The Last Kobzars is the name of a new CD which contains rare recordings by three bandurists Yehor Movchan, Yevhen Adamcevych and Heorhiy Tkachenko all who died in the 1960s.

Their artistic activity symbolizes the end of the kobzars epoch and a change to contemporary professional bandura performance.

Tkachenko was born in 1898 and lived until age 95, knowingly having called himself the last old-world bandurist. Folklorists considered his interpretation of Ukrainian epic ballads, also called dumas, to be rare living relics.

Tkachenko followed the footsteps of the well-known kobzars such as Petro Drevchenko, Ivan Kuchuhura-Kucherenko, and Hnat Khotkevych, who fate brought together in Kharkiv. He studied the original style of playing bandura called Zinkiv teachings, that is now called the Kharkiv style.

There will be a surprise on this disc: Tkachenkos description of the kobzar brotherhood, something that might be very helpful for teachers educating youth.

Native ballads and songs had been restored and the recordings now offer a higher quality of reproduction. When listening to this CD, you will undoubtedly feel the Ukrainian past coming alive.

Get your copy of The Last Kobzars from Ola Oliynyk, 5253 Glaney Drive, Carmichael, CA 95608-5458 for US $15 + $1.50 for shipping.