Oleh Mahlay named artistic director of famed Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus (11/03/96)

Oleh Mahlay named artistic director of famed Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus

CLEVELAND - Oleh Mahlay became the artistic director and conductor of the world-renowned Uk-rainian Bandurist Chorus earlier this year at the age of 26. He is the youngest artistic director in the chorus's 78-year history.

Mr. Mahlay's lifelong association with the ensemble, a deep appreciation of the bandura and Ukrainian music, along with his diverse musical background and skills bring a new and exciting vision to this award-winning group.

Born in Cleveland, in 1969 to Ukrainian immigrants, Mr. Mahlay began to study piano at age 5. Soon after he began studies on the violin. He studing violin, music theory and form at the Cleveland Music School Settlement, where he received academic scholarships.

Maestro Mahlay also studied piano with Dr. George Cherry of Baldwin Wallace College Conservatory of Music. His violin teachers included Elmer Seltzer of the Cleveland Orchestra and Jeannette Drinkold-Meyer, a student of renowned violinist Josef Gingold.

Beginning in his early teens, Mr. Mahlay earned outstanding marks at various competitions on both the violin and the piano. At the 1986 Baldwin Wallace Conservatory Summer Music Clinic in Berea, Ohio, he won the piano competition, performing Mozart's Piano Concerto in G Major, K. 453 with orchestra. He repeated this feat the next year, performing Beethoven's Piano Concert No. 1 in C Major.

He also played in various youth orchestras at the Baldwin Wallace Preparatory Department, and in 1987 was honored as the Outstanding Preparatory Student of the Year. That same year he was the piano soloist in Beethoven's Choral Fantasy with the Parma Symphony Orchestra. He was also a member of the first violin section of the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra during its inaugural season.

Maestro Mahlay received a bachelor of arts in music history and literature from Case Western Reserve University. He studied voice and piano at the Cleveland Institute of Music. He served as the concertmaster of the University Circle Chamber Orchestra for four years.

During his undergraduate studies, the university awarded him the Kennedy Prize for Creative Achievement in Music, and the Charles E. Clemens Prize for Talent and Accomplishment in Music. He is also a member of the Pi Kappa Lambda music honor society at CIM and CWRU. Mr. Mahlay was a magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa graduate.

In 1988, Mr. Mahlay attended the Bolzano Institute of Music in Bolzano, Italy. There, he concentrated on piano chamber works and accompanying.

For two years he participated in a choral conducting seminar in Edmonton. This workshop was run by Maestro Wolodymyr Kolesnyk, formerly of the Kyiv Opera and artistic director of the Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus for over a decade.

At the age of 16, Mr. Mahlay became the choir director of St. Vladimir Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral in Parma, Ohio. This position was held for many years by the late Hryhory Kytasty, composer, bandura player, artistic director of the Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus, and musical mentor to Mr. Mahlay.

This post gave the current artistic director and conductor of the Chorus the opportunity at a very young age to explore and gain insights into the art of choral conducting and the mystical sounds of Slavic sacred music. Mr. Mahlay also has orchestral conducting experience, once serving as the assistant conductor for the Parma Symphony Orchestra.

Maestro Mahlay began his bandura studies at the age of 15. In 1988, he began his long association with the Emlenton Summer Bandura Camp, where he has served as conductor, lecturer and music director over the years. He became a member of the Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus in 1987.

Mr. Mahlay served as the ensemble's concertmaster in 1991-1992, became a member of the artistic commission in 1992, and that same year was given the responsibilities of assistant conductor. He participated in the chorus's two triumphant tours of Ukraine in 1991 and 1994, and had his premiere as a conductor of the group in 1994. In the last few years he has also given lectures and demonstrations at public schools as well as universities.

Currently, Maestro Mahlay is a practicing attorney in the Cleveland area. He continues to teach voice and bandura, and frequently lectures and conducts workshops both in the Northeast Ohio area and throughout the United States and Canada.

He also serves on the board of the Ukrainian Cultural Arts Association of Greater Cleveland (Kashtan Dance Ensemble and School) and sings with the Choral Arts Association of Cleveland. Mr. Mahlay is a lifelong member of the Ukrainian National Association.