Oleksandr Bilash
Encyclopedia
Oleksandr Bilash (March 6, 1931 Gradizhsk, Ukraine - May 6, 2003 Kiev, Ukraine) was a renowned Ukrainian composer, the author of popular liric songs, ballads, operas, operettas, oratorios and music for films. Laureate of the Taras Shevchenko
State Award (1975), People's Artist of Ukraine
(1977), People's Artist of the Soviet Union (1990). Hero of Ukraine
(2001).
region, Ukraine ) to a family of skilled amateur musicians. Father Ivan Afanasievich Bilash played balalaika
and guitar
, his mother Evdokia Andriyivna was a solo singer at rural gatherings.
After studying for a year in the Kiev music school for adults, Oleksandr traveled to the city of Zhytomir where he entered the second year of the Victor Kosenko Music School . In 1951 Bilash had successfully passed the entrance examinations for entry into the faculty of Composition of the Kiev State Conservatory (now The Tchaikovsky National Academy of Music), He studied composition with the outstanding Ukrainian composer and teaching professor Mykola Vilinsky
. Oleksandr Bilash graduated from the Kiev State Conservatory in 1957.
In 1956 - 1961 Bilash worked as an Instructor of music theory at the Kiev Pedagogical Institute (Kiev Teachers Training Institute, now Borys Hrinchenko Kyiv University). Already Bilash had emerged as a pre-eminent and prolific Ukrainian composer who had contributed immensely to variety of musical genres and styles. Many of his lyric songs became very popular in Ukraine. His lyric songs have become a part of the 'golden fund' of Ukrainian national culture and many of them are often perceived as traditional folk songs. He composed the opera "Haydamaky" (1965), "The Ballad of War" ( 1971 ), "The Grooms" (1985), operetta "The Legend of Kiev", "The Bells of Russia". Bilash cpposed the soundtrack to numerous movies. One of them - "Roman and Francesca" (1960) with the celebrated lyric songs by Bilash was the first Soviet film (musical) where love between a Soviet sailor
and a foreign girl was not criminalized. At the time of Chernobyl
nuclear accident in April 1986, the popular lyric song "Dva kolori" (Two colors) composed by Oleksandr Bilash sounded like a revelation.
From 1976-1994 Bilash served as the Chairman of the Kiev branch of the Union of Composers of Ukraine. Oleksandr Bilash was one of the most highly regarded Ukrainian composers and his creative output was highly praised. Among others, Bilash received the State Taras Shevchenko
Award (1975), titles of People's Artist of Ukraine
(1977) and People's Artist of the Soviet Union (1990). In March 2001, the honorable title of the Hero of Ukraine
(the highest State degree of recognition in Ukraine) was bestowed upon him for his 'outstanding personal contribution to the enrichment of the spiritual treasures of the Ukrainian people and many years of fruitful creative activity' (March, 6 2001).
His wife was famous Ukrainian singer Larisa Ostapenko-Bilash (1935–2010) with whom he had two daughters Lesya and Oksana.
Oleksandr Bilash died on May 6, 2003 in Kiev. He was buried at the Baikove Cemetery in Kiev, the burial place of the Ukrainian elite.
Taras Shevchenko
Taras Hryhorovych Shevchenko -Life:Born into a serf family of Hryhoriy Ivanovych Shevchenko and Kateryna Yakymivna Shevchenko in the village of Moryntsi, of Kiev Governorate of the Russian Empire Shevchenko was orphaned at the age of eleven...
State Award (1975), People's Artist of Ukraine
People's Artist of Ukraine
People's Artist of Ukraine is an honorary and the highest title awarding to outstanding performing artists whose merits are exceptional in the sphere of the development of the performing arts ....
(1977), People's Artist of the Soviet Union (1990). Hero of Ukraine
Hero of Ukraine
Hero of Ukraine is the highest state decoration that can be conferred upon an individual citizen by the Government of Ukraine. The title was created in 1998 by President Leonid Kuchma and as of August 25 2011 the total number of awards is 265. The award is divided into two classes of distinction:...
(2001).
