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Authority record
Mazurenko, Andrew
Person · 1890-1981

Andrew Mazurenko was born on October 17, 1890 to Fedor Mazurenko and Tatiana Deshlevi in the village of Zelenyi Roh, Kyiv province, which is about 150 km south of Kyiv. He had two brothers, Thomas and John, and sister Irene. At the age of 17, Andrew left home to work for Germans on a farm near Kherson for three years.

On January 8th, 1910, Andrew left his village Zelenyi Roh. He crossed the Austrian border and went to Rotterdam, Holland, from where he went to Canada. He went to Cochrane, Ontario to clear the bush and build railroad. In September 1911, he went back home. He voyaged from Montreal to Liverpool, and then to St. Petersburg.

At home he got married to Maria Shewchuk, on January 23, 1912. They lived together for two months, and Andrew left again for Canada on March 25, 1912. In Canada, he worked on the railroad again, and in 1914 he sent his wife a ticket to join him. He applied for a homestead in Edmonton. Maria came to Edmonton on August 9, 1914. They had a daughter Lena in 1915. Every winter Andrew worked on the railroad and then in a sawmill until 1923. During the summer he worked on the farm. In 1921, their son Victor was born (Irene's father).

They lived on the farm until 1961 and then they moved to a house in Thorhild. Maria dies in 1973. Andrew died on May 10, 1980 and is burried beside his wife at the St. Peter and Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Church cemetery in Thorhild.

Medwidsky, Bohdan
Person · born 1936

Bohdan Medwidsky was born in 1936 in Stanislaviv in interwar Poland (present day Ivano-Frankivs'k in Ukraine) in the family of Konstantyn and Natalia (nee Lebedowych) Medwidsky. He was separated from his family at the age of 2, and grew up in Switzerland where he learned to speak French and German. When he was 12, he was reunited with his family in Vienne and that's where he first met his younger brother Wolodymyr. The family came to Canada on a ship from Hamburg to Quebec City as a post-WWII refugee in 1949. They settled in Toronto, where Bohdan's family operated a pharmacy. Both Bohdan and Wolodymyr were active in Plast, Ukrainian scouts organization. The family attended St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic church, a converted Presbyterian building, whose members were almost all also recent Ukrainian immigrants.

Bohdan attended Huron school in Toronto in his first year, then switched to Howard Park. He attended Humberside High School. He enjoyed history best among all his subjects. When he completed high school, Bohdan continued on to university. He was interested in furthering his Ukrainian studies, and chose that as his major field. He was quite committed to academics, and knew early that he wanted to continue into graduate school. His parents didn’t particularly push him to become a Ukrainianist, but neither did they discourage it.

Bohdan di his graduate studies at the University of Toronto. Toronto had a well developed Russian program, but little Ukrainian studies at that time. There were two graduate courses in Ukrainian literature, taught by Professor George Luckyj. Though Bohdan had declared a research interest in Ukrainian linguistics, he attended more classes on Russian literature than Ukrainian, and more on Ukrainian literature than linguistics. Professor Luckyj’s own research specialization dealt with Ukrainian literary politics in the early Soviet period. Bohdan’s classmate Danylo Struk pushed to be allowed to write his dissertation on a Ukrainian literature topic, rather than a Russian one, which in a way paved the way for Bohdan who wrote his doctoral dissertation on the language of Vasyl' Stefanyk's novels.

After a short teaching contract at Carlton University in Ottawa, he moved to Edmonton in 1971, when he received a teaching position at the University of Alberta. In 1977, he offered his first class in Ukrainian Folklore. Soon after, several class offerings grew into a graduate program in Ukrainian Folklore, third folklore program in Canada to offer both master's and PhD degrees. Medwidsky became the founder of the Ukrainian Folklore Archives and in 1989, established the Ukrainian Folklore Archives Endowment Fund.

Over the years, Dr. Medwidsky was very active in professional societies in Alberta, Canada, and abroad, as well as in numerous Ukrainian community organizations. In the late 1970s, he served to develop bilingual Ukrainian school programs in Alberta supported by the Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies. He was a founding member of the Ministerial Advisory Board to the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village in 1982. Bohdan Medwidsky served on the board of the Friends of the Ukrainian Village Society, the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, the Association of Ukrainian Writers Slovo, the Alberta Society for Advancement of Ukrainian Studies, the Ukrainian Pioneers Association of Alberta, the Alberta Ukrainian Commemorative Society, the Western Canadian Branch of the Shevchenko Scientific Society, and many other organizations.

