Ukrainian Territory A Artistic Agency: a Synthesis of Ukrainian Folklore and Popular Music Art in Sound Recording

Abstract

The basic principles of the development and synthesis of Ukrainian popular and folk (folklore) art of the late 20th – early 21st centuries are investigated in the article. Peculiar attention is paid to the work of the Territory-A artistic agency (ideologist and project masters are producer Oleksandr Bryhynets, presenter – Honored Artist of Ukraine Anzhelika Rudnytska), which managed to find the methods and forms of introducing Ukrainian culture into radio and television spaces, to replenish the creative fund with sound recordings of Ukrainian origin, to distribute popular song in modern arrangements in the mass-media spaces and to popularize Ukrainian folk traditions among young people by initiating festivals called EthnoWinter, EthnoSpring, EthnoSummer and EthnoAutumn. The main analysis of the synthesis of Ukrainian popular music and folklore is dedicated to the theme of revival of archetypal tunes of Western Ukraine, the creation of new compositions based on them and their popularization among the audience, the promotion of ethnic music on television and its importance for national culture in general. Also noteworthy is the first Ukrainian large-format Territory-A hit parade on ICTV channel, which has broadcasted domestically produced videos three times a week for five years (1995–2000), on the revealing new names of young performers as a leading prototype for subsequent art projects such as Star Factory, X-Factor, The Voice of the Country, etc. Besides, attention is focused on the issue of the Musical Week newspaper, which has improved eventually the style of magazine published works. The Territory-A artistic agency is known as the publisher and order performer, famous for its hit parades of video- and audiography among Ukrainian popular music artists on the ICTV All-Ukrainian TV channel. It is emphasized in the conclusions on the necessity of such artistic ideas in the future. This, in turn, positions the revival of national culture and symbolism in the sphere of self-identification of Ukrainian art among the people of other cultures.