Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus
Encyclopedia
The Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus is a semi-professional male choir which accompanies itself with the multi-stringed Ukrainian folk instrument known as the bandura
. It has been a resident of Detroit, USA
since 1949.
in Kiev
in 1918; however, the history of the Kiev Bandurist Capella
had numerous starts and stops and periods in which it did not function. Despite the fact that many of the member of the Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus were members of previous bandurist capellas, the history of the Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus can be traced without interruption from its formation in Kiev in 1941.
The Kiev Bandurist Capella was originally established in August 1918 by bandura virtuoso Vasyl Yemetz
with 8 bandurists. It was then known as the "Kobzar Choir" and gave its first performance on November 3, 1918. The situation in Kiev was politically unstable and the ensemble ceased performing in March, 1919. With the change over to a Bolshevik government a number of the members were shot. Others emigrated to the West.
The capella was re-established after a 4 years break in 1923, once again with 8 members, however only 2 (Fedir Doroshko and Hryhory Kopan) were from the original "Kobzar Choir". During the brief period of Ukrainianization the ensemble grew to become became extremely popular, however, in the 1930s the political situation in Ukraine changed. Many bandurists underwent various forms of political repression: some being arrested and sentenced to periods of incarceration, others to exile. In October 1934 the Kiev Bandurist Capella again ceased to exist after its members had not received any pay for a period of 10 months.
By 1935 the political situation had once again changed. Many of the drastic steps taken to retard the development of Ukrainian culture were reconsidered, as little was now left to show off any development in Ukrainian culture during the period of Soviet rule. In March 1935 the remaining members of the Kiev Bandurist Capella and the Poltava Bandurist Capella
were brought together to form a new Combined Bandurist Capella
.
In 1937 another turn in national politics took place. Harassment and arrests started once again. Some bandurists were arrested and a significant number were executed. At the outset of WWII most Soviet musical collectives continued to function giving concerts for the troupes. The Combined Bandurist Capella was however once again disbanded and the members mobilized to the German-Soviet front. A significant number of its members needlessly died in the first few days of the war at the front because of lack of military preparation.
During the Nazi occupation of Ukraine
, attempts were made to re-establish a professional bandurist capella in Kiev by bandurist D. Chernenko. From a number of bandurists who had survived the initial Nazi invasion, a group was formed, initially directed by Hryhory Nazarenko
. In the spring of 1941 it applied to the Kiev City Council for permission to have Taras Shevchenko
as its patron. In time the artistic directorship was transferred to Hryhory Kytasty
with his arrival. The capella toured areas around Kiev and parts of Western Ukraine.
In 1942 the Capella made up of seventeen bandurists left Kiev for a tour of Germany
. Initially, however, it was interned as a group into a forced labor camp in Hamburg. After numerous representations, the group was released after 5 months incarceration to be used by the Nazis as a morale booster, performing for the Ukrainian OST-Arbeiter
s (slave-workers from the East) in German work camps.
At the end of the war, the Capella found itself in Regensberg
.
In order to strengthen the artistry of the capella, Volodymyr Bozhyk, an opera conductor trained in Poland
, was invited to become co-conductor. Bozhyk conscripted a number of trained singers and the Capella was transformed from a bandurist capella (where all its members played the bandura) into a bandurist chorus (where only some performers played the bandura).
The chorus continued for a period of time to perform throughout Germany after the war for the many internees living in the displaced peoples (D.P.) camps.
In 1949 the Chorus emigrated to the United States, settling as a group in Detroit. Initially it toured North America attempting to retain a professional performing status; however, this became economically unviable without radically changing the repertoire and artistic direction of the group. The decision was made to not compromise the groups artistic integrity. As a result the Chorus changed from a professional to a semi-professional status, touring North America for only a few weeks each year.
