Roman Soltykewych

Roman Soltykewych (Ukrainian: Роман Солтикевич; February 4, 1909 – November 17, 1976) was a Ukrainian-Canadian conductor of the Ukrainian Dnipro Ensemble of Edmonton and the father of Orest Soltykevych.

Soltykewych was born in the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the town of Ulucz, located in what is now Poland in the area known as Lemkivshchyna. He went to primary school in Ulucz before travelling to Przemyśl for middle school. Soltykewych continued his studies at the Musical Institute of Mykola Lysenko in Lviv, Ukraine.

Personal life Roman's father, Orest, was a priest at the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Ulucz, the but also visited other churches in the area including the Church of St. Nicholas, built in 1925 (burned down after WWII). The church is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is the oldest wooden church in Poland. During his time in Ulucz, Soltykewych organized a patriotic choir for the local branch of the Prosvita ("enlightenment") society at the church to sing and perform for the local area.

Musical career When Soltykewych first arrived in Edmonton, Alberta, he conducted the church choir at the Ukrainian Catholic St. Josaphat Cathedral. On November 29 of the same year, Soltykewych led a performance in memory of the late Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky. The group also performed in Winnipeg, Manitoba, at the Ukrainian Week Festival to celebrate the 57th anniversary of the independence of Ukraine in January 1975.

In 1965, Soltykewych left the choir at St. Josaphat Cathedral, and began conducting at the St. John's Cathedral Choir in Edmonton, Alberta.

Death Roman Soltykewych died on November 17, 1976, in Edmonton, Alberta, at the age of 67 after suffering a heart attack.