Eduard Drach
Eduard Drach (Ukrainian: Едуард Драч) born 1965 in Kryvyi Rih, in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, in the Ukrainian SSR of the Soviet Union – in present-day Ukraine) is а prominent and influential composer, singer-songwriter, kobzar and bandurist. He is an active member in the Kiev Kobzar Guild. The author of numerous songs in a variety of styles, Drach is noted in particular for his original psalms in Ukrainian historical folk style.
Drach was educated as a physician, but gave this profession up in favor of music. His first instrument was the violin. He went on to become a prize-winner at numerous festivals, in particular: the 1989 Chervona Ruta Festival.
An accomplished musician, his music styles include: modern ballade & romance, traditional folk-music, folk-rock, folk-jazz, folk avant-garde etc.He is proficient in guitar: 6, 7, 12 str. (Mainly, 12 str), violin, keyboards, bass, mandolin, banjo, kobza, traditional bandura, husli, lira (hurdy-gurdy).
Recitals and concert tours
2008 April, 5 - SEVAMA-poetic-fest, Kiev, Ukraine March 22, 2008 Poetic action devoted to the International Poetry day February, 22Sliva-poetic-fest, February, 19 Ukrainian Heroic Song Concert, Kiev. 05.04.08 - International Poetry festyval "Sevama-fest", Kiev, Ukraine 1-3.08.08 - "Tuzla Baricade" festival 1.08.08 - "Balaclava's Vacations" - song festival, Sebastopol, Crimea, Ukraine 13.08.08- "Independence Day With Nestor Makhno" - performance, Khreshchatyk Str., Kiev, Ukraine 14.10.08 - "Pokrova Festival", Mykhailivska (St. Michael) Sq., Kiev, Ukraine 22.10, 26.11.08 - "Singing Poetry Evenings".
2007 Participation in the Ukrainian Exhibition in the Europarliament devoted to the holodomor (Artificial Hunger in Ukraine in 1932-33). Brussels, Belgium, March, 2007 "Ukrainian Song poetry Evenings in a Writers' House" - basic supporting program of Ukrainian poets and bards from January, 2007 "Independence Day with Mahno" - Author's concert in music-literature festival in Hulaj-Pole (Zaporizhzhia oblast). August, 24-25, 2007 "Kraina Mrij" - International World Music Festival, Kiev. 7-8.07.08 "Balaklavs'ki Kanikuly" («Balaklava's Vacations»), International festival. Sevastopol, Crimea, Ukraine, 1-6.08.07 "Sribna Pidkova" Song Poetry Festival, Lviv, 27-28.10.07 Luts'ka Barykada - festival, Lutsk, 10.11.07 2006 "Independence Day with Mahno" - music-literature festival in Hulaj-Pole (Zaporizhzhia oblast).
2004-2005 Participations on a collective project "Songs of The Orange Revolution" with Oleg Skrypka, Foma, "Gryngholy", Taras Sylenko, Taras Kompanichenko and Serhij Solonyj.
2004 - 2005 Lissberg Drehleier und Dudelsack Festival (Festival of Hurdy-gurdy and Bagpipe music in Lissberg, Germany. Recitals and courses of Ukrainian kobza and hurdy-gurdy tradition. Courses of Ukrainian kobzar and hurdy-gurdy tradition. 2004 Surgut Festival of Slavonic cultures (Western Siberia, Russia).
2001 Author's concert in Teacher's House, Kiev. (Live broadcast over the radio).
1998 Author's concert "Nebo Ukrainy" in Ukrainian House in Kiev. (Live broadcast over the radio).
1996 International Floristic Festival in "Ukraina" Palace, Kiev.
1995 Festival of The "Mono-Arts" "Kut" (Corner").
1994-95 Recitals among Ukrainian societies in Toronto, (ON, CA) FM, TV.
1993 Author's concert in Ukrainian House in Kiev. (Live broadcast over the radio) Recitals among Ukrainian societies in France and Germany.
1990 Canadian tour of "Chervona Ruta” Award-Winners Ontario, Canada.
1989-90 Russia, Ukrainian Culture Days in Moscow University of "Chervona Ruta” Award-Winners concert tour.
1989 Poland. Ukrainian festival Sopot-89, as a guest.
Festival awards
1992 Winner of International Festival of Author's Song "Bili Vitryla"
1991 All Ukrainian Festival of Author's Song "Oberih", winner of The First Winning Award
1989 All Ukrainian Festival Chervona Ruta, Chernivtsi (1-st Winning Award in song poetry)
1988 Ukrainian Republican Festival of Author's Song in Kiev (?-st award).
Winner of Ukrainian Republican TV-Radio festival "New Names"
1987 Festival of Author's Song of Ukraine and Moldavia, Kharkiv
1983 Diploma of All soviet jazz-festival “Jazz on Dneper-river” (in a staff of Ranok group, Dnipropetrovs'k)
Recordings and issues
2007 KATARSYS. The book of song texts and verses. "Smoloskyp" 2007 Several of his songs were adapted for lute or torban by Roman Turovsky.
2005 CD "Dvom dusham Darujet'sia" - "Presenting For Two Souls" - Lyric songs.
2004-2005 - Participations on a collective CD - project "Songs of The Orange Revolution" with Oleg Skrypka, Foma, "Gryndzholy", Taras Sylenko, Taras Kompanichenko and Serhij Solonyj.
"Tales of Lirnyk Sashko" - participation in a recordings of a CD's of Olexandr Vlasiuk.
2004 Participation in new project of "Otava" folk group and "Oberih - XXI" publishing - traditional songs of Kiev's region (as a traditional singer)
2003 Participation in the collective project of Kiev Kobzar Guild CD - "That Who Mighty Relies Upon God."
2001-2002 “Nebo Ukrainy”, (CD-extra) - Art Agency “Same Tak”
2000-2001 Song Cycle for Ukrainian Radio, Ukrainian Recording House.
1998 Edward Drach, Own Songs. - cassette, authors issue.
1995 "Guitar In Your Free Time" - Manual with educational tape. Authors publication with technical support of A-BA-BA-HA-LA-MA-HA Publishing.
1995 "The Songs Of The Land of The Cossaks" - with Zen Records&Nerve TM, Toronto, Canada.
1990 Edward Drach and Nina Matvijenko, Studija Leva, Lviv, Ukraine.
1989 Cassettes of Award-Winners of the 1-st Festival "Chervona Ruta”, Kobza International, Canada 2003 2004 (KOB 01-05).