Petlura: Bandura Master Makes His Mark

Yurij Petlura, a Hamilton-born university student and concertmaster with the Canadian Bandurist Capella, has recorded his first CD. Victor Mishalow, Canada’s foremost bandura expert, has praised Petlura’s playing and original compositions as being of a “very high professional quality.”  Petlura will be appearing at St. Vladimir Institute in Toronto on January 22 at 3:00 p.m. to launch his new CD.  The New Pathway’s Olena Wawryshyn speaks to Petlura about his music and the state of bandura music in Canada and Ukraine.

 
NP: When and why did you start playing the bandura?

YP: I began learning to play at a bandura camp in London, Ontario in 1995, at age nine.  My mother enrolled my brother and me in this camp, and although I was not entirely happy about camps at that age, I quickly began to enjoy playing. Victor Mishalow, the musical director at the camp, became my first bandura teacher.

There are many things I find interesting about the bandura. Its sound is very warm and full because of its soundboard and body.  It covers a range of nearly five octaves, or more if you consider the harmonics that can be played on it.  The variety of different timbres that can be achieved is remarkable.  And, there are many ornaments and effects that can be produced that are unique to the bandura or that can only be played on very few instruments, like the glissando, for instance.

Apart from its sound, the role that the bandura has played, and continues to play, in Ukraine and in the diaspora, is immense.  The kobzar repertoire contains a great deal of history and was often a key factor during many struggles for Ukrainian independence. Today, through this instrument and its repertoire our youth in North America are educated about the Ukrainian culture.  The bandura also plays a role in preserving our culture in Ukraine.

NP: Tell me a bit about your CD.

YP: My CD features primarily Ukrainian folk melodies which were arranged by 20th-century bandura composers, along with a few of my own arrangements based on Ukrainian themes. Although I am mostly a traditionalist, I try to include music of different genres in my repertoire. On this CD I feature a classical piece, Canon in D by Pachelbel.  My own arrangements include:  “Where the Wind Blows,” “Breath of the Ukrainian Steppes,” and “Carpathian Rhapsody.”

My goal is to introduce some of my own arrangements and to provide the public with some purely instrumental solo bandura music. Those who do not understand Ukrainian may prefer instrumental as opposed to choral music.

I began arranging music for the bandura when I noticed the shortage of repertoire, when one compares it with the piano for instance.  Too often I have had people coming up and asking me to play this and that piece only to say to them that such a Ukrainian tune has never been arranged for the bandura.

NP: You are majoring in physics and minoring in music at university. Are these subjects complementary?

YP: There are overlaps between physics and music. Physics gives me an understanding of how musical instruments work and how many types of sounds can be produced on real instruments or by means of a synthesiser.

NP: Who inspires you musically?

YP: Many individuals have inspired me.  I remember listening to my teacher Victor play at my first bandura camp during the instructors’ recital and wondering if I could ever play like that.  A few years later, at a seminar, bandura instructors such as Jules Kytasty and Volodymyr Voyt gave me different perspectives on bandura playing.

I had an opportunity to study with and to hear Oleh Sozansky and Taras Lazurdevych (two professional bandura players from Lviv) play, which left a lasting impact on me, as they played and sang traditional Ukrainian melodies at a high calibre. I also studied in Ukraine with Prof. Herasymenko a professor of bandura at the Lviv Conservatory.  Lately, I have been collaborating with such bandura players as Volodymyr Voyt Jr., Julian Kytasty, Michael Andrec, to name a few.  These bandurists are encouraging me to explore new grounds and new repertoire. 

NP: What are your thoughts on the state of bandura music in Ukraine?

YP: Currently, the trend in Ukraine in terms of repertoire is to turn to more contemporary and jazzy music.  Bandura players are now experimenting more than ever with repertoire, effects, and instrument design.

Although the Chernihiv bandura factory has been closed since 1991, many bandura makers are now re-making banduras to improve the overall sound and capability.  The Lviv factory is currently experimenting with bandura design as well.  The fact that the bandura is constantly being improved and embellished is a result of the fact it has still not been perfected, as have the piano or violin. There is still much to do in perfecting the instrument.

The re-emergence of the Kharkiv bandura on the bandura scene in Ukraine has been comforting to see.  This was the type of bandura that Khotkevych, a prominent bandura player of the 20th century, along with many other kobzars in the past, played. It is on this instrument that all of the dumy and kobzar repertoire were performed.

NP: What about in Canada?

YP: In Canada, the strongest bandura centre is in Toronto.  Apart from the Canadian Bandurist Capella in which I play, there exist several other ensembles and schools where bandura is taught.  There are many areas throughout North America where the bandura is played.  The repertoire is predominantly traditional music.  Nevertheless, there are bandurists, like the Experimental Bandura Trio, who perform and experiment with new types of music.

NP: What are your future plans?

YP: To pursue my involvement by being a member of the Canadian Bandurist Capella, by teaching bandura as I currently do at a Ukrainian school in Burlington, by writing arrangements for the bandura, and by exploring further capabilities of this instrument.

Jurij Petlura’s CD is available from www.bandurist.com, by e-mailing

yurij_p@hotmail.com or calling (905) 643-0585.