Hryhory Nazarenko
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Hryhory Pavlovych Nazarenko (13/X/1902 Poltava, Ukraine - 1997 Detroit, USA.)
Hryhory Nazarenko was one of the founding members of the Poltava Bandurist Capella which was established in Poltava in 1925. He had a brilliant First Tenor voice and soon became one of the prominent soloist of the ensemble.
In 1935 he joined the combined Kyiv Bandurist Capella where in time he became concertmaster. A number of his arrangements were recorded on record in the 1930's and he also was featured on a number of recordings as tenor soloist. In 1937 Nazarenko was slated to become artistic director of the chorus but was beaten out by Danylo Pika who was a Communist party member.
Nazarenko was instrumental in establishing the Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus in Kyiv in 1942 and at its establishment was its first artistic director. Under his directorship the chorus gave a number of concerts: "The Live words of Taras Shevchenko" in Kyiv, Volyn' and in outlying areas before the directorship was assumed by Hryhory Kytasty.
During the War in Germany together with the Honcharenko brothers he established the Leontovych Bandurist Capella in the British zone of occupation.
In the United States he continued for a brief time to be a member of the Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus.
Passed away in Detroit in 1997.
Repertoire included numerous dumy which he learned from Hnat Khotkevych such the Duma about the Kozak-bandurist and Storm on the Black Sea.
[edit] Students
Volodymyr Luciv.
[edit] Sources
Makhynia, H. - Hryhoriy Pavlovych Nazarenko - Bandura, #43-44, 1993
