Peter Paush

Peter Paush [Петро Пауш], (b. 1902 in the village of Oblaznytsia, Halychyna, Ukraine; d. 1977 in Edmonton, Alberta). Peter Paush was born in 1902 in Halychyna in the village of Oblaznytsia. Having been blessed with a beautiful tenor voice, he chose to pursue a musical career. After four years of training in Lviv, he returned to his hometown in 1922 and began conducting choirs, directing plays, and serving as cantor at the local church. Due to the political turmoil of the time, he was forced to leave and settle in Canada. In 1929, he was hired by the Ukrainian Orthodox parish in Smoky Lake, Alberta, as the cantor, choir director, and Ukrainian School teacher. Late in 1934, he was asked by the executive of the Ukrainian Orthodox Parish of St. John’s in Edmonton, Alberta, to take over the same duties that he was performing at Smoky Lake. In addition to being a fine musician, Paush was also a master woodworker. His greatest achievement was the iconostas (icon screen) that he carved for St. John’s Cathedral. He died in 1977 and is buried at Edmonton’s Beechmount Cemetery.

1929: Choir director at Holy Ascension UOC (Smokey Lake, Alberta).

1934: Choir director at St. John UOC (Edmonton, Alberta).