We had front row balcony seats and could take pictures without flash.
The following comes from the group's website:
National Honored Chorus of Bandura-Players of Ukraine named after H.I.Mayboroda is a male vocal-instrumental ensemble that accompanies its singing with the playing of the multi-stringed Ukrainian folk instrument known as the bandura. The group was initially known as the Kobzar Choir and was established in August 1918. The bandura is a peculiarly Ukrainian instrument. Actually, it is no longer just an instrument, but an embodiment and a symbol of the soul and word of a Ukrainian.
From another website:
The Chorus’ history rapidly evolved into a turbulent one. The ideals of the bandurist - God, truth, freedom, and human dignity heralded through song - were a threat to the then-newly formed Soviet Union. Under Joseph Stalin’s rule, artists and intellectuals were arrested, exiled or executed in an attempt to eradicate every remnant of Ukrainian culture. In the years that followed the Chorus was exploited and persecuted by both the Soviets and the Nazis.
(After WWII many of the Chorus’ members emigrated from refugee camps to the United States. Eventually the Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus was formed in Detroit! In googling, this US group was often the one that came up!)
The Bandura Chous in Kyiv continued, under duress, until Ukrainian independence. Now they give concerts and travel and are the National Honored Chorus of Ukraine!
The Chorus’ history rapidly evolved into a turbulent one. The ideals of the bandurist - God, truth, freedom, and human dignity heralded through song - were a threat to the then-newly formed Soviet Union. Under Joseph Stalin’s rule, artists and intellectuals were arrested, exiled or executed in an attempt to eradicate every remnant of Ukrainian culture. In the years that followed the Chorus was exploited and persecuted by both the Soviets and the Nazis.
(After WWII many of the Chorus’ members emigrated from refugee camps to the United States. Eventually the Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus was formed in Detroit! In googling, this US group was often the one that came up!)
The Bandura Chous in Kyiv continued, under duress, until Ukrainian independence. Now they give concerts and travel and are the National Honored Chorus of Ukraine!
I loved the costumes and the look of the members. The program began with an impassioned reading by this man. Unfortunately for us everything was in Ukrainian, so we didn't understand. Sis Serdyuk, who introduced us to the bandura, made us aware of this concert and helped get us tickets, told us all of songs were "heroic" in nature.
This duo looked and sounded great. The person on the right is a friend of Sis. Serduk.
Besides those playing their banduras and singing, there were also some additional instrumentalists. They had been sitting to the right, but here they were showcased in several instrumental pieces.
I captured a few selections as video. Hope you enjoy them. (The audio is better than the video quality)
