My name is Markian Komichak, and I have served as the choir director at St. Vladimir Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral in Parma, Ohio, since 1991. I am currently researching historical choral music from Ukrainian churches across North America. Over the years, I have discovered and cataloged hundreds of historical items into a dedicated database.
The inspiration for this project began while I was organizing the storeroom in my parish choir loft. I discovered boxes of sheet music dating back to the 1920s, left by former directors. While most of the music originated at St. Vladimir’s, the collection included items from parishes in San Diego, Buffalo, Passaic, Woonsocket, Ambridge, Montreal, and Winnipeg. This led me to believe that many other parishes may house similar historical collections.
My research focuses on musicological elements, such as repertoire choices, notation styles, and linguistic peculiarities of the era. Additionally, I am interested in documenting information regarding the directors themselves, including their names and the specific dates and locations of their service.