By Yana Rudenko The Ukrainian bandura is a lute-like instrument with up to 65 strings, including up to eight melody strings and many accompanying strings. It resembles both a lute and a zither and is therefore also called the ‘Ukrainian lute zither’. The bandura is played with both hands and combines the playing styles of both plucked instruments. The historical development of the bandura also reflects the history of the Ukrainian nation, which goes back many centuries. Originally, the bandura was played by blind minstrels who travelled from village to village singing epic ballads and historical songs. The instrument was… Read More
The bandura: an instrument of Ukrainian identity
