Vasyl Bezkorovainy

Vasyl Bezkorovainy [Василь Безкоровайний] (b. January 12, 1880, in Ternopil, Ukraine; d. in March 5, 1966, in Buffalo, NY). Composer from western Ukraine with connections to the so-called Peremyshl school. A graduate of the Lviv Conservatory, he went on to teach music and organize choral groups in Ternopil, Zolochiv, and Ivano-Frankivsk. He came to America in 1949 and settled in Buffalo, New York, where he continued his musical activities as the choir director at Holy Trinity Ukrainian Orthodox Church. He taught at the Buffalo branch of the Ukrainian Music Institute of America, gave violin and piano lessons, engaged in musical and choral and compositional activities, and was a representative of the board of the Choir of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America. During his lifetime, he composed over 350 works for piano, violin, orchestra, and chorus. His “Ukrainian Christmas Overture” (“Українська різдвяна увертюра”), which was first performed by the symphony orchestra at a concert in November 1956, won high praise from the public and press reviewers. Near the end of his life, he wrote an operetta for children based on the story “Little Red Riding Hood” (“Казка про червону шапочку”). He died on March 5, 1966, and was buried at Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Buffalo, NY.

1951-?: Director at Holy Trinity Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Buffalo, NY).