Ukrainian violoncellist is moving force at San Marcos Chamber Music Society
LAKE SAN MARCOS, Calif. - An eminent musician of Ukrainian descent, violoncellist Gregory Bemko, and his wife, concert pianist Yoshiko Niyya, have enjoyed distinguished careers both as soloists and as a husband-and-wife team. Both are Juilliard allumni who, at the height of their careers toured the United States and Europe as a cello-piano duo.
Upon retirement in 1989, after a 40-year career span, Mr. Bemko, acting upon the couple's commitment to the promotion of fine music, founded the San Marcos Chamber Music Society. Since its inception, the society has had the support of California State University in the person of university president Dr. William Stacy.
Due to their efforts, the North San Diego County community and environs, as well as devotees from Los Angeles and San Diego, have been able to enjoy performances by world-class artists.
Among invited performers to the society's concert series have been leading Ukrainian musicians, among them; conductor and violinist Adrian Bryttan, violinist Oleh Krysa, pianist Mykola Suk, cellist Natalia Khoma. Engaged for the first concert of the 1997 season is pianist Volodymyr Vynnytsky.
Mr. Bemko was born in New York City, son of Ukrainian immigrants from western Ukraine.
His father, Stefan Bemko, came to this country on his own in 1903 at the age of 17, went into business and did well. As an active member of the Ukrainian community, he served as church deacon of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in West Islip, Long Island, for more than five decades, and was a delegate to the Ukrainian National Association convention in Chicago. Along with his wife, he was a member in the early 1920s of the Ukrainian Dramatic Society of New York which was based in the Ukrainian National Home.
Mr. Bemko's mother, Tekla Ratushny, came to America with her family at age 12.
Mr. Bemko studied at the Juilliard School as a fellowship holder with Felix Salmond. He also held scholarships with eminent violoncellists Joseph Schuster, principal violoncellist of the New York Philharmonic, and Maurice Eisenberg, an independent concert violoncellist and later, professor at Juilliard. Mr. Bemko also studied with the legendary violoncellist Pablo Casals in France.
During World War II, he set his career aside to serve as an attack bomber pilot in the 9th Air Force. He was a member of the bombardment group that led the invasion of Europe on D-Day.
After the war, Mr. Bemko resumed his musical career, becoming principal violoncellist with the Denver Symphony in 1946, and subsequently with the San Diego Symphony. He also was instructor of violoncello at Denver University and at Occidenntal College in Los Angeles.
At the height of his career, Mr. Bemko appeared in recital and as soloist in North America and with the world's leading orchestras, conducted, among others, by Sir Thomas Beecham, Igor Stravinsky and Leopold Stokowski.
His performances were reviewed in the American and foreign press, among them, die Weltpresse of Vienna; Het Laatse Niews, Brussels; Tagesanzeiger, Zurich; Het Parool, Amsterdam; and, Der Abend, Berlin.
This past May, Mr. Bemko was honored on the occasion of his 80th birthday anniversary with a concert by the Lake San Marcos Chamber Music Society of which he is the founder and artistic director. Among the distinguished performers were Korean violinist E-Jung, Canadian violist Annemarie Moorcroft, Ukrainian violoncellist Natalia Khoma, and, in his fourth appearance, Ukrainian pianist Mykola Suk.
Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, January 12, 1997, No. 2, Vol. LXV
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