The Ukrainian diaspora is a large group of Ukrainians (or people of the Ukrainian origin) who live outside the borders of mainland Ukraine. The first Ukrainians who left at the end of the 19th century in search of a better life were called emigrants. At that time the term ‘emigrant’ had been coincided with the short duration of a Ukrainian's stay outside their homeland.

The socio-historical conditions that developed on the territory of the Ukraine in the period of 1917-1921, and 1939-1945, in its turn led to the mass emigration of artists and scientists. From that moment, centres of the Ukrainian diaspora began to appear in various countries of Europe, the purpose of which was to preserve the conditions of the new residence place of ethnic identity and maintain contact with Ukraine.

Large groups of Ukrainians first arrived in the United Kingdom after the end and after the Second World War (from 33 to 35 thousand people). The centre of Ukrainianism in the United Kingdom was the Union of British Ukrainians, officially registered in January 1946 (the centre of the union was in London, but there were regional unions in other cities of the UK). In my report, I will talk about the main areas of activity of this union in the twentieth century till present, the participation of amateur and professional musicians in it, alongside with the English period of creativity of Ukrainian diaspora composers.

Biography:

I joined the UoB in January 2023, when I received CARA Fellowship from the British Academy. My Ph.D was defended on the phenomenon of self-borrowing in the music culture of the XXth century. Now I study the music of the Ukrainian diaspora.

I chose this topic not by chance, by the will of fate: I recently became an emigrant myself, so I have a personal interest in these issues. I used to teach a course of the Ukrainian music of the XX century (1917-2000) at the Donetsk State Music Academy named after S. S. Prokofiev (Ukraine). In my dissertation I analysed many works by Ukrainian composers as examples of the implementation of the phenomenon of self-borrowing in composer creativity. 

I find Ukrainian music endlessly fascinating and worthy of being known. The stories of the fate of Ukrainian musicians and the fate of their creative heritage often cause sympathy. On the other hand, their passion to their work and sheer commitment to their motherland in the stressed political situation elicit respect and merit our attention.

Mariia Romanets