My work is dedicated to enhancing the sensory and contextual understanding of music as a living practice.
Academic Background
My academic journey spans several institutions and countries, each contributing to a rich, interdisciplinary foundation in music, performance, and cultural studies. I hold a Ph.D. in Music from the University of Alberta in Canada, where my research integrated ethnomusicology and Ukrainian Canadian cultural heritage. Additionally, my participation at the Harvard Ukrainian Summer Institute at Harvard University provided a critical perspective on Ukrainian Studies, enriching my research with insights into Ukrainian history and politics, traditions, and cultural identity.
Before my doctoral studies, I earned a German Diploma in Vocal Pedagogy—equivalent to a combined Bachelor’s and Master’s degree—from the University of Music and Performing Arts in Frankfurt am Main / the Wiesbadener Musikakademie. This experience emphasized both technical and pedagogical aspects of vocal performance, equipping me with a comprehensive understanding of teaching methodologies and diverse vocal techniques.
My foundational music education began in Dnipro, Ukraine, where I studied violin at a music conservatory. This classical training not only sharpened my technical proficiency in instrumental performance but also grounded me in the European music tradition from an early age, fostering a deep appreciation for the performing discipline and extensive knowledge of musicology.
I further expanded my expertise with a Bachelor’s degree in Sound Design from the Karpenko-Karyi Theater and Broadcast University in Kyiv, Ukraine. This experience allowed me to delve into the technical and creative aspects of sound, from recording and production to the creation of immersive soundscapes. My training in sound design complements my research and practice, enhancing my ability to convey cultural narratives through audio and integrating technical proficiency with artistic expression.
This diverse educational background enables me to approach music and sound from multiple perspectives—academic, technical, and creative. It also strengthens my commitment to an interdisciplinary approach in both my teaching and artistic work, allowing me to offer students a broad yet nuanced understanding of music as a cultural, historical, and expressive medium.
Teaching & Research
As an educator, I am committed to fostering a creative, multicultural environment where each student can explore their unique potential. I teach a wide range of subjects, including Ethnomusicology, Musicology, Ukrainian Studies, and Vocal Performance. My teaching philosophy emphasizes creativity, inclusivity, and an individualized approach, encouraging students to push boundaries and embrace their artistic and academic journeys. In my research, I focus on diverse singing techniques and the integration of ethnographic materials into performance, allowing students to explore music as a profound cultural expression. I incorporate artistic research into my work, both as an artist and as a teacher.
Artistic Work
In my compositional and artistic practice, I aim to bring historical and social contexts to life through sound. My projects explore how music and archival materials can provide a sensory experience, allowing audiences to engage with history in a new and immersive way. My compositions have been recognized with awards, including the Ottilie Röderstein Emerging Artist Award, Edmonton Music Prize Shortlist, Serge Eremenko Music Scholarship, Roman Soltykewych Music Scholarship, Ludvik Marianych Ukrainian Music & Leadership Scholarship, Alberta Graduate Excellence Scholarship by the University of Alberta and other.
Projects:
-"The Music in Goethe" – Römische Elegien by J.W. Goethe, Set to Music
Project by: Olga Zaitseva-Herz, Premiere: December 2022
Funded by the Hesse Ministry for Science and Art (Ottilie-Roederstein Emerging Artist Scholarship 2022)
Music: Olga Zaitseva-Herz, Marek Herz, Felix Mannherz
Lyrics: J.W. Goethe, T. Shevchenko
Links: Watch on YouTube, Watch on YouTube
-"Bakhmut Rhapsody" from the Contemporary Opera series When The Sirens Sing
Composition: Olga Zaitseva-Herz
Premiere: March 2024 at the Ukrainian Contemporary Music Festival, New York City, USA
Link: Watch on YouTube
- Music Project: “ZAITSA”
ZAITSA is a Music Project based on Ukrainian Traditional folk songs. It explores and reimagines older Ukrainian folk songs preserved in archival collections worldwide. Working with my band, I breathe new life into these traditional songs by arranging them in contemporary pop and jazz styles, and merging historical melodies with modern performance techniques. This project aims to bridge past and present, offering audiences a fresh, dynamic experience of Ukrainian folk music. By integrating these archival materials into popular music forms, ZAITSA not only celebrates cultural heritage but also invites a global audience to engage with the timeless stories and emotions embedded in Ukrainian folk repertoires that enable us to better understand the history of the last one and a half centuries that encompasses the history of transatlantic migration starting from the end of the 19th century.
www.zaitsa.com
Philosophy & Approach
As a scholar-artist, I explore music as a tool for connection and transformation within communities. I believe that sound is not only heard but deeply felt, offering an encounter with history and culture through sensory experience. My approach to performance does not seek to replicate historical sounds but to reinterpret them, enabling audiences to connect with the original context in a meaningful, contemporary way.
