Culture-Creating Activities of Ukrainian Chorus Conductors in the Conditions of the Displaced Persons Camps after World War II

Author

Karas Hanna

A Doctor of Art Studies, a Professor at the State Higher Educational Institution Vasyl StefanykCiscarpathian National University. ORCID iD 0000-0003-1440-7461

Culture-Creating Activities of Ukrainian Chorus Conductors in the Conditions of the Displaced Persons Camps after World War II

Abstract

The research relevance is caused by the crisis of national identity that has been observed in Ukraine for the last years, the problem of historical memory return and the accelerated pace of emigration processes in our country. A panoramic review of culture-creating activities of famous Ukrainian chorus conductors Nestor Horodovenko (Germany), Lev Turkevych (Austria), Stepan Huminilovych (Italy) in the context of the Displaced Persons Camps after World War II is proposed in the article. During the camp period, which was important for the preservation of choral singing traditions, the choruses of Ukrainian emigrants has realized an important public mission – they united the scattered national community and brought up sentiment to the native song, which is considered as a powerful means of the resistance to denationalization and assimilation. The cultural mission of Ukrainian choruses was to preserve the national choral literature and traditions of choral singing, to promote Ukrainian musical culture in the conditions of foreign language environment.

The source basis of the study is formed by the memoirs of the participants of the indicated period, collections of documents about the DP Camps.

The authoress applies historical, axiological, cultural approaches and corresponding methods that determine the methodology of the research.

In particular, historical-chronological method is used to analyze the activities of Ukrainian choral conductors after the end of World War II; axiological method is applied to determine the value of Ukrainian artists achievements; culturological method facilitates multidimensional presentation of the contribution of cultural figures into the world and Ukrainian treasuries.

The scientific novelty of the research is the introduction of systematized information about the activities of Ukrainian choral conductors in DP Camps after the end of World War II to the scientific circulation.

Conclusions. The activities of Ukrainian chorus conductors in DP Camps after the end of World War II have helped Ukrainians to maintain their national and cultural identity, and demonstrated high senses and achievements of Ukrainian choral art to the representatives of other nationalities.

Keywords

culture-creating activities, Ukrainian chorus conductors, the Displaced Persons Camps, World War II, choral singing.

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