List of Ukrainian composers


This is a list of Ukrainian composers of classical music who were either born on the territory of modern-day Ukraine or are considered to be ethnically Ukrainian.

List by century of birth

15th century

16th century

17th century

18th century

19th century

ComposerDateCity of birthNotable works
Mykola Markevych18041860Dunaiets, Chernihiv guberniacollection Ukrainian melodies published in 1831
1812-1866Kyivpiano variation "Ukrainka", other piano compositions on ukrainian dance melodies such as a Kolomyika, two ukrainian dumkas and "The neighbour has a white house"
Semen Hulak-Artemovsky100px18131873HorodyshcheThe first Ukrainian-language opera "Zaporozhian Cossack beyond the Danube"
Mykhaylo Verbytsky18151870Lemko region, Austrian EmpireUkraine national anthem
18161881Voronovytsia, Vinnytsia Oblastthe author of the lyrics and music of songs such as "Gandzia", "Hey, I'm a Cossack, my name is Volya", "Cossack boredom"
Vasyl Pashchenko1822-1891OdesaPolonaise "On the death of Taras Shevchenko"
1823–1873Lopinka, Lemko regionreligious and secular compositions such as "Autumn," "Zaspivai my, soloviiu", "Richen'ka", as well as the popular operettas Oman ochei, Roksoliana, and Pan Dovhonos
100px1825–1894Bugayivka, Izyum district, Kharkiv gubernia
Petro Nishchynsky18321896Nemenka, Vinnytska Oblastchorus from "Vechornytsy": "song of the grey Cuckoo"
Vladyslav Zaremba1833-1902Dunaivtsimore than 30 compositions to the lyrics of Taras Shevchenko
Sydir Vorobkevych18361903ChernivtsiSacred music
Apollon Hussakovskyi1841-1875Okhtyrka"Sheet from an album" and a Scherzo for piano
Anatol Vakhnianyn1841–1908Siniava, Peremyshl circle, GaliciaKupalo, the first opera in western Ukraine ; music to plays by Taras Shevchenko, Fedir Zarevych, Omelian Ohonovsky, and Kornylo Ustyianovych; original choral scores to texts by Yurii Fedkovych, Ivan Hushalevych, E. Levytsky, and others; choral arrangements of Ukrainian folk songs
Mykola Lysenko18421912Poltava oblastoverture from Taras Bulba, Prayer for Ukraine
The "Father of Ukrainian music". Founder of Ukrainian nationalist school of music
Arkady Abaza18431915Sudzhansky District, Kursk Governorate, Russian EmpirePiano pieces and romances, including "Foggy Morning" to the lyrics of Ivan Turgenev
the ballad "Konoshevych-Sahaidachnyi", elegy "Barvinok", scherzo "Rusalky", "Ukrainian lullaby", Mazurka "Podolianka"
1852–1912Tudorkovychi, Zhovkva circle, Galiciafolk song arrangements, melodramas such as "Kapral Tymko", "Neshchasna liubov", "Invalid", and "Nashi poselentsi", anthology of the works of Ukrainian composers titled Boian, school and church songbooks
Mykola Arkas18531909Mykolaivthe opera "Kateryna"
Ostap Nyzhankivsky1862–1919Drohobych, Galiciaworks for choir "Hulialy" and "Z Okrushkiv", art songs for solo voice with piano accompaniment, including "Mynuly lita molodii" ; arrangements of folk songs for solo voice or choir; and Vitrohony, a cycle of kolomyika melodies for piano
Denys Sichynsky1865–1909Kliuvyntsi, Husiatyn county, Galiciaopera Roksoliana ; works for symphony and chamber orchestras; piano solos; choral music, including the cantata Lichu v nevoli ; a score for a liturgy; approximately 20 art songs for solo voice to texts by T. Shevchenko, L. Ukrainka, I. Franko, B. Lepky, U. Kravchenko, and H. Heine; and arrangements of folk songs
Gregory Alchevsky18661920KharkivAlyosha Popovych, romances, other works
Filaret Kolessa18711947Lviv oblastUkrainian ethnographic musicology
Mikhail Bukinik18721947Dubno
19th centuryIziummusic for the romances "I'm looking at the sky" and "Blow, wind, to Ukraine"
Reinhold Glière18751956KyivNumerous orchestral works, concertos, ballets, vocal works
Oleksandr Koshyts18751944Romashky, near KyivSacred music, collecting and arrangements of folk songs
Borys Yanovsky1875–1933Moscow10 operas, notably Sorochyntsi Fair and Black Sea Duma or Samiilo Kishka ; two ballets; orchestral pieces; chamber music works; violin and piano music; works for chorus; art songs; and arrangements of Ukrainian folk songs