Mischi, Nicholai
Person · 1907-2006

Nick was born in the village of Shepenets in Bukovyna, on February 5, 1907 where he learned to play the dulcimer (cymbaly) at the age of 8. His uncle, a professional bandmaster, taught Nick the fundamentals of the instrument and he joined his uncle playing weddings and parties around the countryside. By the age of 12 years Nick Mischi was considered a professional by many musicians in Ukraine. In 1928 Nick left his homeland and immigrated to Canada. Having left his dulcimer with his uncle, Nick purchased another in Winnipeg in 1930. Nick Mischi played with a variety of orchestras in and around Winnipeg before moving west to Edmonton in the 1930's. His early career was limited because he moved across western Canada. Each place he lived, Nick picked up his dulcimer and joined a local band. Over the 77 years of his playing career, 63 he contributed in Edmonton and Central Alberta. Some of the musicians Nick played with in and around Edmonton are: Bill Boychuk (Easy Aces), Joe Trachyk (The Marango's), Peter Kassian (Sons of the Ukrainian Pioneers), Ron Lakustra's Orchestra.

As early as the 1930's Nick played on a variety of radio stations. In the 1950's Nick Mischi entertained radio audiences in the Edmonton area on radio shows, which were started by Henry Smichure on C.F.R.N. and C.H.F.A. radios. These programs were live at sponsors premises as well as live shows at the radio studios. When C.F.C.W. radio started their "Ukrainian Hour" program some 33 years ago, Nick was asked to preform many times.

Judging dulcimer competitions for many years, in places like Lakeview Pavilion, Red Barn, Vegreville Pysanka Festival and Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village, in which he competed as well, Nick won many first place trophies and earned a reputation as one of Alberta's finest dulcimer (cymbaly) players.

Throughout the years during his playing career Nick cut many records with different orchestra's. His favourite was "Dulcimer in Concert" which was recorded with a nine piece Chamber Orchestra from the University of Alberta. Some of these records were sold across Canada.

Nick Mischi retired from playing with orchestras in 1986 but was still active teaching young people, some from as far away as Calgary, Alberta, to play the dulcimer and to carry on the tradition of ethnic Ukrainian music in Western Canada.

On August 30, 1992 Nick Mischi was one of many competitors at the Ukrainian Music festival held at the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village. First place performance in the master category by the 85 year young Nick Mischi on his dulcimer (cymbaly), an overwhelmed audience of over 400 people gave Nick a standing ovation. The Festival was hosted by Johnny Bohonos of C.F.C.W.'s radio "Ukrainian Hour".

In 1993 Nick Mischi appeared as one of the guest artists in two concerts at the Annual Vegreville Pysanka Festival 1993, and was applauded loudly by the audience. The same year Nick also took part at the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village during Ukrainian Day, entertaining audiences.

Nick Mischi was a talented dulcimer musician. He played by ear, keeping alive the unwritten music for dulcimer. Nick passed away in 2006.

Nahachewsky, Andriy
Person · born 1959

Andriy Nahachewsky is a Professor Emeritus at the University of Alberta. He holds a B.A. in Ukrainian Studies (University of Saskatchewan, 1979), a B.F.A. in Dance (York University, 1985), M.A. and Ph.D. in Ukrainian Folklore (University of Alberta, 1985 and 1991, supervised by Bohdan Medwidsky). He has an extensive background in Ukrainian dance, as a performer, instructor, choreographer, workshop leader, critic, adjudicator, and authour. He has taught a wide variety of courses at the university level in many aspects of Ukrainian and Ukrainian Canadian traditional culture. His research interests and publications deal with Ukrainian dance, Ukrainian Canadian identity, material culture, ethnic representation, and dance theory. He has conducted fieldwork in Canada, the U.S.A., Brazil, Ukraine, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania, Poland, and other countries. His most recent book is Ukrainian Dance: A Cross-Cultural Approach (McFarland Press, 2012).

Andriy served as the Director of the Peter and Doris Centre for Ukrainian and Canadian Folklore and Curator of the Bohdan Medwidsky Ukrainian Folklore Archives since their inception and until summer of 2016. Dr. Nahachewsky retired in the summer of 2018, but continues his research and actively participates in the international dance research community.

