Ignatius (Hnat) Palazy [Ігнатій (Гнат) Пaлaжій], (b. April 9, 1894, in Boberka, Sambir region, Lviv oblast, Ukraine; d. August 31, 1951, in New York, NY). Ignatius (Hnat) Palazy was born in 1894 in and studied music at the Stavropygian Institute in Lviv. He came to America in 1912 and joined the New York People’s Opera Company. From 1918 to 1923, he led the church choir at St. Michael the Archangel Greek-Catholic (Byzantine) Church in Passaic, NJ. He briefly went to Milan, Italy, to continue his studies at the Verdi Conservatory. Afterwards, he moved to Bayonne, NJ, and directed at Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Ukrainian Catholic Church, while also founding the “Boyan” Chorus at St. Mary Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church (also in Bayonne, NJ). In a newspaper review of a performance by the Boyan Choir, Palazy was praised as “a creator of new and strikingly lovely vocal effects.” Hnat Palazy continued his work in Bayonne and New York City until he passed away on August 31, 1951.
Timeline
1912: Came to America.
1918-1923: Choir director at St. Michael the Archangel Byzantine Greek-Catholic Church (Passaic, NJ).
1923-1924: Studied in Milan, Italy.
1927: Founder of the “Boyan” Choir at St. Mary Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church (Bayonne, NJ), and choir director at Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary UCC (Bayonne, NJ).