CENTRAL CHARACTERS

 PETRO KYTASTY

As a child, Petro Kytasty joined the Bandurist Chorus in 1942. At 14 years of age he became the youngest member of the troupe. Literally whisked out of Ukraine as a boy, Petro traveled with the group through the war and post war years. He is the nephew of Maestro Hryhorij Kytasty, the renowned conductor of the Chorus, and became an instrumental part of their development in North America in the early 1950's. Petro continues to live in Detroit, and is a vibrant, evocative and eloquent personality who represents the distinguished Kytasty family. He can tell this story with gripping heroic passion. His son Julian Kytasty has proudly carried on the family tradition, and is himself a world-renowned bandurist.

MYKOLA LYSKIWSKY

Upon joining the group in 1941, Mykola Liskiwsky is the eldest survivor of the Chorus. He lives on the outskirts of Detroit and is still vividly articulate - his memory as sharp as it ever was. Bearing a wealth of wonderful stories and first hand experiences from the Chorus’ early days in both Kyiv, Lviv and North America, Mykola recounts specific memories from those times, and uniquely recalls each of the original 17 members who survived both Soviet and Nazi persecution and made it to North America intact.

He is the gatekeeper - the pathway to those memories, and a living witness of the history of the Bandurist Chorus throughout the twentieth century.

HALYNA KYTASTY

Halyna Kytasty, the widow of maestro Hryhorij Kytasty, has penned extensive memoirs of her travels and involvement with the Chorus from their time in post war Germany. She was instrumental in organizing their emigration to the US after WWII, as well as organizing their first North American Tour in 1949-1950. She now lives in San Diego, California, along with her son Andrij, who is also a master bandurist. Halyna has given us a first hand personal account of Hryhorij Kytasty’s life in North America - and the legacy that lives on.