Album Notes

OLA HERASYMENKO OLIYNYK, born in Lviv, Ukraine, is the first professional bandurist to have been featured as a soloist with American symphony orchestras. Together with her husband, composer and pianist Yuriy Oliynyk, she has performed Ukrainian music throughout North America. Her repertoire includes works of Bach, Handel, Vivaldi, and Bortniansky, among others. Prior to settling in the United States, she performed in and directed a bandura trio that toured Europe and Japan. Mrs. Herasymenko Oliynyk received her Bachelor’s degree at the Lviv Lysenko Conservatory and her Master’s at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Kyiv. In 1999 she recorded three of her husband’s concertos for bandura and symphony orchestra. This was the first recording ever featuring the bandura and a symphony orchestra on a CD. Subsequently, she was awarded a medal and the title of Merited Artist of Ukraine by President Leonid Kuchma. Her instrument was custom built by her father, Professor Vasyl Herasymenko. His concert banduras are highly sought by musicians in Ukraine and abroad.