Vasyl Panasovych Matiushchenko (26 February 1936, Veselyi Kut village, Talniv district, Cherkasy region) is a Ukrainian singer, Honoured Worker of Culture of Ukraine. Husband of singer Diana Matiushchenko.
Biography.
He was born in the village of Veselyi Kut in the Talniv region. His mother loved to sing, had a beautiful alto, and sang in the church choir. From her, Vasyl learned old Ukrainian songs as a child, which he enjoyed performing at school in the club and at home when guests came over. He also mastered the art of whistling. After graduating from high school, he was drafted into the Soviet army and was a cadet at a military school, but later, because he wanted to learn to sing well and get a musical education, he entered the Kaniv Cultural and Educational School.
After graduating in 1959, he worked as an artistic director of the House of Culture in Bilashky village, Talniv district, and as an inspector of the district department of culture in Zvenyhorodka.
He continued his studies at the Faculty of Philology of the Cherkasy State Pedagogical Institute, graduating in 1969.
He began his career as a professional singer in 1970. He was a soloist vocalist in the Cherkasy State Honoured Ukrainian Folk Choir, performed with the Polissya Song and Dance Ensemble "Lenok" of the Zhytomyr Regional Philharmonic. He also worked as a singer in the Vinnytsia Regional Philharmonic. In 1971, he performed in a duet with Diana Matiushchenko for the first time. Since then, they have sung only together. From 1977 to 1982, he worked with his wife at the Horodyshche District Palace of Culture named after S. S. Hulak-Artemovsky. Vasyl Panasovych was its artistic director, and Diana Hryhorivna was the choirmaster of the folk song and dance ensemble "Vilshanka". From 1995 to 2007, he was a soloist-vocalist of the highest category in the "Rosava Folk Music Ensemble" of the Cherkasy Regional Philharmonic.
Creative work.
In 2010, he released a CD "Diana and Vasyl Matiushchenko Sing" and a songbook "Love and Song - Two Wings of Fate", which contains materials about the creative path of the singers, reviews of fellow artists about them.
The most famous songs are
"A Cossack was riding through the city",
"And I still don't believe" ("Song about Mum").
Honours and awards
Winner of the First All-Ukrainian TV Tournament "Golden Keys" (1979).
Winner of the first prize of the First All-Ukrainian Radio Contest "Golden Keys" (1981).
Honoured Worker of Culture of Ukraine (1982).
First prize of the International Festival "Melody of Two Hearts" at the Palace of Culture and Arts "Ukraine" in Kyiv (1999).
In 2001, he was awarded the III degree memorial sign "For Merit to the City" (Cherkasy) for many years of fruitful work on the revival and promotion of Ukrainian folk songs, extensive charitable activities, professional skills and national recognition, for his significant contribution to the development of culture and vocal art in Ukraine and Cherkasy region.
Honorary Citizen of Horodyshche (2005).
Order of Merit III degree (Ukraine) - for a significant personal contribution to the development of national culture and art, significant creative achievements and high professionalism.
Laureate of the All-Ukrainian Festival of Family Creativity "Family Treasures of Ukraine" (2015).
Awarded the badge "For Merit to Cherkasy Region" (2016).