1876–1945two symphonies, symphonic poems, an orchestral suite, an overture, a trio for strings, a sonata for cello, sonatas for violin, and numerous works for piano
Serhii Bortkevych18771952KharkivWorks by Bortkiewicz include two symphonies, three piano concertos, a violin concerto, and a cello concerto
Davyd Novakivsky18771921MalynSynagogue music, choral, organ, and orchestral works
Mykola Leontovych18771921Monastyrok Shchedryk which eventually became the "Carol of the Bells"
Stanyslav Lyudkevych18791979Yaroslav cantata The Caucasus, inspired by Taras Shevchenko's poem, The Eternal Revolutionary, The Reaper, Khor pidzemnykh kovaliv, Oi, vyhostriu tovarysha, and The Testament, Kameniari, and Vesnianky, Symfonietta, Koliadnytsia, Iunats’ke rondo, the symphonic poem The Dnieper, Prykarpats’ka symfoniia, and the opera Dovbush
1879–1960Maksymivka, Pereiaslav county, Poltava guberniaoperas Life Is a Dream and The Servant Girl ; two symphonies ; an overture ; seven string quartets; approximately 50 works of choral music to texts by Shevchenko, Mykola Bazhan, and others; and approximately 100 solo art songs to texts by Shevchenko, Pavlo Tychyna, Maksym Rylsky, and others
Grigory Kompaneyets1881-1959Poltava
  • The Wolf and the Seven Kids
Mykola Roslavets18811944Dushatyn, ChernihivOrchestral and chamber atonal works, Known as the Ukrainian Schoenberg
Kyrylo Stetsenko18821922CherkashchynaRequiem "Zhuravli"
Yakiv Stepovy18831921KharkivArt songs to the words of T. Shevchenko, I. Franko, Lesia Ukrainka, P. Tychyna, M. Rylskyi
Thomas de Hartmann18841956KhoruzhivkaSee list of compositions by Thomas de Hartmann
Vasyl Barvinsky18881963Ternopilworks for piano, orchestra, choir on ukrainian folk and literary themes
Mykola Vilinsky18881956Holta, Ananiv povitSymphonic suites, music for piano, and arrangements for choir and solo voices of Ukrainian, Russian, Moldavian folk songs
Levko Revutsky18891977Irzhavets, PrylukySymphony 2
Sergei Prokofiev18911953Sontsivka, Donetsk5 piano concertos, 9 piano sonatas, 7 symphonies, Suite from Romeo and Juliet, Suite from Lieutenant Kijé
Vsevolod Zaderatsky1891–1953Rivnetwo operas, several symphonic compositions, chamber music, choral works, and art songs, five piano sonatas, a suite, a cycle of 24 preludes and fugues
Mykhailo Haivoronsky18921949Zalischykysongs of the Ukrainian Sich Riflemen, choral works, church music, and instrumental music for violin, string orchestra, band, and symphony orchestra. He also arranged many folk songs and compiled a number of songbooks
1892–1948Pechenihy, Vovchansk county, Kharkiv guberniathe opera The Witch, the ballet Legin', the tone poem Ukraïna, three string quartets, and the cantata Biut' porohy for mixed chorus and orchestra
Pylyp Kozytsky18931960Letychivka, Cherkasy Oblastworks based on elements of Ukrainian folk music with social and patriotic characteristics
1895–1960Urazovo, Valuiki county, Voronezh guberniathe operas Karmeliuk, Nazar Stodolia, and The Carpathians; the ballet Reborn Steppe; the symphony The Year 1917; a suite for symphony orchestra; violin, piano, and choral pieces; and six string quartets. studies of Pavlo Senytsia, the role of folk songs in Ukrainian music, the influence of German expressionism on Ukrainian music
Borys Liatoshynskyi18951968ZhytomyrOperas The Golden Ring  and Shchors, the five symphonies, the Overture on Four Ukrainian Folk Themes , the suites Taras Shevchenko  and Romeo and Juliet , the symphonic poem Grazhyna , his "Slavic" piano concerto , and the completion and orchestration of Reinhold Glière's violin concerto 
1895–1980Żywiec, near Cracowfour symphonies, the Ukrainian Suite for chamber orchestra, works for violin and piano such as the Hutsul Suite, two rhapsodies, and a sonata
Viktor Kosenko18961938St. Petersburgsonata for cello and piano, Classical Trio for piano, violin, and cello, a sonata for violin and piano, Heroic Overture, Moldavian Poem, a piano concerto, three piano sonatas, a trio, a violin concerto, about 100 piano pieces, including 24 pieces for children
Stefania Turkewich18981977LvivHer opera "Mavka" is based on Lesia Ukrainka's Forest Song