In 1958 the Chorus toured Europe giving concerts in Spain, France, Switzerland, Germany, Holland, Sweden, Denmark, Belgium and England. Despite the highly successful reviews of the Chorus's performances, the tour was not an economic success. As a result, it was not able to return to a fully professional status. The Chorus was left in substantial debt and the conductors Volodymyr Bozhyk and Hryhory Kytasty
both left the group after the tour.
The debt was paid off almost single-handedly by the Chorus's manager Peter Honcharenko who also kept the Chorus intact as a viable performing ensemble.
The early 1960s saw a potential crisis in the artistic leadership of the group. This was overcome by the administrative genius of Peter Honcharenko who sought other conductors and saw to it that the group was able to survive this period finding a new purpose promoting Ukrainian music, primarily to the many Ukrainian community enclaves in North America.
In 1968 Hryhory Kytasty
returned to the artistic directorship of the Chorus. With new-found energy he enriched the repertoire of the ensemble with new compositions and arrangements and trained a new generation of bandurists. A new and successful self-funding formula was developed by the chorus' manager. The capella would regularly, usually yearly, release a new record and go on tour promoting the recording, alternating from east or west coasts of North America. In 1981, the Chorus under the direction of H. Kytasty toured Australia.
After the passing of Hryhory Kytasty
in 1984, the artistic direction of the Chorus was taken over by Wolodymyr Kolesnyk, who had recently defected from Ukraine where he had been the director of the Kiev Opera
. Kolesnyk elevated the Chorus to a new professional level in vocal and instrumental performance. Under his directorship the Chorus toured Ukraine twice in 1991 and 1993.
Oleh Mahlay
took over the artistic directorship of the Chorus in 1996, becoming the youngest artistic director in the Chorus' history. Under his leadership the Chorus toured Ukraine twice, as well as North America and Europe and re-energizied the membership. His numerous recordings with the Chorus include a Christmas repertoire, a Divine Liturgy, and Hryhory Kytasty's "Battle of Konotop". Mahlay also has continued to be involved with the Kobzarska Sich
Bandura Camps in Emlenton, Pennsylvania which are sponsored by the UBC.
Adrian Bryttan became the Chorus' artistic director in 2008-2010.
Bandura
Bandura refers to a Ukrainian plucked string folk instrument. It combines elements of a box zither and lute, as well as its lute-like predecessor, the kobza...
. It has been a resident of Detroit, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
since 1949.
History
Some sources trace the history of the Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus back to the formation of the Kiev Kobzar Choir by bandurist Vasyl YemetzVasyl Yemetz
Vasyl' Kostovych Yemetz was born in the village of Sharivka, 40 km from Kharkiv, Ukraine. Son of Kost' and Yevdokia . Married to Maria Horta-Doroshenko...
in Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
in 1918; however, the history of the Kiev Bandurist Capella
Kiev Bandurist Capella
The Kiev Bandurist Capella is a male vocal-instrumental ensemble that accompanies its singing with the playing of the multi-stringed Ukrainian folk instrument known as the bandura....
had numerous starts and stops and periods in which it did not function. Despite the fact that many of the member of the Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus were members of previous bandurist capellas, the history of the Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus can be traced without interruption from its formation in Kiev in 1941.
Pre-history
Vasyl Yemetz
Vasyl' Kostovych Yemetz was born in the village of Sharivka, 40 km from Kharkiv, Ukraine. Son of Kost' and Yevdokia . Married to Maria Horta-Doroshenko...
with 8 bandurists. It was then known as the "Kobzar Choir" and gave its first performance on November 3, 1918. The situation in Kiev was politically unstable and the ensemble ceased performing in March, 1919. With the change over to a Bolshevik government a number of the members were shot. Others emigrated to the West.
The capella was re-established after a 4 years break in 1923, once again with 8 members, however only 2 (Fedir Doroshko and Hryhory Kopan) were from the original "Kobzar Choir". During the brief period of Ukrainianization the ensemble grew to become became extremely popular, however, in the 1930s the political situation in Ukraine changed. Many bandurists underwent various forms of political repression: some being arrested and sentenced to periods of incarceration, others to exile. In October 1934 the Kiev Bandurist Capella again ceased to exist after its members had not received any pay for a period of 10 months.
