The
Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus elects Adrian Bryttan
as new Artistic Director and Conductor
Detroit – At a special
membership meeting held on May 31st in Cleveland,
Ohio, the Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus membership
elected Adrian Bryttan its seventh conductor
in North America since 1949. Maestro Bryttan
will begin his term on July 1, 2008.
In November
of 2007, Oleh Mahlay announced to the UBC membership
that he will be stepping down as the Conductor
and Artistic Director in order to spend more
time with family. At that time, a Conductor
Search Committee was formed and included the
following UBC members: Ihor Kusznir, Committee
Chairman and current UBC Assistant Conductor;
Anatoli W. Murha, committee Secretary and current
UBC President; George Metulynsky, Michael Serdiuk,
Orest Sklierenko, John Zinchuk and Roman Beley.
Over
a period of six months, the search committee
implemented a communication plan and the search
was conducted based on recommendations and best
practices as suggested by the American Symphony
Orchestra League, Chorus America and other similar
cultural organizations. The initial search for
a conductor looked at potential candidates throughout
the USA, Canada and Ukraine. A select number
of candidates were contacted, all of whom were
honored to be considered for the position. Candidates
were given a detailed job description and asked
to submit a resume. Upon committee review of
the resumes, interviews were held with potential
candidates in various cities. All candidates
were rated based on a detailed list of criteria.
Following the interviews, a select number of
candidates were invited to participate in a
working session with the UBC. After each session,
UBC members were asked to fill out an evaluation
form for each conductor; these results were
compiled and considered by the committee in
the decision making process.
Ihor
Kusznir is quoted with, "The search process
revealed several highly qualified candidates.
The committee had a challenging task at hand
and felt Maestro Bryttan was the best fit for
this incredible responsibility. Our committee
recommended Bryttan but the ultimate decision
was left to the UBC membership." Per the
UBC by-laws, the active membership must elect
a Conductor with two-thirds majority vote.
When
first asked about the prospect of working with
the UBC, Bryttan emphasized, "The impact
of the UBC resonates far beyond just musical
concerts. We have a golden opportunity to reach
wider audiences and make new influential and
helpful friends. Together we need to be image-builders
for the Ukrainian spiritual and cultural heritage."
“My
priority will be to reach American public and
mainstream media audiences by widening the repertoire
to include international and contemporary composers.
A major part of my efforts will consequently
be devoted to the visual and production aspects
of our concerts”, Bryttan explained.
"The
UBC is a unique musical ensemble and I intend
to continue cultivating our rich heritage of
kobzari and bandurysty music. The central core
of our repertoire will be devoted, as always,
to the best in the traditional and contemporary
Ukrainian dumas, ballads, folk songs and instrumental
compositions. This is what we are about. At
the same time, it can be effective to steer
the concerts towards more variety. Possibilities
will include more showcasing of the bandura
as an improvised solo performance along with
specialized smaller ensembles."
Adrian
Bryttan, a resident of New York, New
York, enjoys an international career as violin
soloist as well as conductor. He performed the
Alban Berg violin concerto as winner of the
Concerto Competition at the Manhattan School
of Music and was also the first recipient of
the Pablo Casals Award “for musical accomplishment
and human endeavor”.
At the
podium, Mr. Bryttan’s extensive symphonic
repertoire encompasses world premiere performances
of symphonic compositions and operas. He has
been engaged to lead new productions at the
Chicago Opera Theater, New Haven and New Rochelle
Operas, and the John Brownlee Opera Theater.
He has appeared with Sinfonia Varsovia in Warsaw,
Theater Bielefeld in Germany, the Seoul Philharmonic
in Korea and in numerous televised performances
with the Lviv Philharmonic, Lviv Opera and Kharkiv
Opera in Ukraine. His latest CD recording is
Händel's "Acis and Galatea" with
the Warsaw Chamber Symphony. Recently Classical
New Jersey praised his conducting of Wagner’s
“Die Walküre” as “brilliant
and masterful...could have emerged from any
orchestra pit in the world with honor.”
In 2005
and 2006 Adrian Bryttan was appointed a Fulbright
International Scholar and assigned to Ukraine
where he introduced such contemporary symphonic
compositions like Ginastera's ballet suite from
"Estancia", the Britten "Four
Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes", William
Grant Still's "Panamanian Dances",
compositions by Gunther Schuller, contemporary
Chinese composers and "Big Band Sounds"
and other jazz works for orchestra. During his
tenure in Ukraine, he worked with professional
symphonies, opera theaters, musical conservatories,
and lectured at universities, museums, and film
societies.
Mr. Bryttan
has served as conductor and violinist on the
music faculties at Memphis State, Kansas State
and Notre Dame Universities and most recently,
Vassar College. He has been invited to conduct
operatic and symphonic performances at Rutgers
University and the Manhattan School of Music.
UBC President
Anatoli Murha had the following to say, "The
UBC is fortunate to find such a highly qualified
conductor to lead us towards our 100th anniversary.
The UBC not only represents itself and its work,
but represents Ukraine, Ukrainian culture and
music, and Ukrainians around the world. I feel
very strongly that Maestro Bryttan understands
our mission andI look forward to working with
him.
KONOTOP
"…traveling
to you the long, hard road from the past; from
the blue-skied days, when Kozak power ruled,
days of valor and glory, and bravery untold."
From poem about the
Battle of Konotop by Petro Karpenko –
Krynycia
The Story
In the summer of 1659, Konotop, a town in the
northeastern region of Ukraine, was besieged
for three months by the army of Prince Trubetsky
in the midst of the Ukrainian-Muscovite war.
Utilizing folk melodies,
operatic techniques, and poignant instrumental
passages, Hryhory Kytasty is able to convey
the tragedy of the war, along with the triumph
of the Ukrainian Army over the Muscovites in
this epic piece of music.
Recording
During the Spring and Summer months of 2008,
the UBC is in the studio recording Hryhory Kytasty's
legendary "Battle of Konotop." Most
recently, Konotop was featured during the Chorus'
"Bandura – The Soul of Ukraine"
tour in October 2007.
In addition to Konotop,
this recording will feature new selections from
the UBC's vast repertoire.
The recording
ensemble at the May session outside of SUMA
Recording Studio in Painesville, Ohio
Become a Sponsor
Take center stage by becoming a sponsor of this
recording.
It is through the generosity of donors like
you that the UBC can continue to spread Ukrainian
history, culture and music around the world.
See below to download
a sponsor form.
Sponsor
Form - English
Sponsor
Form - Ukrainian
Pictures
from the May recording session
