Musical and performance projects as a way to honor the memory of the prominent Kharkiv native Hnat Khotkevych
Authors: Mandziuk Liubov 
Published: January 2025

Statement of the problem. The multifaceted activities of Hnat Khotkevych laid the foundation for the professionalization of bandura art. His figure is significant for the folk instrumental art of Ukraine. Conducting musical and performance projects is a valuable way to preserve and disseminate the legacy by H. Khotkevych. Promoting Ukrainian national culture amidst the current war in Ukraine is a pressing task. Additionally, developing bandura art as a purely Ukrainian national heritage is timely. The relevance of this article lies in the lack of comprehensive scientific understanding of musical and performance events for bandurists in honor of H. Khotkevych in Kharkiv. Analysis of recent research and publications. The study of H. Khotkevych’s musical creativity is covered in the monograph by N. Suprun (1997) and the article by S. Pinchak (2019). Issues of the development of competitive events in the field of folk instrumental art are highlighted in the works by V. Dutchak (1996), H. Ihnatchenko (1998), and I. Lisniak (2019). The specifics of compositional creativity and the expansion of the bandura repertoire are considered in the dissertations by O. Nikolenko (2011) and O.-K. Sozanska (2023). Theoretical foundations of transcribing musical works for bandura are covered in the dissertation research by I. Dmytruk (2009), N. Khmel (2018), and T. Yanytsky (2020). Objectives, methods and novelty of the research. The purpose of this study is a comprehensive review of Kharkiv artistic projects dedicated to the memory of Hnat Martynovych Khotkevych, aimed at reviving and preserving his creative ideas as an important factor in promoting bandura performance and encouraging the younger generation to engage in concert performance activities. The novelty of this research is determined by the first systematic overview in musicology of Kharkiv’s musical and performance projects dedicated to the memory of H. Khotkevych. An extensive presentation of the experience of conducting the Al-Ukrainian Competition of Bandura Performers named after Hnat Khotkevych has been carried out. The following research methods were used: analytical, structural, chronological, statistical, and typological ones. Results. Since 1998, some of the most prestigious competitions for bandura performers have been held in H. Khotkevych’s homeland, bringing together musicians from all levels of artistic education. These projects are presented in the following chronological sequence: &#9679; 1997 – All-Ukrainian Review of Authentic Performance on Traditional Kobzar Instruments to the 95th Anniversary of the Historic Performance by Kobzars Gathered by H. Khotkevych at the XII Archaeological Congress in Kharkiv. &#9679; 1998-2010 – International Competition of Performers on Ukrainian Folk Instruments named after Hnat Khotkevych. &#9679; 2003-2023 – All-Ukrainian Competition of Bandura Performers named after Hnat Khotkevych. &#9679; 2012 – All-Ukrainian Competition of Composers named after Hnat Khotkevych. &#9679; 2016 – All-Ukrainian Professional Competition of Bandura Performers named after Hnat Khotkevych. &#9679; 2022 – International Art Meeting for the 145th Anniversary of the Birth of Hnat Khotkevych, within which lectures, master classes, artist talks, a conversation with publisher O. Savchuk, presentations of first editions from library funds, a presentation of the first issue of the video anthology "Instruments of the Peoples of the World," and a concert of works by H. Khotkevych were held online. The All-Ukrainian Competition of Bandura Performers named after Hnat Khotkevych is one of the longest-running professional two-round competitions for musicians in the early stages of music education (ages 6 to 16). Over more than twenty years, the competition has united over 500 performers from various parts of Ukraine. The geography of the contestants covers 23 regions, excluding Zakarpattia. A distinctive feature of the competition is the mandatory performance of new composers’ works (created specifically for the competition). This stimulates teaching activities in enriching the original bandura repertoire and encourages collaboration with composers. The expansion of the bandura repertoire remains a relevant issue. Conclusion. The main goal of all musical and performance projects dedicated to Hnat Khotkevych is the multifaceted promotion of bandura performance by increasing concert renditions among youth, creating original repertoire for the bandura, and stimulating the creativity by Ukrainian composers. Over the years, the All-Ukrainian Competition of Bandura Performers named after H. Khotkevych has become the foundation of modern professional bandura performance.