William Vetzal
Encyclopedia
Born in Oshawa, Ontario
Oshawa, Ontario
Oshawa is a city in Ontario, Canada, on the Lake Ontario shoreline. It lies in Southern Ontario approximately 60 kilometres east of downtown Toronto. It is commonly viewed as the eastern anchor of both the Greater Toronto Area and the Golden Horseshoe. It is now commonly referred to as the most...
, Canada, Vetzal is a full-time bandura
Bandura
Bandura refers to a Ukrainian plucked string folk instrument. It combines elements of a box zither and lute, as well as its lute-like predecessor, the kobza...
designer and manufacturer.
Vetzal studied the art of bandura making from the Honcharenko brothers in Detroit in the 1970s. Since then he has made over 480 instruments, many of which have incorporated significant design improvements in the construction and the system of mechanisms used to retune the instrument. As a result of consistent efforts in fine craftsmanship with the incorporation of contemporary technologies Vetzal has become the leading maker of banduras in the world.
Vetzal has made instruments for the Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus, the Canadian Bandurist Capella and many notable concert bandurists in North America. His instruments are sent out to Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
. He has also passed on his bandura making skills and knowledge to Ukrainian craftsmen such as A. Zayaruzny, R. Hrynkiv and Ye. Ptashkin who have traveled to Canada to study under him.
Vetzal has had orders for instruments from around the world, including Ukraine. Instruments made by him are being used by prominent bandurists in Ukraine such as Volodymyr Yesypok and Volodymyr Voyt.
In addition to banduras, Vetzal has also made numerous other Ukrainian folk instruments including kobza
Kobza
The kobza is a Ukrainian folk music instrument of the lute family , a relative of the Central European mandora...
s, tsymbaly
Tsymbaly
The tsymbaly is the Ukrainian version of the hammer dulcimer. It is a chordophone made up of a trapezoidal box with metal strings strung across it. The tsymbaly is played by striking two beaters against the strings....
, sopilka
Sopilka
Sopilka is a name applied to a variety of woodwind instruments of the flute family used by Ukrainian folk instrumentalists. Sopilka most commonly refers to a fife made of a variety of materials and has six to ten finger holes...
s, volynka
Volynka
Volyňka is a river in the Czech Republic in the South Bohemian Region rising on the hill called Světlá hora and flowing 46.1 km northeast to city of Strakonice, where merging in Otava River. Volyňka flows through towns such Vimperk, Volyně, Strakonice. and villages such as Lčovice and Čkyně. -...
-bagpipes, lira
Lira
Lira is the name of the monetary unit of a number of countries, as well as the former currency of Italy, Malta, San Marino and the Vatican City and Israel. The term originates from the value of a Troy pound of high purity silver. The libra was the basis of the monetary system of the Roman Empire...
- hurdy-gurdies.
Galleries and museums
Television
Literature
- нн – William Vetzal // «Bandura», #19-20, 1987
- Мiшaлoв, В. - Мaйстри Бaндур - 2000 // ж. «Bandura», #73/74, 2000
- Mishalow, V. – Bandura makers 2000 // ж. «Bandura», #73/74, 2000