The Shevchenko Bandurist Chorus is a globally unique ensemble that combines men's choral singing with the accompaniment of dozens of banduras. Founded in 1918, it has walked a difficult path: in the 1930s the chorus suffered repression (part of the musicians were arrested and executed).
During World War II the chorus found itself in Germany, then emigrated to the USA (Detroit). There, under Hryhoriy Kytasty and later Oleh Mahlay, the ensemble became an ambassador of Ukrainian culture to the world. Performances at Carnegie Hall, the Metropolitan Opera, and the Kennedy Center; thousands of concerts in support of Ukrainian independence during the Soviet occupation. In 1991 and 1994 the chorus toured Ukraine. In 2022–2024 it toured Europe and North America in support of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, performing dumy about Cossack deeds and songs of today's Ukrainian defenders.
