Our Team
Meet the team behind UCA UK
Alla Sirenko
Founder and President of UCA - UK
Alla Sirenko, pianist, composer, writer, has studied at Cambridge, Lubeck and Moscow and graduated from three conservatoires: Kyiv as a Pianist, Lviv as a Composer, Tallinn as an organist.
She made history for being the first Ukrainian composer to have her opera-fantasy, The Golden Penguin, premiered at London’s Royal Opera House.
For ten years she was the Composer in Residence for the Lviv Opera House of Ukraine, where her productions were in the main repertoire.
Alla has successfully composed film music for EMI, Sony and Warner Brothers. A performance and composition of her ‘Ave Maria’ was commissioned for the late Pope John Paul II, and televised to several million people.
For the last six years, she has been the Composer in Residence, Producer and Artistic Director of the Ukrainian Cathedral Concert Hall in London Mayfair. She regularly organised classical concerts and various cultural events for local and international communities.
Recently, she founded the Ukrainian Cultural Association in the UK, and secured its exclusive membership to FIWAL.
She is also a full member of the Incorporated Society of Musicians in Great Britain; The Composers Union of Ukraine; Novello Academy, Worshipful Company of Musicians of City of London.
The UCA - UK Committee
The team who lead the Association
The strong, professional and dedicated committee of the UCA-UK is based in London, and holds its management and planning meetings regularly.
Their role is crucial for organising smooth day to day logistics of the UCA-UK various activities, managements and planning.
Anna Stojanovic
Event, Media and Communications Manager
By profession, Anna is a Global Events Manager in the space sector. She has a strong portfolio in event and project management and communications, with years of experience working globally with a plethora of international partners and high-profile projects.
Anna has been a part of the British Ukrainian community since joining St Mary’s Ukrainian School in London at age three. She attended this school until the age of 16, and was also a member of The Ukrainian Youth Association, commonly referred to as CYM (Ukrainian: Спілка Української Молоді)
Her grandfather, Wolodymyr Martyniak, was one of the founders of the Ukrainian School in London for British/Ukrainian children. He was also part of the group of first Ukrainians to establish the Ukrainian Cathedral in Central London, and the whole Ukrainian community we know today, here in London.
Anna enjoys celebrating and supporting her heritage and culture, carrying on her grandfather's legacy of bringing together Ukrainian communities. This is why she is involved in the UCA - UK.
Paul Cascarino
Audio, Visual Producer
Paul has over 25 years experience in the media industry, working freelance in Hollywood, Pinewood Studios and EMI. Alongside this, for the past 10 years he has been teaching students at Kingston University Media in the Audio/Visual Department. Paul is also an accomplished drummer and guitarist with experience over 30 years of live concerts and recordings.
For many years, he has been a strong supporter of Ukraine, and its rich culture and thriving arts sector.