Bilohrud Ihor Mykhailovych (December 17, 1916, Romny - March 2, 1992, Chicago) was a Ukrainian composer, pianist, and music educator. In 1938-1941, he studied at the Faculty of Composition and Theory of the Kyiv Conservatory (class of L. Revutsky), and, after moving abroad, graduated from the Higher Music School in Heidelberg (Germany).
In 1946-87 he performed in Europe and America as a soloist and accompanist.
In 1951-85 he had his own music studio in Berwyn (Illinois, USA).
Author of compositions: "Steppe" (symphonic poem), "Twelve Variations in G minor" for piano, "The Wizard of Oz" (ballet suite), "Excelsior" by Ivan Franko for mixed choir, music to "Forest Song" by L. Ukrainian, "Ray" for choir and orchestra, cantata "Sun of Freedom", opera "Olga of Kyiv" (libretto by L. Poltava), ballet suite for orchestra "Lany",
"Prophecy" for choir and orchestra, children's opera "Little Red Riding Hood" (libretto by A. Lobachevsky) and many others.
He received awards for his compositions The Sun of Freedom and Olga of Kyiv. He has also arranged music for the mandolin ensemble of the UMCOR in Chicago. He has performed poems by many (more than 70) Ukrainian poets, including Taras Shevchenko, Oles Oles, Hanna Cheryn, and others. Hanna Cheryn wrote about the composer that "his soul is Poltava, his compositions are sincerely Ukrainian, they have the spirit of the Ukrainian steppe".
Graphic artist M. Bondarenko created a portrait of I. Bilohrud, which was published in the album "Roots from Sumy region".
