Kobzarskyi Tsekh
Encyclopedia
Kobzarskyi Tsekh - literaly "Kobzar guild" - is an organization of kobzar
s, which existed from the 17th century in Ukraine
.
Blind itinerant musicians, known as kobzar
s and lirnyks, organized themselves into guilds along the same lines as professional craftsmen. These professional itinerant musicians would gather at regular meeting spots on particular dates to celebrate religious feasts, administer examinations for the induction of novices and masters, and collect money for placement of votive candles under icons of patron saints and to also discuss the business of the guild.
During the Soviet period the Kobzar guilds ceased to exist.
In the 1990s, the idea for the creation of a Kobzar guild in Kyiv was initiated by followers and students of traditional bandurist
Heorhy Tkachenko
- Mykola Budnyk and Mykhailo Khai. The reason for the formation of the Kobzar guild was to have a formal organization to resurrect and reestablish forgotten traditions and to help deal with the needs of those bandurists who were interested in performing traditional music of the kobzars. The established regulated government institutions of the time were openly hostile to this group of bandurists, and as a result the Kyiv Kobzar guild was formed initially in opposition to the various formal music schools and conservatoria, as these formal structures had agendas which did not support authentic performance practice of traditional folk music.
The Kobzar Guild has grown into a significant movement and force in contemporary Ukrainian musical life. Currently there are over 200 members and associates, with chapters in Kiev
, Kharkiv
, Poltava
and Lviv
.
Kobzar
A Kobzar was an itinerant Ukrainian bard who sang to his own accompaniment.-Tradition:Kobzars were often blind, and became predominantly so by the 1800s...
s, which existed from the 17th century in Ukraine
History of Ukraine
The territory of Ukraine was a key center of East Slavic culture in the Middle Ages, before being divided between a variety of powers. However, the history of Ukraine dates back many thousands of years. The territory has been settled continuously since at least 5000 BC, and is also a candidate site...
.
Blind itinerant musicians, known as kobzar
Kobzar
A Kobzar was an itinerant Ukrainian bard who sang to his own accompaniment.-Tradition:Kobzars were often blind, and became predominantly so by the 1800s...
s and lirnyks, organized themselves into guilds along the same lines as professional craftsmen. These professional itinerant musicians would gather at regular meeting spots on particular dates to celebrate religious feasts, administer examinations for the induction of novices and masters, and collect money for placement of votive candles under icons of patron saints and to also discuss the business of the guild.
During the Soviet period the Kobzar guilds ceased to exist.
In the 1990s, the idea for the creation of a Kobzar guild in Kyiv was initiated by followers and students of traditional bandurist
Bandurist
A bandurist is a person who plays the Ukrainian plucked string instrument known as the bandura.-Types of performers:There are a number of different types of bandurist who differ in their paricular choice of instrument, the specific repertoire they play and manner in which they approach their...
Heorhy Tkachenko
Heorhy Tkachenko
Heorhiy Kyrylovych Tkachenko .-Biography:Tkachenko was able to complete his high school education in Kharkiv before continuing his education in Moscow. He completed his education in Moscow as an architect in 1929 and continued to live in Moscow where he designed many of the parks around the city...
- Mykola Budnyk and Mykhailo Khai. The reason for the formation of the Kobzar guild was to have a formal organization to resurrect and reestablish forgotten traditions and to help deal with the needs of those bandurists who were interested in performing traditional music of the kobzars. The established regulated government institutions of the time were openly hostile to this group of bandurists, and as a result the Kyiv Kobzar guild was formed initially in opposition to the various formal music schools and conservatoria, as these formal structures had agendas which did not support authentic performance practice of traditional folk music.
The Kobzar Guild has grown into a significant movement and force in contemporary Ukrainian musical life. Currently there are over 200 members and associates, with chapters in Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
, Kharkiv
Kharkiv
Kharkiv or Kharkov is the second-largest city in Ukraine.The city was founded in 1654 and was a major centre of Ukrainian culture in the Russian Empire. Kharkiv became the first city in Ukraine where the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic was proclaimed in December 1917 and Soviet government was...
, Poltava
Poltava
Poltava is a city in located on the Vorskla River in central Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Poltava Oblast , as well as the surrounding Poltava Raion of the oblast. Poltava's estimated population is 298,652 ....
and Lviv
Lviv
Lviv is a city in western Ukraine. The city is regarded as one of the main cultural centres of today's Ukraine and historically has also been a major Polish and Jewish cultural center, as Poles and Jews were the two main ethnicities of the city until the outbreak of World War II and the following...
.