Volodymyr Voyt plays a traditional Ukrainian string instrument called the bandura, which was used for accompanying folk songs, chants, psalms, and epics from middle ages until today with an exception of the Soviet era, when hundreds of bandurists were persecuted, arrested or even executed by communist authorities due to planned russification. The restoration of the former glory of bandura music and musicians started in the late 1970s. Volodymyr Voyt is one of the new generation of bandura players (his father was also bandurist) who took the instrument into contemporary music territory, playing not only traditional stuff, but also a lot of fusions or improvised music with other artists. He had to flee the Russian missiles from Kyiv to Lviv with nothing but a backpack and his family, leaving behind his precious instruments, but after returning back to his home city he found all 15 banduras untouched. Volodymyr Voyt is a permanent member of Hryhory Verjovka Ukrainian National Folkloric Ensemble, but he performed also as solo or collaborating artist with a different music in many countries of the world. After his debut album from 2005 he recorded many new tracks, especially during COVID-19 lockdown, but they are still waiting for their release.
Albums:
Roxolana´s Dream (Voruv, 2005)
Line up:
Volodymyr Voyt – bandura