By 1935 the political situation had once again changed. Many of the drastic steps taken to retard the development of Ukrainian culture were reconsidered, as little was now left to show off any development in Ukrainian culture during the period of Soviet rule. In March 1935 the remaining members of the Kiev Bandurist Capella and the Poltava Bandurist Capella
Poltava Bandurist Capella
The Poltava Bandurist Capella was vocal-instrumental ensemble who accompanied themselves on the multi-stringed Ukrainian bandura. It was initially established in February 1925, based on a male church choir who sang in the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Cathedral in Poltava under the direction of...
were brought together to form a new Combined Bandurist Capella
Combined Bandurist Capella
The Combined Kiev Bandurist Capella, also known as the Ukrainian State Exemplary Bandurist Capella, was a Ukrainian bandurist ensemble in the Soviet Union which existed from 1935 to 1941, until it was disbanded due to World War II....
.
In 1937 another turn in national politics took place. Harassment and arrests started once again. Some bandurists were arrested and a significant number were executed. At the outset of WWII most Soviet musical collectives continued to function giving concerts for the troupes. The Combined Bandurist Capella was however once again disbanded and the members mobilized to the German-Soviet front. A significant number of its members needlessly died in the first few days of the war at the front because of lack of military preparation.
World War II and formation
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, attempts were made to re-establish a professional bandurist capella in Kiev by bandurist D. Chernenko. From a number of bandurists who had survived the initial Nazi invasion, a group was formed, initially directed by Hryhory Nazarenko
Hryhory Nazarenko
Hryhory Pavlovych Nazarenko was a bandura player....
. In the spring of 1941 it applied to the Kiev City Council for permission to have Taras Shevchenko
Taras Shevchenko
Taras Hryhorovych Shevchenko -Life:Born into a serf family of Hryhoriy Ivanovych Shevchenko and Kateryna Yakymivna Shevchenko in the village of Moryntsi, of Kiev Governorate of the Russian Empire Shevchenko was orphaned at the age of eleven...
as its patron. In time the artistic directorship was transferred to Hryhory Kytasty
Hryhory Kytasty
Hryhoriy Trokhymovych Kytasty was a Ukrainian émigré composer and conductor. In 2008 he was honored with the Hero of Ukraine state decoration.- Early years :Hryhory Kytasty was born in the town of Kobeliaky, Poltava oblast...
with his arrival. The capella toured areas around Kiev and parts of Western Ukraine.
In 1942 the Capella made up of seventeen bandurists left Kiev for a tour of Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. Initially, however, it was interned as a group into a forced labor camp in Hamburg. After numerous representations, the group was released after 5 months incarceration to be used by the Nazis as a morale booster, performing for the Ukrainian OST-Arbeiter
OST-Arbeiter
OST-Arbeiter was a designation for slave workers gathered from Eastern Europe to do forced labor in Germany during World War II. The Ostarbeiters were mostly from the territory of Reichskommissariat Ukraine . Ukrainians made up the largest portion although many Belarusians, Russians, Poles and...
s (slave-workers from the East) in German work camps.
At the end of the war, the Capella found itself in Regensberg
Regensberg
Regensberg is a municipality in the district of Dielsdorf in the canton of Zurich in Switzerland. It is located just to the west of Dielsdorf, on a ridge of the Lägern .-History:...
.
In order to strengthen the artistry of the capella, Volodymyr Bozhyk, an opera conductor trained in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, was invited to become co-conductor. Bozhyk conscripted a number of trained singers and the Capella was transformed from a bandurist capella (where all its members played the bandura) into a bandurist chorus (where only some performers played the bandura).
The chorus continued for a period of time to perform throughout Germany after the war for the many internees living in the displaced peoples (D.P.) camps.
