Volodymyr Bozhyk ( uk, Володимир Божик) or Walter V. Bozyk
[California Death Index]
/ref> (December 27, 1908Rava-Ruska
Rava-Ruska (, Romanization of Ukrainian, translit. ''Rava-Rus'ka''; ; , Rave) is a city in Lviv Raion, Lviv Oblast of western Ukraine. It is a border town between Ukraine and Poland. The Rava-Ruska (border checkpoint), border checkpoint is situ ...
– January 9, 1991, in Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
,Ukrainian
Ukrainian may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to Ukraine
* Something relating to Ukrainians, an East Slavic people from Eastern Europe
* Something relating to demographics of Ukraine in terms of demography and population of Ukraine
* So ...
bandurist
A banduryst ( uk, бандури́ст) is a person who plays the Ukrainian plucked string instrument known as the bandura.
Types of performers
There are a number of different types of bandurist who differ in their particular choice of instrumen ...
, choral conductor and the arranger primarily for the Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus
The Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus ( uk, Українська Капеля Бандуристів Північної Америки ім. Т. Г. Шевченка; full name: ''The Taras Shevchenko Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus of North America'') is a s ...
.
Born in Rava-Ruska
Rava-Ruska (, Romanization of Ukrainian, translit. ''Rava-Rus'ka''; ; , Rave) is a city in Lviv Raion, Lviv Oblast of western Ukraine. It is a border town between Ukraine and Poland. The Rava-Ruska (border checkpoint), border checkpoint is situ ...
what was then the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Bozhyk studied choral conducting and voice completing his studies at the Lviv Conservatory
Lviv National Musical Academy named after Mykola Lysenko ( uk, Львівська національна музична академія імені Миколи Лисенка) or informally Lviv Conservatory is a state conservatory located in Lv ...
in 1931 and Lviv University
The University of Lviv ( uk, Львівський університет, Lvivskyi universytet; pl, Uniwersytet Lwowski; german: Universität Lemberg, briefly known as the ''Theresianum'' in the early 19th century), presently the Ivan Franko Na ...
in 1935. He sang in a vocal quartet for Polish radio initially in Lviv and then moved to Warsaw
Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), officially the Capital City of Warsaw,, abbreviation: ''m.st. Warszawa'' is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland, and its population is officia ...
where conducted various choirs.
In 1940, Bozhyk became the music director of the Opera Theatre in Ivano-Frankivsk
Ivano-Frankivsk ( uk, Іва́но-Франкі́вськ, translit=Iváno-Frankívśk ), formerly Stanyslaviv ( pl, Stanisławów ; german: Stanislau), is a city located in Western Ukraine. It is the administrative centre of Ivano-Frankivsk O ...
(previously Stanislaviv). In November 1945, he was invited to co-conduct the Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus
The Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus ( uk, Українська Капеля Бандуристів Північної Америки ім. Т. Г. Шевченка; full name: ''The Taras Shevchenko Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus of North America'') is a s ...
in Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
.
In April 1949, he emigrated to the United States where he initially settled in Rochester
Rochester may refer to:
Places Australia
* Rochester, Victoria
Canada
* Rochester, Alberta
United Kingdom
*Rochester, Kent
** City of Rochester-upon-Medway (1982–1998), district council area
** History of Rochester, Kent
** HM Prison ...
and working in a bakery. He was later invited to Detroit
Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at th ...
in November 1949 to once again direct the Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus. In 1951 he recorded an album of records with the Chorus and continued to direct it until 1958.
In 1957, he toured Europe with the Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus as co-conductor with Hryhory Kytasty
Hryhoriy Trokhymovych Kytasty ( uk, Григорій Трохимович Китастий) (January 17, 1907 – April 6, 1984) was a Ukrainian émigré composer and conductor. In 2008, he was honored with the Hero of Ukraine state decoration.
...
. The tour was not a financial success and the following year he moved back to Rochester to work in a tool and die shop. In 1960, he moved to Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
where he became the choral director for the local Ukrainian Catholic Church and also directed a Ukrainian community choir known as "Kobzar".
Bozhyk's arrangements, particularly of Ukrainian Christmas Carols and Insurgent Army songs have been included in the repertoires of most Ukrainian diaspora choirs and Ukraine.
He died on January 9, 1991, in Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
.
References
*Kudrytsky, A. V. - Mystetsvo Ukrainy - Biohrafichnyi dovidnyk, K, 1997
*Volodymyr Bozhyk - Bandura #17-18, 1986.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bozyk, Walter V.
Bozhyk, Volodymyr
Bozhyk, Volodymyr
Bozhyk, Volodymyr
Bozhyk, Volodymyr
Bozhyk, Volodymyr
Bozhyk, Volodymyr
Bozyk
Lviv Conservatory alumni
20th-century conductors (music)
20th-century male musicians
Polish emigrants to the United States