The music department at Sonoma State University has time and time again proven itself as a pinnacle of the university’s artistic talent, with performances at the Green Music Center regularly stunning audiences. The dedication and hard work of both students and faculty is made evident every time they come on stage, but what might not be as clear to the audience is how each individual’s background and expertise has shaped their musical journey. A great example of this is made with singer Eleanora Bezhenar, a junior and vocal performance major.
Originally from Ukraine, Bezhenar and her family moved to the United States shortly after the Russo-Ukrainian war broke out. As a lifelong singer, she came to SSU to pursue a major in singing, but she quickly ran into a unique dilemma: the only option for singers was opera, which she had never tried before.
“I had never sung opera, but when I got here my advisor told me that there’s only opera,” said Bezhenar. “I was like, I don’t know if I want to do that, but I’m gonna try!”
This willingness to adapt and try new things is a large part of Bezhenar’s work ethic, a sentiment echoed by her instructor, music educator Mary Evelyn Hangley.
“Working with Eleanora has been lovely from the start,” said Hangley.“She rises to the occasion every time, and is one of my most diligent students.”
As a lifelong singer and bilingual speaker, Bezhenar’s abilities as a singer are incredibly diverse, something which Hangley has embraced in her instruction.
“In classical singing, there is such an incredible wealth of repertoire in the Russian and Ukrainian languages that undergrads typically don’t get to do,” said Hangley. “Eleanora has quite the leg up in that she’s completely fluent in them, and not only that, but also the musical language, as opposed to just speaking the language.”
Bezhenar blends her vocal abilities and bilingualism to include Russian and Ukrainian songs in her sets, such as the work of Russian composer Rachmani Inoff, resulting in diverse and powerful performances. Even as a lifelong singer, her instruction under Hangley has allowed her performances to continue improving, something she has noticed even outside of academics.
“I would be singing at my church where I serve at a worship service, and people from the worship team would tell me, oh my gosh, your technique improved,” said Bezhenar. “I would watch my videos from recitals for my vocal class, and I sound so different, like I have a different power or something. And I think it’s so much fun, I love doing that, and I want to continue doing that.”
