Yurii Fiala (31 March 1922, Kyiv, Ukraine - 6 January 2017, Montreal, Canada) was a Ukrainian composer, pianist, organist, conductor, teacher, and citizen of Canada since 1955.
Biography
Kyiv period
Yurii was born into an intelligent family: his father was an architectural engineer, his mother was a linguist, both were successful pianists, and his aunt, Oksana Ulianytska, was a leading soprano at the Taras Shevchenko State Opera in Kyiv. Yurii began taking piano lessons at the age of seven, and in 1934 he became a student of Professor Kostiantyn Mykhailov at a music school for gifted children. He showed his talent as a composer early on, writing a mazurka in 1935 that was published in the Moscow newspaper Pravda.
After graduating from high school in 1939, he entered the Tchaikovsky State Conservatory in Kyiv, where he studied for two years under the guidance of such famous Ukrainian composers and musicologists as Levko Revutsky, Borys Liatoshynsky, and Andriy Olkhovsky. Meetings with S. Prokofiev, D. Shostakovich and A. Khachaturian, who came to Kyiv to perform their works, had a significant impact on his creative development. His studies were interrupted by the Second World War and the German occupation. Fiala went to Berlin, where in 1942-1945 he studied composition at the Academy of Music with Hans Maria Dombrowski, a student of Hans Pfitzner. He also took conducting lessons from Wilhelm Furtwängler, one of the most famous German conductors of the twentieth century.
Belgian period
After the war, Fiala moved to Brussels, where he studied composition and conducting with Leon Jongen, a renowned Belgian composer and conductor who was then director of the Royal Conservatory of Music. A special scholarship from the Vatican in 1946 enabled him to concentrate on composition for three years. During these years in Belgium, he composed no less than 40 works, and participated as a composer, pianist and conductor in the fifth concert of contemporary music organised by the Seminaire des Arts as part of the 1948 Spring Music Festival in Brussels, directed by composer André Souris. At this concert, Fiala's "Simple Music" for two pianos was performed. It was also in Belgium that the composer became acquainted with the new Parisian school represented by Pierre Boulez and René Leibovitz. He performed as a touring conductor of the Belgian National Symphony Orchestra.
Canadian period
Since arriving in Canada in January 1949 (settling in Montreal), Fiala has been active as a composer, pianist, organist and teacher. As there was a need for a pedagogical repertoire, Fiala wrote small pieces for children on the piano. These compositions were the composer's first published works in Canada. Fiala also proved himself as a pianist - his first concert in Canada took place in Toronto on 18 March 1949.
After a short period in Australia, Fiala returned to Canada in Sydney (1959-60). For 20 years (1967-87), he worked as a producer and announcer for the Russian branch of Radio Canada International in Montreal. After leaving this position, the composer devoted himself entirely to his work. He composed until the end of his life. He died in Montreal on 6 January 2017.
Recognition on the American continent
Yuri Fiala was known both in the Canadian community and among the Ukrainian diaspora. He is a member of the Canadian League of Composers, and in October 1974, he was awarded the prestigious Shevchenko Medal by the Ukrainian Canadian Committee in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Also in 1987, the American Biographical Institute in Raleigh, North Carolina, awarded Fiala a commemorative medal.
The works Capricio and Musique concertante for piano and orchestra were performed at the First (1965) and Second (1968) International Piano Competitions in Montreal, which helped to popularise the composer's work.
On the occasion of the 60th anniversary of his birth, on 17 November 1982, a concert devoted entirely to his music was held at Pollack Hall of McGill University in Montreal. On 1 April 1984, Fiala's Festive Overture, commissioned by the Ukrainian National Association in the United States, was premiered at Carnegie Hall in New York, and on 21 November 1982, the American Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Volodymyr Kolesnyk performed the Ukrainian Symphony at Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto.
Yuri Fiala in Ukraine
Yuri Fiala's works were also performed in Ukraine. For example, in August 1987, his "Liturgy for the 1000th Anniversary of Christianity in Ukraine" was performed in Kyiv (by the way, in November of the same year, this work was performed in Edmonton).
In 1990 (during a student hunger strike), the first international Music Fest took place in Kyiv, inviting musicians from Europe, the USA, and Canada, and the composer Yurii Fiala was present at the event.
In 1992, the composer gave a recital in the Great Hall of the Kyiv Conservatory.
Honouring the composer's work
After the composer's death, the branch of the Shevchenko Scientific Society organised two events to honour his work: On 2 April in Moreala and on 22 September in Toronto, the programme of events was prepared by pianists Prof. Dr Lyuba Zhuk and Prof. Dr Iryna Zhuk, who knew the composer personally, were friends and collaborators.
