Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus

The Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus ( _uk. Українська Капела Бандуристів ім. Т. Г. Шевченка; full name: "Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus of T. H. Shevchenko in Detroit") 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.

History

Some sources trace the history of the Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus back to the formation of the first Kyiv Bandurist Capella in Kyiv in 1918; however, the history of the Kyiv Bandurist Capella had many 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 Kyiv in 1941.

Pre-history

The Kyiv Bandurist Capella was originally established in August 1918 by bandura virtuoso V. Yemetz with 8 bandurists. It was then known as the "Kobzar Choir" and gave its first performance on November 3, 1918. The situation in Kyiv was very unstable and it 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 were from the original "Kobzar Choir". During a brief period of Ukrainianization the Capella became extremely popular, however, in the 1930's 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 Kyiv Bandurist Capella again ceased to exist after its members had not received any pay for 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 rethought, as little was now left to show off any development in Ukrainian culture during the Soviet period. In March 1935 the remaining members of the Kyiv Bandurist Capella and the Poltava Bandurist Capella were brought together to form a new Combined Bandurist Capella. In 1937 another turn in national politics could be observed. Harassment and arrests started once again. Some bandurists were arrested and then executed. At the outset of WWII the Combined Bandurist Capella was once again disbanded and the members mobilized to the German-Soviet front. Many members of the Kyiv Capella died at the front because of lack of military preparation.

World War II and formation

During the Nazi occupation of Ukraine, attempts were made to re-establish a professional bandurist capella in Kyiv. From a number of bandurists who had survived the initial Nazi invasion, a group was formed, initially led by Hryhory Nazarenko. In the spring of 1941 it applied to the Kyiv City Council for permission to have Taras Shevchenko as its patron. The artistic directorship was transferred to Hryhory Kytasty with his arrival. The capella toured areas around Kyiv and parts of Western Ukraine.

In 1942 the Capella made up of seventeen bandurists left Kyiv 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 and used by the Nazis as a morale booster, performing for the Ukrainian OST-Arbeiters (slave-workers from the East) in Germany 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 into a chorus. Whereas in a bandurist capella each singer played the bandura, in a bandurist chorus only half the players played the bandura, accompanying a choir of non-bandurists. The chorus continued to perform in Germany after the war for the many internees of the displaced peoples (D.P.) camps.

United States

In 1949 the Chorus emigrated to the United States, settling 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 1960's 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 in the West.

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. Each year the capella would release a record and go on tour to either the east coast or the west coast of North America. In 1981 the Chorus toured Australia.

After the passing of Hryhory Kytasty the Chorus direction was taken over by V. Kolesnyk, previously the director of the Kyiv Opera. Kolesnyk continued the legacy of Hryhory Kytasty and elevated the chorus up to a new professional level in vocal performance. Under his directorship the Chorus toured Ukraine twice in 1991 and 1993.

O. Mahlay took over the artistic directorship of the Chorus in 1996. Under his leadership the Chorus has toured Ukraine twice, and Europe and released numerous recordings.

Conductors

* Hryhoriy Nazarenko (1942) Formally the youngest member the Poltava Bandurist Capella (from 1925), and later concertmaster of the Combined Bandurist Capella formed in Kyiv in 1935 - he initiated the formation of the Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus and in particular the use of Taras Shevchenko as its patron. He was its first director for the first 3 concerts in Kyiv and Zhytomyr. When Hryhory Kytasty who was the assistant conductor of the Combined Kyiv Bandurist Capella joined, the directorship was transferred over to him. Nazarenko became assistant conductor until he left the chorus with the Honcharenko brothers to form the Leontovych Bandura Chorus.
* Hryhory Kytasty (1942-45, 1945-47 co-conductor, 46-48, 49-50, 1953-55 co-conductor, 58 co-conductor, 68-84) Member of Kyiv Bandurist Capella from 1935. Assistant conductor of the Combined Kyiv 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 Zadorozhnyj (1962), conductor
* Ivan Kytastyj (1963), co-conductor. Conducted the Capella in 1963
* Ye. Ciura (1963)
* Petro Potapenko (1959—60,61,65), conductor. Assistants: Ye. Ciura and I. Kytasty
* Ivan Zadorozhnyi (1962,65—6), conducted. Assistant: Ye Ciura
* Ivan Kytasty and Ye Ciura (1967). Co-conductors
* H. T. Kytasty (1968—83)
* Yevhen Ciura (1984). Concert in Windsor
* Wolodymyr Kolesnyk (1984—1996)
* Oleh Mahlay (1996—2008)
* Adrian Bryttan (2008- )

References

* Kozak, S. Triumf Kapely Banduristiv imeni Tarase Shevchenka // Literature Ukraine – 11.VII.1991
* Kolesnyk, V. Kapela banduristiv im. T.H.Shevchenka // Music, 1991 №5 - P. 24-25
* Kostiuk, O. Srok rokiv z im’iam velykoho kovzaria v sertsi // Visti, №7, December 1963, Minneapolis, USA - P. 9-13
* Panasenko, Iy. Do istorii rozvytku Kapely banduristiv im. T. Shevchenka (1923-1963) // Visti, №7, December, 1963 - P. 14-20
* Samchuk, U. Zhyvi struny // Detroit, USA, 1976 - P. 468.
* Holovaschenko, M. Bravo, bandurysty // Culture and life, 15.VII.1991.
* Holovaschenko, M. Z pisneiu i Ukrayinoiu v sertsi // Culture and life, 1.II.1992.
* Honcharenko, P. Kapelia Bandurystiv pered kontsertom u Vashingtoni // Novyi Shliakh, Toronto, Canada. № 42, 15.X.1988

External links

* [http://www.bandura.org/index.htm Official site]