Inna Kovtun (Portland) is a traditional Ukrainian ethno-singer, dancer, teacher and folklorist from Kyiv (Ukraine). Kovtun performs and teaches workshops on Ukrainian folk song and dance, researches Ukrainian folklore, and actively participates in initiatives that support Ukraine and promote Ukrainian culture in Portland and elsewhere.
Bio
Kovtun is one of the leading authorities on traditional Ukrainian folk music, a master of music, folklore, and ethnography; an ethno-singer, musicologist, songwriter, teacher, collector, and a researcher of ancient traditions and folklore. She has been the artistic director and leader of the folk band Rozhanytsia, the deputy general director of the Ukrainian Academic Municipal Brass Orchestra, the soloist of the international ethno project EDK, and the soloist of the ethno-rock band Astarta.
Kovtun has collected over one thousand unique, authentic Ukrainian, Moldavian, Bulgarian, and Tatar songs from her research expeditions. She has researched the history of the life of the Ukrainian people, traditional rites, dances, and fairy tales. Inna has performed concerts and taught workshops on Ukrainian folklore, folk songs, and traditional dances in many European countries, as well as the Baltic states, in Georgia, Great Britain, Hong Kong, Turkey, Israel, Canada, and the United States. Kovtun was the artistic director of the premier Ukrainian academic folklore and ethnogaphic ensemble Kalyna.
Shortly after the start of the full-scale war, Kovtun and her daughter came to the U.S., where she continues to perform and teach master classes nationwide in cities such as New York, San Francisco, Minneapolis, Seattle, New Orleans, San Diego, Los Angeles, various cities in Oregon, and more. In addition, she organizes events and master classes on Ukrainian culture, folklore, rituals, and traditional dances and songs to raise awareness and provide support for Ukraine. She has been awarded the Taproot Fellowship grant in 2025.
She founded and currently manages the first Ukrainian theater in Portland, Oregon, "I ♥️ Ukraine." She is also the Music Director of the children’s ensemble Singing Dawn / Blue-Yellow. Inna collaborates and performs with professional American musicians and ensembles such as Cappella Romana, Hrai More, Kitka, Jon Durant, Valentyn Lysenko, Michael Caruso, and others.
She is recording new music, has released a new album titled "Burning Fires," and serves as the host of various events and festivals. She performs at different festivals and concerts and helps raise funds to support the Ukrainian military.Furthermore, Inna is a Qualified Mental Health Professional and currently serves as the Director of Health Equity and Culture at D.A.W.N., an Oregon-based non-profit organization that provides tactical aid to Ukraine and supports cultural initiatives, mental health, and wellness both in Ukraine and in the U.S.