List of works
Yurii Fiala is an extremely prolific composer, his creative heritage includes more than 200 works of various genres.
Symphonic works (for various types of orchestras / with soloists / with choir):
5 symphonies (Symphony No. 4 - "Ukrainian");
"Heroic Song";
"Song of Mourning";
"Carols";
"Three Ukrainian Dances;
"Festive Overture";
"Epitaph of the Second Symphony";
"Panegyric in memory of President JFK";
"Ukrainian Triptych";
"Comic Overture";
"Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors - a symphonic poem;
"Montreal" - symphonic suite for orchestra;
"Kurylik Suite" - symphonic suite for orchestra;
Symphony for small orchestra;
"Burlesque Overture" - for small orchestra;
"Concert Suite - for oboe and chamber orchestra;
Introduction and Fugato for English horn and string orchestra;
"Concertino for piano, trumpet, timpani and string orchestra;
"Concert Symphony" - for accordion, harpsichord and chamber orchestra;
"Concert Serenade - for cello and string orchestra;
"Concert Divertimento - for violin and orchestra;
"Concert Entertainment" - for violin and orchestra;
Concerto for violin and orchestra (written for the 100th anniversary of Winnipeg);
"5 Ukrainian Songs for voice and orchestra;
"Suite for 4 Ukrainian Songs - for bass solo and orchestra;
"Requiem - for soprano solo, choir and orchestra;
"Psalm 112 - for choir and orchestra;
cantata "Canadian Credo" (written on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Canada);
the cantata "Ukraine" - for choir and symphony orchestra;
Chamber instrumental music
string quartets;
4 quartets for saxophones;
Pastorale and Allegro for 4 wind instruments;
"Terzet for flute, viola and piano;
"Lyrical Duet for flute and piano;
"Small Music for Two" - for flute and piano;
"Concert Sonata - for flute and piano;
Cantilena and Rondo - for block flute and piano;
"Little Concert Music" for flute and seven instruments;
"Chamber Music for five wind instruments;
2 musical moments for oboe and piano;
"Short Sonata" for clarinet and harp;
"Concert Duet" - for clarinet and harp;
"Three Movements" - for piano, violin, viola and cello;
"Divertimento capriccioso" - for flute, violin, viola, cello, and double bass;
Double Sonata for violin and harp;
"Canadian Concertino - for four harps;
"Concert Duet" - for piano and violin;
"Music for Seven - for clarinet, 2 violins, 2 violas, 2 cellos;
"Chamber Sonata" - for piano and viola;
"Music for Four - for 2 violins, viola and cello;
"Music for Three - for violin, viola, cello;
Piano Quintet - for piano, 2 violins, viola, cello;
"Three Moments - for piano, violin, viola, cello;
Trio Sonata - for piano, violin, cello;
"Ukrainian Suite" - for cello and piano;
"Duma" - for cello and piano;
"Minute Sonata" - for cello and piano;
"Fantasy Sonata" - for piano and cello;
Sonata for cello and piano;
Sonata for saxophone and piano;
"Sonata for Two - for accordion and saxophone;
Prelude for accordion;
Sonata and Sonatina for violin and piano;
"Lullaby" - for violin and piano;
Improvisation and Scherzo for violin and piano;
Chamber Partita for 2 violins;
Piano works
for piano solo:
3 concertos for piano and orchestra;
"Capriccio,
"Concert Music - for piano and orchestra;
"Concert Cantata" - for piano solo and choir;
"Freckles" for piano solo and choir;
"Chamber Concert";
"Piano Music No. 1",
"Piano Music No. 2;
8 sonatas;
3 sonatas;
4 fugues on Ukrainian themes;
3 chorales by Bach;
2 pastorals;
13 postludes;
Prelude and Fugue in A-moll;
Prelude;
Toccata;
Miniature Suite;
"3 Little Things";
"Prelude to a Centenary (for the centenary of Canada);
"Olympic Sketches;
"Canadian Sketches;
for piano for 4 hands:
"Music for Two";
"Dance";
for 2 pianos:
"Simple Music";
"Easter Music" (written for Easter 1947);
"Short Concerto";
"Comic Concerto";
"Ukrainian Dance";
4 sonatas;
Vocal pieces accompanied by piano
4 Russian poems for piano and medium voice;
"2 Early Songs" - for bass solo and piano;
3 Ukrainian songs for bass solo and piano;
4 Ukrainian songs for bass solo and piano;
Piano pieces for children
Children's Suite;
Lullaby;
"Australian Suite";
"Little Ukrainian Suite for little ones";
"Sonatina for little ones;
For a capella choir
"Liturgy for the 1000th anniversary of Christianity in Ukraine"
Music for ballet
"Grandfather Lado"