Teaching Philosophy
My teaching centers on creating a welcoming, inclusive space where creativity can thrive. I encourage my students to embrace experimentation, view challenges as opportunities, and build a strong skill set with confidence. I find great fulfillment in supporting students as they discover their passions and develop their artistry. By nurturing their individuality, I aim to empower each student to make a unique impact in the field of music.
Selected lectures and conference presentations:
December 2024 Ukrainian Christmas Sing-a-long Carols Workshop at the Kule Folklore Centre, University of Alberta, Canada
November 2024 Individual paper presentation at the ASEEES (Association for Slavic, East European and Eurasian Studies) Convention. Panel title: "Struggle for Liberation: Perception of Russo-Ukrainian War in Ukraine." Paper title: "Shaping Political Discourse through the Pop Music Scene: The Influence of Songs from Ukrainian National Liberation Movements and World War II amid the Russo-Ukrainian War." Location: Boston, USA.
November 2024 Chair at the ASEEES Convention Liberation. Panel title: "Grammars of Liberation." Location: Boston, USA.
November 2024 Individual paper presentation and research-creation workshop at the Ukrainian Female Musicians and Migration Project Symposium at Charles University. Paper title: “Brutal Battles of Soft Power: Music on the Global Stage in the Russia´s War on Ukraine.” Location: Prague, Czech Republic.
November 2024 A workshop at the Ukrainian Female Musicians and Migration Project Symposium at Charles University. Workshop title: “Vocal and Instrumental Improvisation in Live Performance of a Composition as a Method of Facilitating Spontaneity and Deep Responsiveness in Artistic Expression“. Location: Prague, Czech Republic.
October 2024 Individual Paper at the GFPM [The German Society of the Popular Music] Conference "InterMultiTrans: Disziplinaritäten in der Popularmusikforschung." Paper title: "Ukrainische Popmusik im Krieg: Eine interdisziplinäre Perspektive." Location: Freiburg, Germany.
March 2024 Invited Participant of the Roundtable "Music and Migration" with Dr. Tina Frühauf, Dr. Leah Batstone, Mykhailo Chedryk in collaboration with the Center for the Humanities and the Barry S. Brook Center of Music Research and Documentation, the Ukrainian Contemporary Music Festival, New York City, USA.
December 2023 Individual paper presentation at the ASEEES Convention Decolonization. Panel Title: "Cultural Power and Political Domination: Examining Soft Power Dilemmas in Ukraine's Context." Paper title: "Musical Diplomacy and Political Activism: The Role of Song Lyrics and Language in Contemporary Ukrainian Female Music Scene Amidst Ongoing War." Location: Philadelphia, USA.
November 2023 Roundtable Speaker at the Social Responsibility and Academic Pursuits: Being a Graduate Student and Russia's War on Ukraine. Moderated by Natalia Khanenko-Friesen. Department of Anthropology and Kule Centre for Ukrainian and Canadian Folklore, University of Alberta, Canada.
October 2023 Organizer and presenter of the Ukrainian Traditional Singing Workshop with Dr. Maria Sonevytsky during the Society for Ethnomusicology annual meeting in Ottawa, Canada.
September 2023 Individual paper "Militarized Culture: Music as a Tool of Extreme Nationalism and Propaganda in Contemporary Russian Media." Folk-Music Practices and Polyphonic Nationalisms in Europe, University of Music and Performing Arts Graz (KUG), Austria.
July 2023 Individual paper presentation at the International Council for Traditional Music World 47th Conference on "Conflict and Peace-Making through Music and Dance." Presentation title: "Songs Become Weapons: Ukraine and Russia after Feb 24, 2022." Location: Legon, Ghana.
June 2023 Panel presentation at the "Heritage AS Resistance – Looking Forward to Cultural Recovery" session during the SIEF2023 16th Congress on "Living Uncertainty." Presentation title: "2022: Ukrainian Folksong Revival in Ukraine and Abroad as a Remedy and a Tool of Resistance on the Example of 'Oi u luzi Chervona Kalyna'." Location: Brno, Czech Republic.
May 2023 Collaborative presentation during the conference "Ukraine in Music History: A Reassessment." Presentation title: "The Case of a 'Ukrainian Tartini' at the Russian Court: Exploring the Ukrainian Folk Sources of Violinist Ivan Khandoshkin’s Works." Co-presenters: Dr. Guillaume Tardif, Dr.Viktoria Grynenko. Location: Vienna, Austria.