Early Music Groups in Ukraine

Early music group "Aulos" has been formed in 1996 in Kyiv. The members of the newformed group gave their first concert in 2nd Uzhgorod Festival of Early Music (August 1996).

The group have prepared several programs:

• The West European Music of 11-14 cc.
• The Music of Seicento.
• The Music of Knights Time.

In the last program the group tried to realize the idea of mutual penetration of the European and the East cultures.

• Tatyana Lutsenko, vocal
• Georgiy Volodin, chalumeau, vocal
• Taras Voloshchuk, fiddle, gidzhak, violino, vocal
• Tatyana Bykova, hurdy-gurdy, percussion, keyboards
• Grigoriy Nemirovskyi (the Art Director), zink, percussion, keyboards

Georgiy Volodin is also the early wind instruments master.

"Aulos" make the regular concerts in Kyiv, made records on Ukrainian radio and TV. The current program being prepared is devoted to Gregorian Chant.

Early music group "Castrum Hung" has been formed in 1995. The name "Castrum Hung" means "Fortress Ung"and was one of the first names of Uzhgorod (the town in south-west region of Ukraine), mentioned first time by unknown chronicler of 12 ct.

The aim of our group is: the interpretation of musical heritage of the medieval and Renaissance Europe in the authentic style. We pay a great attention to understanding the spiritual roots of European musical culture and the man of that time. The group have prepared two programs:

• Dances and songs of medieval Europe (songs from "Carmina Burana", "Cantigas de Santa Maria", dances from Parisian (MS fr. 844) and British (Lbm 29987) manuscripts).
• Music of Renaissance Europe (G.Gastoldi, G.Mainerio, T.Susato, C.Gervaise, P.Attaingnant, J.Dowland and others).

The members of "Castrum Hung": Oksana Harhalis, Natalja Dashuk, Vladimir Ancypherov, Larysa Shuvalova, Stepan Tichonenko (initiator and manager of the group) .

The instruments are: lutes (medieval, Renaissance, Baroque), cittern, viola da gamba, fiddles, recorders, psaltery, tromba marina, drums. Some of these instruments are made by ourselves.

The Lviv early music group "Leopolita" was formed in 1993. Our original members performed on the recorder, classical guitars, violoncello. We played Baroque recorder sonatas of B. Marcello, J. B. Loillet, R.Valentine, dances from the Renaissance period and lute duets of F.da Milano on two guitars. During 1993 and 1994 , we gave several concerts in Lviv, including a performance during the television program "Camerata". After a pause in our activity, we began performing again in 1996. The current members of "Leopolita" are:

• Jaroslav Ilnytskyi, recorders
• Oksana Rapita, harpsichord
• Taras Drak, lute, violoncello (not pictured above)

"Leopolita's" program consists of Baroque music (including early Ukrainian music samples), paying particular attention to the authenticity of the performances. This cast of "Leopolita" gave concerts at The House of Organ and Chamber Music in Lviv, at the Uzhhorod festival of early music (Uzhhorod, Ukraine, 1997) and at the first Lviv Festival of Early Music "Collegium Musicum" (Lviv, Ukraine, 1997).

All members of "Leopolita" are not professional early music musicians, but have other professions and spend their free time playing early music. Oksana Rapita teaches piano at the Lviv High Music Institute. She also performs concerts with the orchestra as a solo pianist, she is the winner of international music competitions. Taras Drak plays early Baroque lute and violoncello, taking part in some early music concerts in St. Petersburg (Russia). Jaroslav Ilnytskyi is a scientist at the Institute for Condensed Matter Physics, participating since 1980 as an amateur violin and recorder player in some orchestras and ensembles.

Our main interests are:

• Early music events in Europe
• Contacting other semi-professional early music groups in Europe playing Baroque music
• Interpretation problems in early music (books, reviews, discussions of styles and performance tecniques)
• Acquiring some rare notes
• Acquiring used instruments (including those which need repair) at a low price

Early music group "Silva Rerum" was founded in 1993. We play Ukrainian music of 16-17th centuries and European music of the Renaissance and Baroque periods. The name "Silva Rerum" is originated from the 17th centure manuscript. This unique collection gives us an idea about the music guild repertoire of the Ukrainian cities at that times. Intending to revive the authentic performance of the early music the musicians study and use the corresponding style and a manner of playing.

Our members:

• Natalija Bajdak, violin, recorder
• Andrij Stepenko, violin, percussion
• Anna Goncharova, viola da gamba, cello
• Valentina Khudobina, recorders, traverso
• Vadym Borysenko, lute, recorder, percussion
• Tetyana Trehub (the Art Director), harpsichord, recorder

We took part in the International Festival "Ukraine and the World of Baroque" (Kyiv, Ukraine, 1994), the 17th International Festival of the Early Music in Stary Sach (Poland, 1994), the 1st and the 2nd Festival of the Early Music in Uzhgorod (Ukraine, 1995, 1996) and the 1st Festival "Collegium Musicum" in Lviv (Ukraine, 1997).