Ukrainian singer.
Biography.
He was born on June 13, 1921 in the city of Yaroslav, the family had ten children. At the age of 19, Antin Derbysh became a member of the OUN. Shortly before the end of the war, he found himself in regimental training in Slovakia, and later in Austria. While in the army, Antin sang in a male sextet. Later, after his escape from captivity, he sang in the Oleksandr Koshytsia Men's Choir, and since 1947 in the Vatra Choir, directed by Lev Turkevych. It was there that Antin met his future wife Daria Zarytska.
In 1949, he emigrated to Canada and settled in Edmonton. There were already other Vatra singers living there, who once again united in one group under the direction of Lev Turkevych. In a fairly short time, Vatra began its two-year concert tour. Soon after, Antin moved to Toronto with his wife Dariia and daughter Liuba. In 1952, Lev Turkevych also moved to Toronto, leading the choir of the Church of the Intercession, and later taking over the direction of the Prometheus Men's Choir. Antin Derbysh also sang in these choirs for a long period of time.
Upon his arrival in Toronto, Antin met Leonid Yablonsky, who was the director of a light genre orchestra. It was in this group that Antin began performing love songs by composers Bohdan Vesolovsky and Stepan Huminilovych: "Fly away, melancholy song", "Time will come", "There was no need to grieve", "Sea of joy", "You are my best song", "Evening twilight", "Night", "Gallo", "She will not come". These works became especially popular when they were released on records. The author of many of these songs, the poet and composer Bohdan Vesolovsky, also contributed to the popularization of these songs. For many years, the singer and the composer maintained creative ties.
In Toronto, Antin Derbysh sang in the Church Choir of the Intercession, the Choir of St. Nicholas Church, the Prometheus Men's Choir, and the Burlaka Choir, which was restored in 1975 by Stepan Huminilovych. It was with the Burlaka Choir that Antin Derbysh performed in New York in October 1987.
In 1990, Antin Derbysh also visited Ukraine with the Burlaka Choir, where he performed in Lviv, Ternopil, and Kyiv.
Awards and honors
The Gold Cross "For Merit" and a diploma of the Brotherhood of the 1st Division (1997) for the popularization of Ukrainian song in the cities of the United States and Canada.
