page_title: Hryhory Bazhul
section_title: Emigration to Australia
hierarchical_section_title: Hryhory Bazhul / Emigration to Australia
caption_attribution_description: Khotkevych Bandura ensemble 1968 - Sydney Australia
context_page_description: Hryhory Ivanovych Bazhul was a Ukrainian bandurist and publisher of articles on bandura history from Poltava, Russian Empire. After World War II he emigrated to Australia settling in Sydney.
context_section_description: At the end of the war, in September 1948, Bazhul migrated to Australia. He performed solo at various community functions and ethnic festivals. He established a bandura ensemble in 1958 which toured Australia and made a recording in 1961, when it disbanded. In 1964, he re-established the bandura, which later became the Hnat Khotkevych Ukrainian Bandurist Ensemble. He remained as director until 1971 when Peter Deriashnyj replaced him.
  During the ensemble's existence it undertook numerous performances by itself and with the Boyan Choir under the direction of Vasyl Matiash. In 1970, on the basis of the bandura ensemble, Bazhul organised a school for bandura playing.
  Bazhul published a number of articles about Khotkevych and his life as a bandurist in various Ukrainian language journals.
  Bazhul died on October 17, 1989 in Sydney, aged 83.
caption: Khotkevych Bandurist Capella Sydney, Australia, 1968.
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