Nahachewsky, Stephania
Person · born 1933

Stephania Nahachewsky was born in a farming family in the Cudworth-Alvena area of Saskatchewan. Her father John Olynyk had emigrated from Mushkativka near Borshchiv in the Austro-Hungary (today in Ternopil' region of Ukraine) as a young man prior to WW1. She moved to Saskatoon as a young adult and finished high school at Bedford Road School. She married Ostap Nahachewsky in 1956.

Stephania has been an active member of St. George’s Ukrainian Catholic church ever since she moved to Saskatoon. She was active in drama productions as a young woman, and in the parish choir for many decades. She raised six sons, Thomas, Andriy, David, Ivan, Taras, Bohdan. She and her sisters assisted Ostap at the O&O Drive Inn in Saskatoon for several decades. The O&O Drive Inn was a Drive In restaurant on 20th Street and Avenue L in Saskatoon from approx 1961 to 1992. Inspired by A&W, the restaurant sold hamburgers and hot dogs and pop, as well as pyrohy, holubtsi and borshch.

Stephania has been very active in numerous organizations related to the church, and has contributed much to organizing their records.

Nakonechny, Michael
Person · 1916–2001

Michael Nakonechny (Михайло Наконечний, January 20, 1916, Pidlissia village, Zolochiv district, Austro-Hungarian Empire - August 11, 2001, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada). Ukrainian community leader and educator. An alumnus of the Theological Academy of Lviv. Before coming to Canada in 1947 Nakonechny lived in Halychyna (Austro-Hungary) and Germany (Regensburg). After coming to Canada, Nakonechny lived in Winnipeg and Edmonton. In Edmonton, he worked as an Alberta Land Surveyor at the Government of Alberta in the Surveys Branch of the Department of Highways.
Michael Nakonechny was a member of the Ukrainian National Federation of Canada executive; a chairman, vice-chairman, secretary, treasurer, and a board member of the Ukrainian National Federation branches in Winnipeg and Edmonton; a member of the Ukrainian Liberation Fund Committee [Крайовий комітет Українського визвольного фонду]; a member of the Plast organization (nickname Kalamar) and co-editor of the Plast bulletin in Winnipeg; a librarian, secretary and board member of the Ukrainian National Hall in Edmonton; a secretary and member of control commission of the Ukrainian Catholic Brotherhood of Canada, Edmonton diocese; a secretary of the Ukrainian Catholic Council; a member of the Ukrainian War Veterans’ Association main board and a chairman, vice-chairman, secretary and board member of its Edmonton branch; the first secretary of the Ukrainian Canadian Archives and Museum of Alberta; chairman of the Winnipeg Ukrainian National Association [Український народний союз] District Committee, an execu­tive board member and a secretary of Edmonton UNA District Committee; a secretary and board member of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, Edmonton branch. He was awarded two St George silver medals and the scrolls of honour by the Canadian Foundation for the Ukrainian Free University (December 1, 1988) and the World Congress of Free Ukrainians (November 14, 1987).

Nemirsky, Theodore
Person · 1869-1946

Theodore Nemirsky, 1869-1946, was born in the Ukraine and came to Canada in 1896. He settled in the Wostok area of Alberta. In 1986 he married Katherine Mariancz and they had six children. The next year he was appointed postmaster and also served as guide to help settlers locate their land. He helped establish the Wostok school and acted as interpreter for many local citizens.

Oliynyk, Yuriy
Person · 1931-

Composer and pianist Yuriy Oliynyk (b. 1931, Ternopil, Ukraine) was born into the family of an attorney and began music lessons at an early age. During the Second World War his family fled to Austria and later Germany, before settling in Cleveland in 1950. He graduated from the Cleveland Institute of Music as a pianist in 1956 and completed a master’s degree in musicology and composition from Case Western Reserve University in 1959. Oliynyk became an active performer of piano works by Ukrainian composers and a pioneer of compositions for bandura and symphony orchestra. His output includes five bandura concertos, a piano concerto, piano sonata and other piano works.

Onufrijchuk, Roman
Person · 1950-2015

Roman Onufrijchuk was born June 6, 1950 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, where he lived until he was 6 years old. The family then moved to Yorkton, Saskatchewan, where he spent his early youth. Over the course of his life, Roman lived and worked variously in Saskatoon, SK and Edmonton, AB, where he worked at the University of Alberta radio station, and was the first radio host of the Ukrainian program on WorldFM. Following over 10 years in print, TV and radio, he arrived in Vancouver in 1982 to attend graduate school at SFU’s School of Communication, where he taught from 1985 to 2011. He then taught at the university in Izmir, Turkey. Roman passed away June 23, 2015.

