Ukraine’s Best Bandurists to Teach at Summer Camp

A 10-day bandura camp (August 21-31), organized by the Canadian Bandurist Capella, will give young people in North America a unique opportunity to learn from two of Ukraine’s leading bandura players, Volodymyr Voyt and Ruslana Tkach.

Voyt and Tkach, both in their 20s, are winners of the prestigious national Hnat Khotkevych bandura competition, which takes place every three years in Kharkiv.

Tkach won the competition twice and is the bandurist soloist with the National Folk Instruments Orchestra of Ukraine.  Voyt is a soloist with the Kyiv Bandurist Capella.

“They’re the strongest players right now in Ukraine,” says Victor Mishalow, the Artistic Director of the Canadian Bandurist Capella.  At the upcoming bandura camp, they will “get a chance to share their knowledge,” with young people who are beginners as well as advanced players who want to perfect and hone their skills.

“There are no conservatory courses in Canada for the bandura so you need to have a place where you can develop higher skills,” says Mishalow when asked why the capella decided to organize the camp.

Also, “by learning the playing techniques that are available in Ukraine right now and being aware of new repertoire and how it should be played and interpreted, we can [in North America] stay on par with what’s happening in Ukraine,” says Mishalow. He, along with the capella’s choirmaster Andriy Dmytrovych, and concertmaster and bandura recording artist Yurij Petlura will also be an instructor at the camp.

In addition to learning individual and group playing techniques, participants will have professional voice lessons. There will also be social program, with various outdoor activities.

The camp is taking place at the picturesque Mount Mary Immaculate Retreat Centre, located on 95 acres of forest, just west of Hamilton, Ontario.

Registration is open to individuals 8 and up.  The fee of CDN$550 covers the full program, including room-and-board and tuition.

For more information about the camp, visit www.bandurst.com or call (905) 648-4485.