During its 100 years of existence, the Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus has risen from near extinction under the Soviets in Ukraine to a flourishing and growing bandura program. This is evidenced by the chorus’s performances and outreach program as well as its camps, notably Kobzarska Sich, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year.
But nothing is guaranteed to continue forever. With the aim of securing the UBC’s future for the next 100 years, the chorus has launched a legacy campaign, UBC@100 Legacy, with three initiatives: Guardianship, Bandura Project and Education. The UBC@100 Committee states: “…Our artistic and administrative leadership have identified three key objectives for our future and the future of the bandura: develop new outreach and audience programming; rehabilitate and innovate the bandura in order to provide it for future musicians; and expand on new and traditional programming and musical education initiatives. In total, we endeavor to raise nearly $2.5 million by 2020 to fund these objectives, and to continue our legacy for the next 100 years and beyond.”