Pelech Carrow, Patricia
Person · 1945-2013

Patricia Pelech Carrow lived her childhood years in Bellis, Alberta. Pat was 11 when her father died, and her mother, Fiona Pelech, moved the family to Edmonton where Pat attended high school and university. During those years, Pat was very involved in the Ukrainian community. She was a founding member and President of the Shumka Ukrainian Dance Group which over the years has gone on to achieve national and international recognition.

She graduated from the University of Alberta in 1965 with a B.Sc. degree and went on to work as a Research Technician in microbiology with the Canadian Forest Service in Victoria. During these years Pat developed her creative skills in pysanky (Ukrainian Easter eggs), painting and Ukrainian weaving, which she taught at the Banff Centre for several summers. In 1978, Pat changed careers in 1978 and attended the Ontario College of Art, graduating in 1981 with a Diploma in Textile Design. She focused for several years on the use of colour and experimental design in ethnic weaving; many of her pieces are in the Ukrainian Museum in Saskatoon. Eventually Pat found the medium too restrictive, and while she was teaching at the New Brunswick Craft School from 1982 to 1985, she moved into a new medium – collage. For the next 20 years, Pat developed her creative abilities in collage, using a surprising range of materials and becoming renowned for her use of colour. Her choice of collage materials astounded many of her friends – porcupine quills, tree bark, fungus, rust and anything else that one might find in a recycling container. Pat's works were exhibited in galleries across Canada, from Fredericton to Victoria.

Pat's other creative outlet was the kitchen. She was famous for being able to come up with a tasty meal when there didn't appear to be anything in the fridge, and her 'diagonally through the fridge' soups, though delicious, were never reproducible. For almost 30 years Pat and Rod lived in Dufferin County, looking west over the beautiful Hockley Valley. She enjoyed the drama provided by the seasons and the landscape as they provided inspiration for her art. When not in the studio, Pat was an avid gardener, and a ruthless weeder and pruner, as some of her friends discovered when they let her free on their properties. Rod and Pat enjoyed travelling. In 1995 they bought an RV and did an 18,000 km trip through less travelled parts of Canada to Alaska, followed by a trip to the US Southwest. In 2001, Pat and Rod purchased a cabin on Hornby Island in B.C.'s Strait of Georgia, where they spent many relaxing summer vacations with their children and grandchildren. In 2007, they took a cruise through the Baltic Sea – the best and the last they would do together. In 2008, they moved to the Victoria area to retire in a beautiful part of the world and be close to their family.

Pelech, Fiona
Person · 1914 - 2002

This biography was composed by Fiona Pelech in January 1990

A. PERSONAL
Born in Duvernay, Alberta on 10 July, 1914 in a family of four girls and two boys. Had been married for 15 years. Husband passed away in 1955 during a heart attack. Fiona raised four children (Betty, Patricia, Johann, and Andrew).

B. EDUCATION

  • After high school, took one year of business training at McDougall Commercial High School
  • B.Ed. Degree from the University of Alberta plus an additional year towards a Master's as well as summer courses in Business Education and Languages
  • Bilingual (English and Ukrainian) - speak, read and type in both
  • Took several interest courses throughout the years in leadership, photography, crafts, pottery, weaving, gardening, etc.

C. TEACHING EXPERIENCE

  • 15 years in rural Alberta - elementary 4 yrs., Junior High 11 yrs.
  • 1 year in the North Edmonton Junior High School
  • 5 years at McCauley Junior High, Edmonton
  • 14 years at Victoria Composite High School
    Retired early after completing 35 years of teaching when the family was more or less through university. Throughout the years, taught Ukrainian classes in rural and urban communities as well as credited courses at the Victoria Composite High School.

D. MEMBERSHIPS

  • Alberta Teachers' Association (ATA)
  • Modern Language Council of the Alberta Teachers' Association
  • Member of the Ukrainian Women's Association of Canada since 1941. Served on the local, provincial and national levels
  • Honorary Life Member of St. John's Cathedral
  • One of the Founding Members of the Canadian Association of Teachers of Ukrainian
  • A Founding Member of the Ukrainian Kindergarten classes in Edmonton (First meeting in August, 1972)
  • Ukrainian Language Association (ATA) in Edmonton – secretary till May 1975
  • Council of Ukrainian Schools – secretary for twelve years
  • Edmonton Multicultural Society (EMS)
  • Canadian Ethnic Studies Association
  • Saskatchewan Multicultural Council
  • Saskatchewan Organization for Heritage Languages
  • Pacific Northwest Council on Foreign Languages
  • Central & East European Studies Society of Alberta (CEESSA) - on the Board for five years
  • Alberta Ethnic Language Teachers' Association (now the Northern Alberta Heritage Language Association (NAHLA) - Charter member, President for the first two years, then secretary and now on Board of Directors.

E. COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENTS

  1. Since retirement, 1976, all work has been voluntary and dedicated to assisting various non-profit organizations. Secretary for the national executive of the Ukrainian Self-Reliance League of Canada since retiring.
  2. Served in a number of positions on the local, provincial and national levels in the Ukrainian Women's Association of Canada mostly as an educational representative or secretary for the past 45 years.
  3. Participated in various Multicultural Conferences in Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Toronto; language tour to New York; the International Symposium in Montreal in 1985; and many others connected with the language issue or cultural retention.
  4. Prepared or assisted in preparing press reports, radio talks and television programs on topics of cultural importance.
  5. Travelled to various parts of the province (Spruce Grove, Stony Plain, Evansburg, Bonnyville, Smoky Lake, Calgary, and Barrhead to mention only a few) in answer to requests by directors from the Parks & Recreational Department arranging workshops, displays, demonstrations, etc. on cultural themes. Had displays and workshops at:
    • Strathcona Place for Senior Citizens
    • Multicultural Heritage Centre at Stony Plain
    • Provincial Museum in Edmonton Commonwealth Games presentations at Edson (Yellowhead School Division 26/1/77); Robertson-Wesley Church 16/3/77; and others.
  6. Initiated an overseas project which gave the Edmonton Canadian Ukrainian Youth Choir a chance to participate in the International Music Festival in Vienna as Canadian representatives. The project was most successful and rewarding in providing excellent public relations. A similar tour is being planned for 1991.
  7. Arranged for an exchange of a Hindi language class with a Ukrainian class. Report filed with Alberta Culture. The experiment was most interesting. Shortly after, a German language class was hosted by a Japanese class.
  8. Served on Planning Committees of many conferences among them the CCMIE (Canadian Council for Multicultural & Intercultural Education) held in 1987 in Edmonton. Co-ordinated the conference "Heritage Languages in a Multicultural Society - Present and Future" held on October 3-4/86 at the Chateau Lacombe, Edmonton.
  9. Representative from the Northern Alberta Heritage Language Association to the Alberta Cultural Heritage Council since 1985. Served as secretary to the 56 members of the Edmonton & District Regional Council and as a member of the Educational Committee helped to prepare recommendations to the Minister of Culture and Multiculturalism. The Institute was initiated with the help of the Northern Alberta Heritage Language Association and the Alberta Cultural Heritage Council.

F. PUBLICATIONS

  1. While teaching, was staff adviser to school publications at both McCauley Junior High and Victoria Composite High School.
  2. Prepared booklets and pamphlet materials on cultural topics for use in high schools and community organizations - most recent was a cultural project at the Victoria Composite High School in Jan./83.
  3. Researched, translated and prepared lessons and numerous slides for the very first six years of Ukrainian weaving initiated at the Banff School of Fine Arts in 1976.
  4. Prepared papers on languages and delivered them at conferences:
    (a) "Heritage Language Programs in Alberta" appears in the book ROOTS AND REALITIES AMONG EASTERN AND CENTRAL EUROPEANS edited by Dr. Martin L. Kovacs, 1983 (Pp. 267-286).
    (b) "Status of Heritage Languages in Canada” was prepared for a conference in Toronto.
    (c) "Heritage Languages" delivered at a panel in a conference in Edmonton sponsored by the Canadian Council for Multicultural and Intercultural Education (CCMIE).
  5. Involved in editing and typing:
    (a) Commonwealth Games. Using a Typing 30 class, prepared
    (from rough materials) a Teachers' Reference Manual and a Student Workbook for use in Alberta schools. Also traveled to various schools and organizations showing slides.
    (b) the publications of "Pioneers in Alberta" as well as the reference book "Ukrainian Canadiana."
    (c) the 1981 Revised Edition of the Kindergarten Guide for the Ukrainian Bilingual Program, Edmonton Public Schools.
    (d) supplementary books by S. Wasylyshyn and A. Danelovich for beginners in learning Ukrainian.
  6. Constantly translate, edit and type in English and Ukrainian at the local, provincial and national levels such publications as directories, programs, scripts for plays, annual reports, and newsletters connected with cultural activities.
  7. Contribute articles on multiculturalism, especially languages, and on the different organizations to ethnic papers and magazines.

