Performing Arts Commemoration of Ukraine's Great Bard Taras Shevchenko's 205th Birthday

CHICAGO - Feb. 25, 2019 - PRLog -- Taras Shevchenko is a symbol of Ukrainian culture and spirit. By writing in Ukrainian, he became a resistor to the tsarist regime during his lifetime in the early to mid 1800's. Peter Fedynsky, the Voice Of America bureau chief and an Ukrainian-American, was so inspired by Shevchenko's literary work that he embarked on a translation of the Taras Shevchenko's Kobzar – a revolutionary poetry collection that sits on bookshelves alongside the Bible in most Ukrainian households. Kobzars were itinerant blind minstrels, who traveled the countryside singing epic ballads about the freedom fighting exploits of the Ukrainian Cossacks.

To commemorate the prophetic poet's 205th birthday in the Windy City, Mr. Fedynsky will be reciting his translations of Kobzar poetry, which evoke the wind and its power to stir passive hearts and minds.

Mr. Fedynsky's recitation will be accompanied by a modern day kobzar – Honored Artist of Ukraine, Kyiv National University of Culture professor, and bandura virtuoso Taras Yanytsky. The bandura, Ukraine's national instrument, is a 7th century guitar-harpsichord hybrid adored by the Cossacks. Mr. Yanytsky's 65-string, 5 octave chromatically tuned modern incarnation of the bandura resonates with melodic poetry that synergizes exquisitely with Mr. Fedynsky's recitations.

This Commemoration functions as a rare, raw glimpse into the Slavic soul that reverberates Shevchenko's proclamation:

"Our soul shall never perish, Freedom knows no dying."

From March 9 – March 24 numerous Kobzars, beginning with the 1840 edition,

portraits and artifacts will be displayed at the Ukrainian National Museum

Visit the Museum's website at www.ukrainiannationalmuseum.org

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For additional information, please call (312) 421-8020 or e-mail

info@UkrainianNationalMuseum.org