New York Bandura Ensemble
Encyclopedia
The New York Bandura Ensemble is a New York based music ensemble currently led by singer and bandurist
Julian Kytasty
. The ensemble is devoted to various forms and styles of Ukrainian music, from Renaissance
and Baroque
, through authentic folk, to contemporary and avantgarde music, presenting unusual repertoire through its "Bandura-Downtown" concert series. The ensemble plays an important role in preservation of Ukrainian folk music , as well as in dissemination thereof in North America. It has a longstanding residency at the Ukrainian Museum in New York City
, and often collaborates with the Yara Arts Group
.
The New York Bandura Ensemble has many different line-ups of musicians, depending on the nature of each project. Its members at various times include
The New York Bandura Ensemble receives support from the Center for Traditional Music and Dance
and NYSCA.
In 1979 The ensemble was directed by Volodymyr Yurkevych before falling into the capable hands of Julian Kytasty. Under his direction the ensemble has gone through many transformations and recorded a number of CD's.
Bandurist
A bandurist is a person who plays the Ukrainian plucked string instrument known as the bandura.-Types of performers:There are a number of different types of bandurist who differ in their paricular choice of instrument, the specific repertoire they play and manner in which they approach their...
Julian Kytasty
Julian Kytasty
Julian Kytasty is a Ukrainian-American composer, singer, kobzar, bandurist, flute player and conductor. He was born January 23 1958 in Detroit, Michigan, in the family of refugees....
. The ensemble is devoted to various forms and styles of Ukrainian music, from Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
and Baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
, through authentic folk, to contemporary and avantgarde music, presenting unusual repertoire through its "Bandura-Downtown" concert series. The ensemble plays an important role in preservation of Ukrainian folk music , as well as in dissemination thereof in North America. It has a longstanding residency at the Ukrainian Museum in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, and often collaborates with the Yara Arts Group
Yara Arts Group
Yara Arts Group is a resident company at La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club in New York. Established in 1990, Yara is a collective of artists of Asian, African, Latino, Eastern and Western European ancestry, who come together to create original work based on traditional material from...
.
The New York Bandura Ensemble has many different line-ups of musicians, depending on the nature of each project. Its members at various times include
- Julian KytastyJulian KytastyJulian Kytasty is a Ukrainian-American composer, singer, kobzar, bandurist, flute player and conductor. He was born January 23 1958 in Detroit, Michigan, in the family of refugees....
- music director. - Natalia Honcharenko
- Michael AndrecMichael AndrecMichael Andrec is a Ukrainian-American bandurist and composer in a variety of styles, primarily for the bandura. He is an active member of Julian Kytasty's New York Bandura Ensemble, and the Experimental Bandura Trio.-References:...
- Roman Turovsky
- Michael AlpertMichael AlpertMichael Alpert is a klezmer singer and multi-instrumentalist and has been called a key figure in the klezmer revival of the 1970s and 1980s....
- GisburgGisburgGisburg is a composer and singer born in Salzburg in Austria.She originally studied flute and studied with Dieter Schnebel, touring with his vocal group "Die Maulwerker"....
- Jurij FedynskyjJurij FedynskyjJurij Fedynskyj is a Ukrainian-American folk singer, kobzar and bandurist as well as a composer, producer, luthier, sound engineer, cultural activist and educator....
- Ilya Temkin
- Victor MishalowVictor MishalowVictor Mishalow is an Australian born Canadian bandurist, and educator. He is also known as a composer, conductor, and musicologist.-Biography:Born April 4, 1960, in Sydney, Australia, he graduated from the Sydney University B.A...
The New York Bandura Ensemble receives support from the Center for Traditional Music and Dance
Center for Traditional Music and Dance
The Center for Traditional Music and Dance is a leading folk/traditional arts organization based in New York City. Originally established as the Balkan Arts Center in 1968, CTMD assists the city's ethnic and immigrant communities in maintaining their traditions and cultural heritage...
and NYSCA.
History
The ensemble was originally established as a children's ensemble by rev. Serhiy Pastukhiv in 1968. Under his direction the New York School of bandura and with it the New York Bandura Ensemble grew to encompass over 200 musicians and became a significant force in the Ukrainian community in New York.In 1979 The ensemble was directed by Volodymyr Yurkevych before falling into the capable hands of Julian Kytasty. Under his direction the ensemble has gone through many transformations and recorded a number of CD's.