G. HONORS AND AWARDS
1964 Edmonton Women Teachers' Club scholarship.
1975 Honored member marking the International Women's Year.
1976 One of five finalists in 'Mother of the Year" award sponsored by the Ladies Auxiliary of the Fraternal Order of Eagles.
1978 Certificate of appreciation for volunteer service in the Commonwealth Games.
1979 Trophy for "Motivation” in a Leadership Course at Banff, Alberta 1980 Alberta Achievement Award for community services from the province presented by Premier Lougheed.
1980 Honorary life-member of St. John's Cathedral.
1983 Honorary life-member of the Ukrainian Self-Reliance League of Canada.
1983 Certificate of Merit for services in the Universiade Games 1985 Certificate of Appreciation for outstanding contribution to the advancement of Ukrainian language and culture in Alberta schools presented by the Alberta Parents of Ukrainian Education.
1985 Life-member in the SUS Foundation for contributions.
1986 Recipient of the Shevchenko Medal given by the National organization of the Ukrainian Canadian Committee for community services rendered throughout the years.
1986 Multicultural Education Council Award presented in Lethbridge by the Alberta Teachers' Association.
1987 Heritage Language Development -- Outstanding Alberta Achievement Award presented October 17/87 in Calgary by Hon. Greg Stevens.
1987 Certificate of Appreciation presented by the Canadian Council for Multicultural and Intercultural Education (CCMIE) in recognition of valuable contributions to multicultural education in Canada.
1988 an award for outstanding services and contribution to the preservation of heritage languages presented by the Northern Alberta Heritage Language Association on June 4/88 on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of NAHLA.

Fiona Pelech passed away on March 13, 2002

Piniuta, Harry
Person · 1910-1990

Born at Elphinstone on 1 March 1910, son of Anna Dziewer, he attended the Brandon Normal School and, over the next 40 years, taught at Rossburn School, Elphinstone School, and Minnedosa North School (1952-1953). He served as the Principal of Sandy Lake School (1946-1952) and McCreary School (1953-1956). In 1956, he moved to Fort Frances, Ontario where he taught for 16 years in the local high school, retiring in 1974. While teaching, he attended summer school and received BA and BEd degrees from the University of Manitoba, an MA from the University of Ottawa, and a PhD from the Ukrainian Free University of Munich, Germany. He translated first-person accounts by Ukrainian pioneers to Canada during the period from 1891 and 1914, and in 1978 published the book Land of Pain, Land of Promise based on them. He also co-edited a pocket book guide Ukraine and Ukrainians in 1984-1985. He died at Fort Frances on 27 July 1990.

Prydatkevytch, Roman
Person · 1895-1980

Composer and violinist Roman Prydatkevytch (b. 1895, Żywiec, Poland, d. 1980, Owensboro, USA) was born into the family of a painter and sculptor and received his initial education at the Taras Shevchenko Ukrainian School in Yavoriv and at the Ukrainian Academic Gymnasium and the Lysenko Music Institute in Lviv. He continued his studies at the Vienna Music Academy and the faculty of law of the University of Vienna. During the First World War he was drafted into the Austrian army and fought on the Italian front. Following the war he joined the Ukrainian Galician Army and was later Kyrylo Stetsenko’s assistant as director of music for the Ukrainian armed forces. He worked at the Institute of Public Education in Odesa and the Odesa Theatrical Institute. He was forced to emigrate in 1922 and settled in New York in 1923. With Michael Hayvoronsky he founded the Ukrainian Conservatory of Music in 1924. Prydatkevytch continued his music studies at Columbia University, the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia, the College of Music in New York, the Julliard School and the Eastman School of Music, and received a master’s degree in composition from the University of Minnesota and a doctorate from the Ukrainian Free University. In 1930 he organized the Ukrainian Trio in New York, and he was a conductor at the American Chamber Orchestra. From 1946 until 1965 he taught at the Murray State University of Kentucky, and from 1967 until 1971 at the Kentucky Wesleyan College.

Prydatkevytch’s compositions include three symphonies, the Ukrainian Suite for chamber orchestra and harp, Ukrainian Rhapsody for violin and orchestra, a string quartet, three violin sonatas, solo piano works and art songs. He wrote one of the first English-language histories of Ukrainian music. His grandson is conductor and violist Theodore Kuchar, who was previously chief conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine.