LEADERS OF UKRAINIAN GUITAR

Abstract

Kostyantyn Mykhailovych Smaga and Yan Henrikhovych Puhalsky are figures who, without exaggeration, can be called the patriarchs of the Kyiv school of guitar art and bright representatives of the Ukrainian classical guitar. Their many years of selfless activity have significantly influenced the formation and development of guitar art in Ukraine, raising its status in the domestic music world and contributing to a significant expansion of the repertoire for this instrument. Thanks to their pedagogical work and creative initiatives, a whole galaxy of professional guitarists has been raised who continue the traditions of classical performance and contribute to the development of Ukrainian musical culture as performers and teachers. Both artists were distinguished not only by their pedagogical skills, but also by a high level of performing activity. Their solo concerts and participation in musical projects were very popular among listeners, and recordings of their performances were played on the radio and provided soundtracks for films, which contributed to the popularization of the classical guitar among a wide audience. Today, although little was written about their lives and work at the time, their "presence" and influence on the musical community are still palpable: the memories of colleagues, students and listeners, as well as stories about their activities, preserve a vivid image of these legendary personalities who left a deep mark on the history of Ukrainian music. Thus, the figures of Kostyantyn Smaga and Yan Puhalsky are not only a symbol of the classical guitar tradition of Kyiv, but also an important stage in the formation of professional musical culture in Ukraine, confirming the importance of individual creative and pedagogical activity in the development of national art.