United States
In 1958 the Chorus toured Europe giving concerts in Spain, France, Switzerland, Germany, Holland, Sweden, Denmark, Belgium and England. Despite the highly successful reviews of the Chorus's performances, the tour was not an economic success. As a result, it was not able to return to a fully professional status. The Chorus was left in substantial debt and the conductors Volodymyr Bozhyk and Hryhory Kytasty
Hryhory Kytasty
Hryhoriy Trokhymovych Kytasty was a Ukrainian émigré composer and conductor. In 2008 he was honored with the Hero of Ukraine state decoration.- Early years :Hryhory Kytasty was born in the town of Kobeliaky, Poltava oblast...
both left the group after the tour.
The debt was paid off almost single-handedly by the Chorus's manager Peter Honcharenko who also kept the Chorus intact as a viable performing ensemble.
The early 1960s saw a potential crisis in the artistic leadership of the group. This was overcome by the administrative genius of Peter Honcharenko who sought other conductors and saw to it that the group was able to survive this period finding a new purpose promoting Ukrainian music, primarily to the many Ukrainian community enclaves in North America.
In 1968 Hryhory Kytasty
Hryhory Kytasty
Hryhoriy Trokhymovych Kytasty was a Ukrainian émigré composer and conductor. In 2008 he was honored with the Hero of Ukraine state decoration.- Early years :Hryhory Kytasty was born in the town of Kobeliaky, Poltava oblast...
returned to the artistic directorship of the Chorus. With new-found energy he enriched the repertoire of the ensemble with new compositions and arrangements and trained a new generation of bandurists. A new and successful self-funding formula was developed by the chorus' manager. The capella would regularly, usually yearly, release a new record and go on tour promoting the recording, alternating from east or west coasts of North America. In 1981, the Chorus under the direction of H. Kytasty toured Australia.
Hryhory Kytasty
Hryhoriy Trokhymovych Kytasty was a Ukrainian émigré composer and conductor. In 2008 he was honored with the Hero of Ukraine state decoration.- Early years :Hryhory Kytasty was born in the town of Kobeliaky, Poltava oblast...
in 1984, the artistic direction of the Chorus was taken over by Wolodymyr Kolesnyk, who had recently defected from Ukraine where he had been the director of the Kiev Opera
Kiev Opera
The Kiev Opera group was formally established in the summer of 1867, and is the third oldest in Ukraine, after Odessa Opera and Lviv Opera. Today, the Kiev Opera Company performs at the National Opera House of Ukraine named after Taras Shevchenko in Kiev....
. Kolesnyk elevated the Chorus to a new professional level in vocal and instrumental performance. Under his directorship the Chorus toured Ukraine twice in 1991 and 1993.
Oleh Mahlay
Oleh Mahlay
Oleh Mahlay - American violinist, pianist, bandurist, choral conductor and lawyer of Ukrainian ethnicity. Mahlay has made a significant contribution to Ukrainian emigre music, primarily through his work with the Ukrainian bandura and the Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus.-Biography:Born in Cleveland,...
took over the artistic directorship of the Chorus in 1996, becoming the youngest artistic director in the Chorus' history. Under his leadership the Chorus toured Ukraine twice, as well as North America and Europe and re-energizied the membership. His numerous recordings with the Chorus include a Christmas repertoire, a Divine Liturgy, and Hryhory Kytasty's "Battle of Konotop". Mahlay also has continued to be involved with the Kobzarska Sich
Kobzarska Sich
Kobzarska Sich is a summer music camp devoted to learning bandura and Ukrainian choral music. Kobzarska Sich is held every August at All Saints Camp in Emlenton, Pennsylvania...
Bandura Camps in Emlenton, Pennsylvania which are sponsored by the UBC.
Adrian Bryttan became the Chorus' artistic director in 2008-2010.
Conductors
- Hryhoriy Nazarenko (1942) Formally the youngest member the Poltava Bandurist CapellaPoltava Bandurist CapellaThe Poltava Bandurist Capella was vocal-instrumental ensemble who accompanied themselves on the multi-stringed Ukrainian bandura. It was initially established in February 1925, based on a male church choir who sang in the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Cathedral in Poltava under the direction of...