Biography
Oleksandr Bilash was born on March 6, 1931 in the town of Hradizhsk, Ukraine (now Hlobinsky district of PoltavaPoltava
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 ....
region, Ukraine ) to a family of skilled amateur musicians. Father Ivan Afanasievich Bilash played balalaika
Balalaika
The balalaika is a stringed musical instrument popular in Russia, with a characteristic triangular body and three strings.The balalaika family of instruments includes instruments of various sizes, from the highest-pitched to the lowest, the prima balalaika, secunda balalaika, alto balalaika, bass...
and guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, his mother Evdokia Andriyivna was a solo singer at rural gatherings.
After studying for a year in the Kiev music school for adults, Oleksandr traveled to the city of Zhytomir where he entered the second year of the Victor Kosenko Music School . In 1951 Bilash had successfully passed the entrance examinations for entry into the faculty of Composition of the Kiev State Conservatory (now The Tchaikovsky National Academy of Music), He studied composition with the outstanding Ukrainian composer and teaching professor Mykola Vilinsky
Mykola Vilinsky
Mykola Vilinsky was a Ukrainian composer and a professor at the Odessa and Kiev Conservatories.He was descended from a Ukrainian family of hereditary nobles...
. Oleksandr Bilash graduated from the Kiev State Conservatory in 1957.
In 1956 - 1961 Bilash worked as an Instructor of music theory at the Kiev Pedagogical Institute (Kiev Teachers Training Institute, now Borys Hrinchenko Kyiv University). Already Bilash had emerged as a pre-eminent and prolific Ukrainian composer who had contributed immensely to variety of musical genres and styles. Many of his lyric songs became very popular in Ukraine. His lyric songs have become a part of the 'golden fund' of Ukrainian national culture and many of them are often perceived as traditional folk songs. He composed the opera "Haydamaky" (1965), "The Ballad of War" ( 1971 ), "The Grooms" (1985), operetta "The Legend of Kiev", "The Bells of Russia". Bilash cpposed the soundtrack to numerous movies. One of them - "Roman and Francesca" (1960) with the celebrated lyric songs by Bilash was the first Soviet film (musical) where love between a Soviet sailor
Sailor
A sailor, mariner, or seaman is a person who navigates water-borne vessels or assists in their operation, maintenance, or service. The term can apply to professional mariners, military personnel, and recreational sailors as well as a plethora of other uses...
and a foreign girl was not criminalized. At the time of Chernobyl
Chernobyl
Chernobyl or Chornobyl is an abandoned city in northern Ukraine, in Kiev Oblast, near the border with Belarus. The city had been the administrative centre of the Chernobyl Raion since 1932....
nuclear accident in April 1986, the popular lyric song "Dva kolori" (Two colors) composed by Oleksandr Bilash sounded like a revelation.
From 1976-1994 Bilash served as the Chairman of the Kiev branch of the Union of Composers of Ukraine. Oleksandr Bilash was one of the most highly regarded Ukrainian composers and his creative output was highly praised. Among others, Bilash received the State Taras Shevchenko
Taras Shevchenko
Taras Hryhorovych Shevchenko -Life:Born into a serf family of Hryhoriy Ivanovych Shevchenko and Kateryna Yakymivna Shevchenko in the village of Moryntsi, of Kiev Governorate of the Russian Empire Shevchenko was orphaned at the age of eleven...
Award (1975), titles of People's Artist of Ukraine
People's Artist of Ukraine
People's Artist of Ukraine is an honorary and the highest title awarding to outstanding performing artists whose merits are exceptional in the sphere of the development of the performing arts ....
(1977) and People's Artist of the Soviet Union (1990). In March 2001, the honorable title of the Hero of Ukraine
Hero of Ukraine
Hero of Ukraine is the highest state decoration that can be conferred upon an individual citizen by the Government of Ukraine. The title was created in 1998 by President Leonid Kuchma and as of August 25 2011 the total number of awards is 265. The award is divided into two classes of distinction:...
(the highest State degree of recognition in Ukraine) was bestowed upon him for his 'outstanding personal contribution to the enrichment of the spiritual treasures of the Ukrainian people and many years of fruitful creative activity' (March, 6 2001).
His wife was famous Ukrainian singer Larisa Ostapenko-Bilash (1935–2010) with whom he had two daughters Lesya and Oksana.
Oleksandr Bilash died on May 6, 2003 in Kiev. He was buried at the Baikove Cemetery in Kiev, the burial place of the Ukrainian elite.