AN APPRECIATION: Remembering bandurist/choir director Roman Lewycky

by George Z. Lewycky and Nila Marie Gerus

PERTH AMBOY, N.J. - Following a brief illness, Roman Lewycky passed away on October 28, 2000, at the age of 92. The funeral took place in South Bound Brook, N.J., on October 31, with services conducted by the Revs. Roman Dubycky, Augustine Molodovetz, Paul Labinsky and Paul Makar in Perth Amboy, N.J., at the Ukrainian Catholic Church of the Assumption.

The choir which the decased had conducted for 30 years, sang beautifully under the direction of George Shevchuk.

Surviving are Mr. Lewycky's wife, Irene; children, grandchildren and a great grandson. He had been a co-bandurist of recently deceased Petro Honcharenko and of Volodymyr Yurkevych.

Mr. Lewycky was born in Rohachyn in 1908. After his father, a priest, died, he was placed in an orphanage under the care of Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky. He was musically gifted and, despite difficulties, finished Krakow University. He taught in the Ridna Shkola in Yavoriv and Sambir, and in 1940-1944 taught music in the Ukrainian Seminary in Krynytsia.

Mr. Lewycky emigrated to Germany where he taught the Hirshburg Theological Seminary. He also taught music and directed choirs in the displaced persons camps.

He left a treasured collection of records and tapes of his choirs and himself singing some of the songs, as well as two published books, and many published and unpublished articles, stories and humorous pieces.

Several years ago he wrote the following in Svoboda under the headline "Nebelytsi Dida Palanytsi":

"Do you remember me, an old bandurist who, like Shevchenko's Perebendia, almost blind, dragged himself everywhere. Do you remember me, director of church choirs in New York (St. George's Church), and Elizabeth and Perth Amboy, N.J.? Do you still remember me, teacher of bandura at Soyuzivka, the New York Music Institute, Jersey City, South Bound Brook, Whippany and Perth Amboy? Do you remember me, dear reader of Nash Holos, as your writer Batih?

"Do you remember me, director of larger and smaller ensembles of bandurists with whom I traveled all over America and Canada performing at concerts, festivals, banquets? Have you forgotten me, director of youth choirs at Soyuzivka and SUMivka, at summer camps where there were over 150 choir members? Do you remember me, long-time emcee during vacation times at Soyuzivka?

"Do you remember me, dear ones, fellow members of the Shevchenko Bandurists Kapelle? Do you remember me, friends, members of the choirs Vatra, Dumka, the combined choruses in Philadelphia and New York? I sang with you. 'Bulo Kolys.' Do you remember me as director of the Metropolitan Choir of the Ukrainian Youth League? Do you remember me, Ukrainian Opera companies in New York under Levko Reinarovych and the opera company with the beautiful soloist Halyna Andreadis? Do you remember me, dear bandurists of the School of Bandura who, like me, sang and this way were encouraged to sing and not just play bandura? From this you created a beautiful ensemble, Homin Stepiv (Echo of the Steppes).

"Do you remember me, dear choir members of North Port in Florida? I did not forget that I promised to return to you. Do you remember me, dear young beautiful actor of the Lidia Krushelnytska drama studio when I performed with you in the role of Kobzar? Do you remember me parishioners in Elizabeth, Perth Amboy, Carteret, New Brunswick and Newark when I sang in your churches at weddings, funerals, molebens and masses?

"...You probablv have fogotten, because this was during over 40 years of my busy life in the free land of Washington."

* * *

We, your family, will never forget the beautiful person you were and how blessed we were to have you. You will always live in our hearts.

George Z. Lewycky and Nila Marie Gerus are son and daughter of Roman Lewycky.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, January 14, 2001, No. 2, Vol. LXIX

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