List of Ukrainian composers

This is a list of notable Ukrainian composers of classical music who were either born on the territory of modern-day Ukraine or were ethnically Ukrainian.

List by historic periods

Early Period (to end of 18th century)

Dmytro Bortnyansky

The composers in this period correspond roughly to the time period of Ukrainian Cossack self-governance, such as the Zaporizhian Sich (late 15th century – 1775) and the Cossack Hetmanate (1649–1764). This period includes western-educated composers whose music is similar in style to that of their Western European contemporaries.

Composer Life Span City of Birth Significant Works
Mykola Dyletsky 1630–1690 Kiev Sacred choral concerti
Maksym Berezovsky 1745–1777 Hlukhiv? Sacred choral concerti. First Ukrainian to compose an opera, symphony, and violin sonata.
Dmytro Bortnyansky 1751–1825 Hlukhiv Sacred choral concerti, operas, symphonies, piano sonatas
Artem Vedel 1767–1808 Kiev Sacred choral concerti
Hryhorii Skovoroda 1722–1794 Chornukhy, Kiev Governorate Liturgical music

Pre-Revolutionary Period (19th century – 1910s)

Mykola Lysenko
Mykhailo Verbytsky

Composers in this correspond to the period in Ukrainian history when much of the current territory of the country was controlled by the Russian Empire, and another part was under Austro-Hungarian rule. This period was marked a Ukrainian cultural revival. For example, Semen Hulak-Artemovsky wrote the first Ukrainian-language opera. Mykola Lysenko began the Ukrainian nationalist school of music.

Composer Life Span City of Birth Significant Works
Semen Hulak-Artemovsky 1813–1873 Horodyshche first Ukrainian-language opera
Mykola Arkas 1853–1909 Mykolaiv
Petro Nishchynsky 1832–1896 Nemenka, Vinnytska Oblast
Mykhaylo Verbytsky 1815–1870 Lemkivshchyna Ukraine national anthem
Mykola Lysenko 1842–1912 Poltava oblast "father of Ukrainian music". Founder of Ukrainian nationalist school of music. Operas Taras Bulba, Natalka Poltavka.
Mykola Markevych 1804–1860 Dunaiets
Sydir Vorobkevych 1836–1903 Chernivtsi Sacred music

Trans-Revolutionary Period (late 19th century – 1939)

Mykola Leontovych
Viktor Kosenko

Composers in this period lived during a transitionary time corresponding to the 1905 Revolution, World War I, 1917 Revolution, and the establishment of the Ukrainian People's Republic, followed by the establishment of Soviet Ukraine. Many composers during this period were the successors Mykola Lysenko and the nationalist school of music. For example, Mykola Leontovych's music is highly based on the incorporation of Ukrainian folk themes.

Composer Life Span City of Birth Significant Works
Sergei Bortkiewicz 1877–1952 Kharkiv 2 Symphonies, 3 Piano concertos, Violin Concero, Cello Concerto etc.
Filaret Kolessa 1871–1947 Lviv oblast Ukrainian ethnographic musicology
Reinhold Glière 1875–1956 Kiev Numerous orchestral works, concertos, ballets, vocal works
David Nowakowsky 1877–1921 Malyn Synagogue music, choral, organ, and orchestral works
Kyrylo Stetsenko 1882–1922 Cherkashchyna
Mykola Leontovych 1877–1921 Selevyntsi (Podilia) Shchedryk which eventually became Carol of the Bells
Yakiv Stepovy 1883–1921 Kharkiv
Mykola Roslavets 1881–1944 Dushatyn, Chernihiv Orchestral and chamber atonal works, Known as Ukrainian Schoenberg
Viktor Kosenko 1896–1938 St. Petersburg Piano concerti, symphonies, solo piano music
Alexander Koshetz 1875–1944 near Kiev Sacred music (liturgies, songs), collecting and arranging folk songs

Soviet Period (1922–1990)

Borys Lyatoshynsky
Sergei Prokofiev

Although not all composers during this period were born in Ukrainian SSR, all were either born in the area or lived much of their adult life in the Ukrainian SSR.

Composer Life Span City of Birth Significant Works
Mykola Vilinsky 1888–1956 Holta, Ananiev district
Levko Revutsky 1889–1977 Irzhavets, Pryluky
Sergei Prokofiev 1891–1953 Krasnoe see List of compositions by Sergei Prokofiev
Mykhailo Haivoronsky 1892–1949 Zalischyky
Borys Lyatoshynsky 1895–1968 Zhytomyr
Stanyslav Lyudkevych 1879–1979 Yaroslav
(present-day Poland)
Kostyantyn Dankevych 1905–1984 Odessa
Vitaliy Serhiyovich Hubarenko 1934–2000 Kharkiv
Yuly Meytus 1903–1997 Kirovohrad
Heorhiy Maiboroda 1913–1992 Kremenchuk
Igor Markevitch 1912–1983 Kiev
Dmitri Klebanov 1907–1987 Kharkiv
Platon Maiboroda 1918–1989 Pelekhivshchyna
(Poltava Governorate)
Ihor Shamo 1925-1982 Kiev

Modern period (1990–present)

Composers in this period live during the time after the independence of Ukraine.

Composer Life Span City of Birth Significant Works
Myroslav Skoryk 1936– Lviv Operas, symphony, string quartets, music solo instrumentsv such as piano
Oleksandr Bilash 1931–2003 Hradizhsk, Poltava Oblast popular songs, operas, ballads, oratorios, film music
Volodymyr Ivasyuk 1949–1979 Kitsman Songs: Chervona Ruta, Vodohrai
Valentyn Sylvestrov 1937– Kiev Seven symphonies, three piano sonatas, piano pieces, chamber music, vocal works
Bohdana Frolyak 1968 - Vydyniv See Works
Hanna Havrylets' 1958– Ternopil See Works
Virko Baley 1938 - Radekhiv Symphony No. 1: Sacred Monuments, Dreamtime for chamber ensemble, Emily Dickinson Songbooks
Roman Yakub 1958– Vinnytsia Phonopolis for String Orchestra, Castalian Dances for chamber ensemble
Alexander Shchetynsky 1960– Kharkiv Annunciation, chamber opera (1998)
Julia Gomelskaya 1964– Odessa "The Riot" for wind symphony orchestra, "Ukraine Forever" symphony, "Winter pastoral" for choir
Roman Hurko 1962– Toronto Three Liturgies, Requiem for Victims of Chernobyl, Vespers
Svitlana Azarova 1976– Izmail/Odessa Chronometer for Piano, Asiope for chamber ensemble
Mykola Suk 1945– Kiev
Oleksandr Krasotov 1936–2007 Odessa Symphony, chamber, vocal music
Yuriy Oliynyk 1931– Ternopil Concertos for bandura and orchestra, music for solo bandura, piano, voice
Yevhen Stankovych 1942– Svaliava Orchestral, chamber, film music
Nikolai Girshevich Kapustin 1937 Horlivka Jazz music
Aleksandr Shymko 1977– Borshchiv Orchestral, chamber,electronic, theater music

See also

External links