Leonid Haydamaka

In 1918 Haydamaka entered the Kharkiv Higher Music school (conservatory) where he studied cello and bass for 5 years.

Khotkevych showed him the manuscript of a bandura textbook which he had prepared for publication and allowed him to copy out technical exercises and pieces, which helped him further develop his technique.

In 1923 the Metalist club obtained money form the government and invited Haydamaka back to try to revive the ensemble.

The money promised was slow in coming and it was only in 1925 after 3 hard years that the orchestra was able to receive a full complement of instruments.

In 1925 it consisted of: 14 banduras (3 piccolo, 8 primas and 3 basses) 2 tsymbaly (hammer dulcimers) Prima and bass 4 liry (hurdy-gurdies) - 2 soprano and 2 tenor 2 sopilka (duct flutes) 1 sviril (Pan pipe) 2 trembity (alpine horns) and percussion - drums, timpani and triangle.

In 1929 a number of articles appeared in the "Muzyka Masam" magazine regarding the formation of similar Orchestras of Ukrainian Folk Instruments.

WWII had left its imprint on the Haydamaka family and with the return of Soviet forces they had to leave Ukraine where he wandered through Western Europe.

After the war he moved to the USA in 1950, where he found employment as a draftsman in a company designing hydro-electric dams in Flushing, Queens, New York where he worked until the age of 74.

He occasionally attended meetings of the NY Society of Classical Guitar, which was led by his pre-revolutionary friend from Kharkiv - Vladimir Bobri.