Born in the United States to a family of Ukrainian descent, Yurii Fedynskyi moved from New York to Ukraine back in 1998 to study and revive the traditions of kobzar art. Today he lives in the village of Kryachkivka in the Poltava region, where he reconstructs ancient musical instruments, organizes kobzar festivals, and tours in Ukraine and abroad in support of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Vilni Media learned about this from a feature by the Ukrainian online outlet Ukrinform.
According to the report, Yurii Fedynskyi’s path to Ukrainian culture began in childhood—through family memory, language, and traditions preserved by his mother, grandmother, and grandfather, émigrés from Ukraine. He later studied at music conservatories in Lviv and Kyiv and, after several years living in the United States, ultimately moved to Ukraine permanently.
For ten years, Yurii lived in Kyiv, where he founded several musical ensembles, including Khoreia Kozatska, Karpatiany, and Run Through the Jungle, and also collaborated with the group Hurtopravtsi.
It is noted that the central focus of his work became the revival of authentic kobzar tradition—not only the music itself, but also dumas, epic narratives, and traditional modes of performance.
“What interested me about kobzar tradition was not just the music, but also the dumas and epics. I decided it was worth investing myself in this and, in this way, restoring the tradition of playing the bandura,” Fedynskyi said.
In the Poltava region, he founded the Poltava Kobzar Guild in the village of Kryachkivka, where together with his students he reconstructs traditional kobzar instruments, including the old-style kobzar bandura, fretless kobza, torban, basolia, and others. The manufacturing process, he notes, can take years—preparing the wood alone can require up to five years.
Over time, Kryachkivka has become a modern hub of kobzar culture. There, Fedynskyi organizes the Tree of the Kobzar Lineage festival, which has no fixed script and is conceived as a living creative gathering of the community.
Окремим напрямом діяльності Юрія Фединського є благодійні та просвітницькі концерти на підтримку України та Збройних Сил. Він виступав у прифронтових громадах, у харківському метро під час обстрілів, у звільненому Куп’янську та перед українськими військовими. І, звісно, неодноразово приїздив із благодійним туром до Америки: знайомив людей з українською культурою, розповідав про війну, про те, за що бореться Україна, і грав традиційну музику.
“To speak about the Russian-Ukrainian war and the need to support Ukraine is also a kobzar mission,” the musician emphasizes.
Fedynskyi often tours together with his family—his wife and five children—who perform alongside him as a family ensemble. Even his three-year-old daughter already appears on stage.
In 2024, Ukrainian kobzar tradition was recognized by UNESCO as part of the world’s intangible cultural heritage, which, according to Fedynskyi, only underscores the importance of preserving this tradition.
His dream is to create a Cossack museum in Kryachkivka. At the same time, he is convinced that the most important thing remains Ukraine’s victory.
“I know that we will preserve what is most valuable. And then there will be development in everything. Ukraine lives, it is with us,” Yurii Fedynskyi concludes.
Photo: Anti-Crisis Media Center and Yurii Fedynskyi
Prepared by: Inna Mikhno