Title and statement of responsibility area
Title proper
Klymkiw Family fonds
General material designation
- Multiple media
Parallel title
Other title information
Title statements of responsibility
Title notes
Level of description
Fonds
Reference code
Edition area
Edition statement
Edition statement of responsibility
Class of material specific details area
Statement of scale (cartographic)
Statement of projection (cartographic)
Statement of coordinates (cartographic)
Statement of scale (architectural)
Issuing jurisdiction and denomination (philatelic)
Dates of creation area
Date(s)
Physical description area
Physical description
10.5 m of textual records; 195 photographs (52 colour and 150 black & white); 11 slides; 2 negatives; 70 video recordings; 206 audio recordings
Publisher's series area
Title proper of publisher's series
Parallel titles of publisher's series
Other title information of publisher's series
Statement of responsibility relating to publisher's series
Numbering within publisher's series
Note on publisher's series
Archival description area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Walter (Volodymyr) Klymkiw was born in the village of Saranchuky, Ternopil’ province in what was then eastern Poland (now Ukraine) in 1926. Emigrating to Canada in 1928, he and his parents settled in Winnipeg. In 1950, he earned a B.A. in English and History at the University of British Columbia. He returned a year later to Winnipeg and received a teaching certificate from the University of Manitoba. In 1951, he began conducting the Ukrainian National Federation Choir (renamed the Olexander Koshetz Choir in 1967) of Winnipeg, under the guidance of Tetiana Koshetz and Pavlo Macenko. His love of Ukrainian music was fostered back in the mid-1940s, when he attended the Ukrainian Cultural and Educational Centre's Summer Music Courses conducted by the legendary Ukrainian Musicologist, Olexander Koshetz (Oleksander Koshyts'). In 1952, Klymkiw married Mary (Marusia) Kopychansky and had two sons: Myroslaw (Slawko) and Paul. Upon receiving his teaching certificate, Klymkiw began his career as a history teacher, in 1953, at Glenwood Junior High School in the St. Vital school division in Winnipeg. In 1961, he was appointed principal of Hastings Elementary and Junior High School, a position which he held until 1979. In 1979, he returned to Glenwood Junior High School where he served as its principal until 1983. In 1983, he was appointed music supervisor and served in this capacity until retiring later that year.
Retirement allowed Klymkiw to devote more time to being the choral director of the Olexander Koshetz Choir. During his nearly fifty years with the choir, Klymkiw and his choir toured throughout Canada, Ukraine, Poland, the Czech Republic, Western Europe, and South America. The choir went on to record two CDs, nine cassettes, and six records. For nearly half a century, he maintained and developed contacts with Ukraine's composers and artists. He fostered a special relationship with Anatoli Avdievsky (Anatolii Adiievs'kii), director of the world renowned Ver'ovka (Veriovka) Ukrainian State Folk Choir, a relationship which led to Ver'ovka's first Canadian tour in 1981. Besides his choir, Klymkiw and his wife devoted much of their time to various community activities including the Ukrainian National Federation (national and St. Boniface branch) and the Ukrainian Cultural and Educational Centre, Oseredok. They were involved in various commercial ventures including the Ukrainian House of Gifts, DK Attractions Ltd., and Canimplex Ltd. The latter two ventures involved bringing in various musical artists and groups from Ukraine to perform concerts for Canadian audiences. In recognition of his cultural achievements and contributions, Klymkiw received the Shevchenko Medal from the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, the Osvita Foundation Award, a Certificate of Merit from the federal Minister of Multiculturalism and Citizenship, and an honourary Doctor of Canon Law Degree from St. Andrew's College of the University of Manitoba. In 1992, Klymkiw and the Olexander Koshetz Choir were awarded the Taras Shevchenko Medal from the government of Ukraine, the first such honour given to an individual or group outside of the country. In 1999, the Olexander Koshetz Choir paid tribute to Klymkiw with an evening gala for his lifetime devotion to Ukrainian culture and music in Canada. They honoured him by establishing the Walter Klymkiw Endowment Fund at the University of Manitoba School of Music and Music Education. In December 2000, after a lengthy battle with cancer, Walter Klymkiw died at the age of seventy-four in Winnipeg.
Custodial history
The fonds was donated by Dr. Robert (Bohdan) Klymasz on behalf of Mrs. Mary Klymkiw and her sons, Myroslaw (Slawko) and Paul, to University of Manitoba Archives & Special Collections in 2001.
Scope and content
The fonds consists of the following series: i) biographical (subseries: career), ii) correspondence, iii) Mary Klymkiw, iv) Olexander Koshetz Choir [subseries: ISME (International Society for Music Education)], v) Olexander Koshetz [subseries: Tetiana Koshetz, Pavlo Macenko, Kovalenko & Shchorovs'ka- Rossineych (Rossinevi…ova), Ukrains'ka Respublikans'ka Kapela, Koshetz Project], vi) Robert Klymasz, vii) Ukrainian National Federation [subseries: St. Boniface branch], viii) Oseredok, ix) business/commercial ventures, x) Ver'ovka, xi) Wolkowych, xii) Programs, xiii) photographs, xiv) videos, xv) audiocassettes, xvi) scores and sheet music (subseries: liturgical music, handwritten musical notes), and xvii) miscellaneous. The scores segment of the scores and sheet music series is held in the Slavic Collection of the Elizabeth Dafoe Library.
Notes area
Physical condition
Immediate source of acquisition
Arrangement
This collection is organized into seventeen series
- Biographical
subseries:
Career - Correspondence
- Mary Klymkiw
- Olexander Koshetz Choir
subseries:
ISME - Robert Klymasz
- Olexander Koshetz
subseries:
Tetiana Koshetz
Pavlo Macenko
Kovalenko & Shchorovs'ka-Rossineych
Ukrains'ka Respublikans'ka Kapela
Koshetz Project - Ukrainian National Federation
subseries:
St. Boniface Branch - Oseredok
- Business/Commercial Ventures
- Ver'ovka
- Wolkowych
- Programs
- Photographs
- Videos
- Audiocassettes
- Scores and Sheet Music
subseries:
Liturgical Music
Handwritten Musical notes
The scores segment of this collection is held in the Archives & Special Collections (Slav RBR) of the Elizabeth Dafoe Library, the University of Manitoba - Miscellaneous
Language of material
- English
- Ukrainian
Script of material
Location of originals
Availability of other formats
Restrictions on access
One folder has been designated confidential.
Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication
Finding aids
A finding aid can be downloaded from this description by clicking on the Download link under "Finding aid" on the right hand side of this page.
Generated finding aid
Associated materials
Digitized Material
Accruals
Further accruals are not expected.
Alternative identifier(s)
PC
TC
Standard number area
Standard number
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Control area
Description record identifier
Institution identifier
Rules or conventions
Status
Draft
Level of detail
Partial
Dates of creation, revision and deletion
Finding aid created by James Kominowski (2001). Encoded by Vladimira Zvonik (2003). Revised by N. Courrier (April 2020).