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New York Bandura School 

History 

History of New York Bandura School

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Established in the 1970s, NY Bandura School has supported generations of students and performing ensembles. Focused on the preservation and development of the bandura, NY Bandura School quickly became a landmark in the East Village and is well-known by its Ukrainian-American community.

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The school began in the home of Nick Czorny, who taught his children bandura. These lessons inspired him to organize classes for other families in the city, and thus founded the New York Bandura School, serving as its first administrator.


Within 5 short years, the school became the leading center for bandura instruction, solo singing, poetry, and music composition in NYC. Enrollment rose to over 80 students; one of its first performances was at the Statue of Liberty's American Immigration Museum. The school later performed at notable sites including WNEW-TV's "Midday Live" show, at the World Trade Center, St. Vartan's Armenian Cathedral, Lincoln Center's Damrosch Park, and the Rockefeller Center's 1974 Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony.

In 1987, John Lechicky, who was a student of the school, took the reins as Musical Director. He served from 1987-1995 in the Echo of the Steppes Bandura Ensemble, and later on in 2000, he took over as Executive Director of the NYBS and has continued to preserve the school's legacy for many years. 

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Julian Kytasty, multi-instrumentalist and grand-nephew of esteemed bandurist, Hryhory Kytasty, joined John in leading the School as Musical Director in 1980. As Musical Director, Julian continued and built upon the school's mission, by showcasing the versatility of the instrument through the Bandura Downtown concert series. Consisting of four concerts each season, these events brought guest performers to demonstrate the expansive repertoire written for bandura to the residents and concertgoers of New York . These performances nurtured Ukrainian music and helped situate its melodies in the context of the world's vast musical heritage. 

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Past Administration

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Julian Kytasty, Musical Director 

John Lechicky, Executive Director 

Nadia Tatchin Scaglione, Administrator 

Ihor Slabicky, Curator of Audio Archives

Nick Czorny, Administrator

Theodore Leontovych, Chairman of the School Board

Lydia Salenko, Treasurer

Laryssa Lysniak, Secretary 

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Roman Turovsky and Julian Kytasty during the "Nights in Banduristan" concert on June 1, 2012 at The Ukrainian Museum in New York City. Photo by Ihor Slabicky.

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Cellist, Collette Alexander, and bandurist Julian Kytasty during "Kilims and Constructions" on March 31, 2012 at The Ukrainian Museum in New York City. Photo by Ihor Slabicky.

Performed by Lilia Pavlovsky, Nadia Tarnawsky & Brandon Vance, June 13, 2009, at The Ukrainian Museum in New York City. Video by Eileen Condon.

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