Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus
The Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus (Ukrainian: 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 Kiev Kobzar Choir by bandurist Vasyl Yemetz 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.
Pre-history
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.
World War II and formation
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-Arbeiters (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.
United States
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.
On return, the artistic directorship was assumed by the assistant conductor Petro Potapenko. 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 crisis in the artistic leadership of the group. It was difficult to find a conductor who not only could direct a chorus, but was knowledgable in Ukrainian music traditions and the bandura, and who could compose, arrange and orchetrate for such a unique group. These problems were overcome by the administrative genius of Peter Honcharenko who devised an artistic council that would delegate many of the finer tasks among the membership of the group to be lead by a professional conductor. As a result the group was able to survive this difficult period finding a new purpose for the promotion of Ukrainian music, primarily to the many Ukrainian community enclaves in North America. The establishment of a charitable foundation to help fund the activities of the chorus and the management of their own recordings also helped to once again put the group on a solid financial foundation.
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, many who had been born in North America. A new and successful self-funding formula was developed by the chorus' manager. The capella would regularly, usually bi-yearly, release a new record and go on tour promoting the recording, alternating from east or west coasts of North America. Summer music camps which focused on intensive training in bandura playng and other aspects of Ukrainian music became the Chorus's conservatory providing a constant sources of future talents for the ensemble.
In 1981, the Chorus under the direction of H. Kytasty toured Australia.
After the passing of Hryhory Kytasty in 1984, Wolodymyr Kolesnyk was invited to direct the ensemble. Kolesnyk was originally a graduate of the Kyiv conservatory in both folk instrument performance and conducting and before his defection had risen to the position of artistic director of the Kiev Opera. Kolesnyk elevated the Chorus to a new professional level in both vocal and instrumental performance. Under his directorship the Chorus toured Ukraine twice in 1991 and 1993 and received the prestigous Shevchenko award from the Ukrainian government.
In 1996 Oleh Mahlay took over the artistic directorship of the Chorus, 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" which have done much to strengthen the ensemble both financially and artistically. Mahlay also has continued to be involved with the Kobzarska Sich Bandura Camps in Emlenton, Pennsylvania which continue to be sponsored by the UBC.
Adrian Bryttan became the Chorus' artistic director in 2008-2010.
In 2011 Heryavenko, the former Chorus master of the Lviv opera was elected to the position of Artistic director until his return to Ukraine in 2012.
Conductors
- Hryhoriy Nazarenko (1942) Formally the youngest member the Poltava Bandurist Capella (from 1925), and later concertmaster of the Combined Bandurist Capella formed in Kiev 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 Kiev and Zhytomyr. When Hryhory Kytasty, 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 Kytasty (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 Kytasty (1968—83)
- Yevhen Ciura (1984). Concert in Windsor
- Wolodymyr Kolesnyk (1984—1996)
- Oleh Mahlay (1996—2008)
- Adrian Bryttan (2008-2009)
- Bohdan Heryavenko (2010-2012)
- Oleh Mahlay (2012—Present)
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