Oleh Sozansky (born 28 October 1973, Velyki Mosty, Lviv region) is a Ukrainian bandura player, Honoured Artist of Ukraine.
He was born on 28 October 1973 in Velyki Mosty, Lviv region.
He studied at Chervonohrad School No. 6 and Hirnytsia Music School, where he graduated in 1988 with a degree in bandura and piano.
In 1992, he received his musical education as a bandura player and choirmaster at the Lviv State Music College named after S. P. Liudkevych (bandura - class of M. Nakonechna, conducting - class of N. Kos).
In 1997, he graduated from the Mykola Lysenko Lviv Higher State Music Institute (now the Mykola Lysenko Lviv National Music Academy, bandura class of Professor Vasyl Herasymenko). He has two different ways of playing banduras - "Kyiv" and "Kharkiv" types.
Winner of the first prize at international and national competitions:
All-Ukrainian competition of bandura players (Dnipro, 1992, together with Vasyl Liutyi);
International S. Lyudkevych Competition (Toronto, 1995).
He constantly represents Ukraine at international festivals and competitions (Poland, Germany, France, Slovakia, USA, Canada) as a performer and teacher.
The bandura player's repertoire includes Ukrainian historical dumas, arrangements of folk songs, instrumental works by classical and contemporary composers.
His creative collaborations connect him with world-renowned chamber and symphony orchestras:
"Virtuosos of Lviv, Academy, Odesa Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra, Kyiv Camerata, Zaporizhzhia Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, Orkiestra Symfonichna Filharmonii Zielonogórskej (Poland), Orkiestra Symfonichna Filharmonii Łódzkiej (Poland).
As Vice-President of the Kobzar Charitable Foundation, he is actively involved in public activities, namely, in cooperation with the Bandura Foundation (Canada), the G. Kitastyi School of Bandura Playing (USA), the Mytusa Cultural Centre, and the Cultura Animi Foundation (Poland), he organises and conducts master classes, seminars and conferences for bandura players in the diaspora and Ukraine. Member of the jury of national and international competitions. Artistic director of the Kobzarska Sich camp (Emlenton, USA).
Since 1994, O. Sozansky has been collaborating with bandura player Taras Lazurkevych, with whom they created the duo Bandurna Rozvova. As a member of this duo, Oleh Sozansky has successfully performed in many cities of Ukraine, toured abroad, and regularly participated in international and national music festivals, in particular, in Kyiv (1996-2010), Kharkiv (1998), Lviv (1994-2012), Poland (1994-2012), Canada (1992, 1999, 2006), and the United States (2006-2009). In 2002, the duo was awarded the diploma "The Best Musician of the Year" (Lviv), in 2010 - the winner of the S. Liudkevych Prize "Lviv Glory". In 2008, by the Decree of President Viktor Yushchenko, the musicians were awarded the titles of Honoured Artists of Ukraine.
Since 2000, Oleh Sozansky has been a teacher at the Department of Folk Instruments of the Lviv State Music Lyceum named after S. Krushelnytska. Since 2009, he has been combining his teaching activities with the position of Deputy Director for Methodological Work and International Perspectives.
Since 2017, he has also been the director of the Vasyl Slipak Young Vocalists Competition.
Discography.
The musician has released a CD:
"Baida".
"Banduryst".
"Bandura Conversation I".
"Bandura Conversation II".
DVD "Stringsong".
Audio tracks to Jerzy Hoffman's film "By Fire and Sword".
