As the song goes, “Cherez tu banduru, bandurystom stav” (Because of the bandura, I became a bandura player). That led me to three fantastic experiences while in Kyiv in early June.
First let me explain the context. I started to play the bandura at age 12, taught in Cleveland by the venerable Hryhory Kytasty. In my teens and 20s I played in the Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus and the ensemble Homin Stepiv, and taught bandura at countless courses and summer camps. I even finished a couple of music degrees – in music theory and choral conducting.
But life had its way of taking me away from that scene – ironically when I moved to Ukraine and lived there in the 1990s. Then and since, work –mainly in charitable foundations – and family occupied all my time. However, the past few years have given me the opportunity to move back into the Ukrainian music world, somewhat. When my children started going to summer bandura camps six years ago, I went along.
As I used to do decades earlier, I not only teach but write arrangements for bandura ensembles. While traditional repertoire is necessary and valuable, I also believe that it is good for young bandurists to learn some contemporary pieces. And since I’m an avid fan of modern Ukrainian rock and hip hop, I’ve adapted and arranged several pieces performed by Ukrainian rock musicians. I’ve always asked their permission, and they have always graciously given it.
Roman Makohon, leader of Voanerges.
That is how I got the chance to sit down and chat with the lead singers of two of my favorite Ukrainian rock bands – Serhiy Vasyliuk from Tin’ Sontsia (www.sunshadow.com.ua) and Roman Makohon from Voanerges (www.voanerges.net). Both ensembles perform exclusively in Ukrainian (well, Tin’ Sontsia sometimes sings in Belarusian, and Voanerges sometimes throws in some Old Slavonic), both performed on the Maidan during the Revolution of Dignity, both have performed for Ukrainian soldiers in the anti-terrorist operation’s (ATO) war zone.
Serhiy grew up in Kyiv, in a Russian-speaking household, learning Ukrainian in school but not using it too often. He told me the story of how he ran into a long-haired (he was at the time) rocker like himself around 2000 on Kyiv’s Independence Square. The rocker was Russian and made some snide comment about language. Serhiy said his Ukrainian pride took over, and he responded to the Russian rocker in Ukrainian. A bilingual conversation ensued, and they even went for coffee later and talked about music for several hours. Serhiy says he concluded that, if the Russian rocker could understand Ukrainian, all the more could his Russian-speaking friends in Kyiv. From that time on, he speaks exclusively Ukrainian in Ukraine.
Serhiy never had any formal musical training, although you wouldn’t know it by listening to Tin’ Sontsia’s music. He composes most of the songs, both music and text, himself. The music is mainly good old hard rock (akin to Metallica), with a full sound, delightful variability, meaningful lyrics and what really attracts me: the use of the bandura in practically every song. (The group also uses a violin in addition to the usual electric guitars and drums.) The bandura’s unique sound blends in organically – it’s not simply a folkloric add-on.
Roman grew up in Volochysk, a small industrial town in the Khmelnytska Oblast. He moved to Kyiv to study music and never left. After finishing the Kyiv National University of Culture and Art, in addition to playing at various clubs as a jazz pianist and accordion for a Ukrainian government agency band, he started making some additional money by playing at one of Kyiv’s evangelical churches. Roman told me that he was baptized Orthodox and at first didn’t pay much attention to the religious aspect, and was even extremely skeptical. But after a lot of listening, reading and reflection, he began to be much more deliberate about living his deepening Christian faith.
In time, he stopped working for churches and organized a few fellow musicians to form the group Voanerges – which means “Sons of Thunder” and is the nickname given by Jesus to the Apostle brothers James and John. Their musical style is mainly ethno-folk rock. On their website, they define themselves as “Neofolk = gospel + world + ethno + rock + funk + rap + hip + hop!”, and they add: “…we are musicians who love God, Ukraine and Ukrainians.” Without being preachy, their music celebrates God, Christ and the Bible, and lyrics often hearken back to Ancient Rus. They use a variety of modern electronic and reconstructed antique folk instruments – including a lira, but with an electronic keyboard, that Roman plays. The sound is exciting, engaging, truly unique and quintessentially Ukrainian. No banduras – but they do use a “starovynna” (antiquated) kobza.
My third experience came after having dinner with Taras Yanitskiy, whom I met last summer when he came to teach at Kobzarska Sich, a bandura camp in Pennsylvania. Taras is a true virtuoso, one of the best bandurists in the world. Besides performing, he teaches at the Kyiv National University of Culture and Arts. During our dinner conversation I learned much from him about good pedagogical approaches in teaching bandura (listen to https://youtu.be/9TpvPpiXyNc).
In Kyiv (from left): Mykola Deychakiwsky, Liudmyla Yanitska and Taras Yanitskiy.
But the real treat came due to his wife, Liudmyla, joining us after her rehearsal was done. Turns out she’s a member of the Kyiv Chamber Choir that had toured North America recently (since they didn’t perform in Detroit, I missed them). Liuda invited me to observe a rehearsal the following day. I could only spare a little time between work meetings, but for about 30 minutes I was in heaven. This is truly a world-class choir – the voices are fantastic and the choral blend is amazing (here are a couple samples: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emT57WPqsf4 and https://youtu.be/VM0iyyqesXI). Watching the masterful director Mykola Hobdych run a rehearsal was a delight all by itself.
I encourage you to explore the works of Tin’ Sontsia, Voanerges, Taras Yanitskiy and the Kyiv Chamber Choir. And if you want to have some great experiences and learn bandura, there are several bandura camps this summer. One at Bobriwka in Connecticut has just ended; another is finishing up at the ODUM Camp in London, Ontario, on July 16. After that, the next ones will be in Emlenton, Pa. (Kobzarska Sich) on August 5-19 ([email protected]) and at the UNF Sokil Campground in Hawkestone, Ontario, on August 20-27 ([email protected]). Or at least come to listen to the final shows, usually performed on the last day of the camp.
You never know what may happen to you “cherez tu banduru.”