(from 1925), and later concertmaster of the Combined Bandurist CapellaCombined Bandurist CapellaThe Combined Kiev Bandurist Capella, also known as the Ukrainian State Exemplary Bandurist Capella, was a Ukrainian bandurist ensemble in the Soviet Union which existed from 1935 to 1941, until it was disbanded due to World War II....
formed in Kiev in 1935 - he initiated the formation of the Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus and in particular the use of Taras ShevchenkoTaras ShevchenkoTaras Hryhorovych Shevchenko -Life:Born into a serf family of Hryhoriy Ivanovych Shevchenko and Kateryna Yakymivna Shevchenko in the village of Moryntsi, of Kiev Governorate of the Russian Empire Shevchenko was orphaned at the age of eleven...
as its patron. He was its first director for the first 3 concerts in Kiev and ZhytomyrZhytomyrZhytomyr is a city in the North of the western half of Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Zhytomyr Oblast , as well as the administrative center of the surrounding Zhytomyr Raion...
. When Hryhory KytastyHryhory KytastyHryhoriy Trokhymovych Kytasty was a Ukrainian émigré composer and conductor. In 2008 he was honored with the Hero of Ukraine state decoration.- Early years :Hryhory Kytasty was born in the town of Kobeliaky, Poltava oblast...
, who was the assistant conductor of the Combined Kiev Bandurist Capella joined, the directorship was transferred to him. Nazarenko became assistant conductor until he left the Chorus with the Honcharenko brothers to form the Leontovych Bandura Chorus in 1946. - Hryhory KytastyHryhory KytastyHryhoriy Trokhymovych Kytasty was a Ukrainian émigré composer and conductor. In 2008 he was honored with the Hero of Ukraine state decoration.- Early years :Hryhory Kytasty was born in the town of Kobeliaky, Poltava oblast...
(1942–45, 1945-47 co-conductor, 46-48, 49-50, 1953-55 co-conductor, 58 co-conductor, 68-84) Member of Kiev Bandurist Capella from 1935. Assistant conductor of the Combined Kiev Bandura Capella from 1937. - Volodymyr Bozhyk (1945–47, 50-52, 53-55 co-conductor, 56-57, 58 co-conductor) From 1945-47 co-director and co-conductor with Hryhory Kytasty. He was invited to become co-conductor of the Capella if he could add his singers to the chorus. Conductor from 1950-52. Co-conductor 1953-58.
- Petro Potapenko (1959—61), conductor. Assistants: Ye Ciura and I. Kytastyj
- Ivan Zadorozhny (1962), conductor
- Ivan Kytasty (1963), co-conductor. Conducted the Capella in 1963
- Yevhen Ciura (1963)
- Petro Potapenko (1959—60,61,65), conductor. Assistants: Ye. Ciura and I. Kytasty
- Ivan Zadorozhny (1962, 65—6), conducted. Assistant: Ye Ciura
- Ivan Kytasty and Yevhen Ciura (1967). Co-conductors
- Hryhory KytastyHryhory KytastyHryhoriy Trokhymovych Kytasty was a Ukrainian émigré composer and conductor. In 2008 he was honored with the Hero of Ukraine state decoration.- Early years :Hryhory Kytasty was born in the town of Kobeliaky, Poltava oblast...
(1968—83) - Yevhen Ciura (1984). Concert in Windsor
- Wolodymyr Kolesnyk (1984—1996)
- Oleh MahlayOleh MahlayOleh Mahlay - American violinist, pianist, bandurist, choral conductor and lawyer of Ukrainian ethnicity. Mahlay has made a significant contribution to Ukrainian emigre music, primarily through his work with the Ukrainian bandura and the Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus.-Biography:Born in Cleveland,...
(1996—2008) - Adrian Bryttan (2008-2009)
- Bohdan Heryavenko (2010-Present)