Barvinsky Project reports results of centennial commemorations (11/24/96)

Barvinsky Project reports results of centennial commemorations

CRANFORD, N.J. - A decade ago, a trio of musicians, namely organist and pianist Michael Grill (Munich), pianist and educator Marta Shlemkevych-Sawycky, and media specialist/music scholar Roman Sawycky Jr. decided to mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of the distinguished Ukrainian composer, pianist and educator Vasyl Barvinsky (1888-1963).

After a successful interview in the offices of Svoboda and The Ukrainian Weekly (Jersey City), the resulting publicity enabled the initiators of the "Barvinsky Project" to go forward with their plans. The following events became possible after a fruitful fund-raiser.

A festive Jubilee Concert was held at the Ukrainian Institute of America, New York, on the exact day of the 100th anniversary, namely February 20, 1988. The program included fundamental Barvinsky works for piano, the rarely performed "Ukrainian Suite" and the world premiere of the Piano Sonata (1909-1911).
Digital stereo recordings of the "Ukrainian Suite" and the Sonata were made at the prestigious RCA Studios in New York (February 1988). These were world premiere recordings of the two works.
A series of broadcasts from WQXR, the "radio station of The New York Times" (1987-1988) was hosted by Robert Sherman, New York Times critic and executive producer at WQXR.

Following scheduling difficulties, the cassette recording of the "Ukrainian Suite" and Sonata has finally been issued, first with German text, intended for distribution in Germany and Austria. The Ukrainian and English issues will follow, along with the ultimate CD format. A special companion booklet in all languages is already being prepared.

Within the period of 1985-1995, members of the Barvinsky Project also completed the following:

a detailed and illustrated article titled "International Aspects of Vasyl Barvinsky" - published in several installments by The Ukrainian Weekly;
an entry on Barvinsky in the International Cyclopedia of Music and Musicians (10th and 11th editions, as prepared by Bruce Bohle, New York and London);
a number of transcriptions from miscellaneous compositions by Barvinsky for organ and also for chorus (performed, broadcast and recorded by a German chorus in Munich);
the discovery in 1993 of the Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in F Minor and other musical works by Barvinsky, up to now considered lost, and the return of all these works to Ukrainian publishers and concert halls.
a collection of the legacy of Barvinsky (music, recordings, writings, photographs, video programs, etc.).

Should additional funds be forthcoming, the "Barvinsky Project" could be continued with: a monographic bibliography and discography of the Barvinsky legacy (complete with editing and printing), an extensive article on the composer and his times in the noted German newspaper Die Zeit; and new recordings of works and/or re-issues of older ones.

For further information contact: The Barvinsky Project, c/o Roman Sawycky, 205 Casino Ave., Cranford, NJ 07016.