Directions of the activities of Ukrainian conductors in the 20th century through the prism of art projects
Authors: Kachurynets Liliia 
Published: August 2024

Statement of the problem. The art of conducting is one of the most important aspects of musical culture, which largely affects the development and popularization of musical art as a whole. The 20th century was a period of experimentation and innovation in musical art, when conductors were looking for new forms of expression and new ways of interacting with the audience. Many conductors dedicated their activities to the performance of works of Ukrainian composers, which contributed to their popularization both in Ukraine and abroad. They created programs that included both classical works and modern compositions, thereby enriching the cultural palette of the country. In addition, conductors often initiated the creation of new music groups and festivals, which contributed to the development of the musical infrastructure. Studying the artistic projects of conductors helps to understand exactly how the musical culture of Ukraine was formed and developed, what were the main trends and directions of this development. Thus, the study of the directions of project activities of conductors of Ukraine in the 20th century is important not only for understanding the history of musical culture, but also for its further development. Recent research and publications. The works of Viacheslav Boikо, Anatolii Martyniuk, Dmytro Mazur, Tetiana Potapchuk, Oleksandr Horbenko, Viktoriia Tkachenko, Mykhailo Burban and others are devoted to studing the various issues of the Ukrainian conductors’ activities. Existing studies focus on professional skill, methodical work and individual qualities of conductors, the main emphasis is on individual creativity. Therefore, there is a need to study the activities of Ukrainian conductors of the 20th century in the context of their artistic projects, analysis of the direction and content of the latter. Objectives, methods, and novelty of the research. The purpose of the study is the systematization of the project activities of Ukrainian conductors of the 20th century. The novelty of the study consists in the considering the evolution of the Ukrainian conductors’ activity in the 20th century, the identification of certain directions as a set of artistic projects, and its general assessment from the standpoint of the modern scientific discourse of art history. A complex of general and specific scientific methods is aimed at revealing the research topic, namely: historiographical, biographical, sociocultural, comparative, systemic; materials that were not previously introduced into scientific circulation were used, which allows for a deeper understanding the specifics and scope of the activity of Ukrainian conductors in the considered historical period. Research results. Changes in political regimes, wars, revolutions and other historical events of the 20th century significantly affected the activities of musicians and cultural institutions. The leading Ukrainian conductors, whose creative activity falls on this historical period are Ya. Barnych, L. Brahinsky, H. Veriovka, V. Verkhovynets, I. Vilensky, N. Horodovenko, P. Hrechanichenko, H. Davydovsky, P. Demutsky, V. Yorish, I. Karabyts, M. Kolessa, V. Komarenko, A. Kryvokhyzha, M. Kushch, B. Levitsky, B. Liatoshynsky, I. Maichyk, M. Malko, V. Minko, V. Mishchenko, P. Myloslavsky, A. Pashkevych, K. Pihrov, M. Pokrovsky, F. Popadych, Y. Pribik, M. Radzievsky, B. Svitlichny, E. Skrypchynska, I. Sliota, V. Smekalin, Ya. Stepovy, K. Stetsenko, Ye. Shechtman. As key figures in the musical world, they not only adapted to these changes, but also actively influenced educational and sociocultural processes thanks to their creative activity. Project activity in the field of music in the 20th century was characterized by several key aspects. Among them are the selection of the repertoire (popularization of classical music, assimilation of new genres, such as jazz and pop music, new directions of international importance), directing and theatricalization of opera and ballet productions, organization of musical groups (folk choirs, folk song ensembles and dance, jazz and pop music orchestras), performance activities and organization of concert tours (planning, management). Only in the second half of the 20th century this activity reached its full development and all its components began to be fully realized. Conclusion. The conclusions indicate the dynamics of the development of conductors’ project activity in the 20th century in connection with the expansion of the musical repertoire, the differentiation of musical genres, the cooperation of conductors with composers, experiments with media projects and technologies, the study of musical heritage, artistic initiatives, the management of opera productions, etc. It was noted that the conductors contributed to the development of musical education and the popularization of Ukrainian music through their participation in artistic projects. Thus, in the 20th century, the conducting art evolved reflecting the needs and requirements of the modern musical world. The globalization of the century contributed to the intensive development and expansion of conductors’ capabilities in creating innovative artistic projects that combined music with other forms of art, contributing to the understanding and deepening of musical impressions of the audience and opening new perspectives for the development of musical culture.