On January 1, 2025, the 99th anniversary of the birth of Oleksii Fedorovych Nyrko will be celebrated—a prominent cultural figure, advocate of Ukrainian kobzar art in Crimea, historian, educator, bandura player, and founder of Yalta’s Prosvita. His life serves as an example of unwavering faith in the power of Ukrainian culture and its importance in preserving identity, even in the most challenging times.

Oleksii Nyrko was born in Marianske, a village in Sicheslavshchyna. From childhood, he was captivated by stories of the Zaporozhian Cossacks, Doroshenko, and Sahaidachnyi, and he fell in love with the bandura, an integral part of Cossack life. His father, a talented harmonica player, also nurtured his love for music.

Oleksii’s childhood was marked by severe hardships: the Holodomor, during which his great-grandmother and great-grandfather perished, as well as the arrest and exile of his father, who later died. After participating in World War II, Oleksii enrolled at the Lysenko State Conservatory in Lviv. However, he was unable to complete his studies. Following a denunciation by a fellow student, he was convicted of “anti-Soviet activity” (in reality, for promoting national ideals) and sentenced to five years of exile, which he served in what is now the Perm region of Russia.

In 1956, after his release, Oleksii Nyrko settled in Yalta, consciously choosing Crimea despite warnings from acquaintances.

“I decided to settle in Crimea and prove that Crimea is also Ukraine, where not only the Ukrainian language but also the resonant and immortal sound of the bandura must be heard,” he wrote.

In 1964, Nyrko organized and led the S. Rudanskyi Bandura Ensemble at the Yalta Technical College. For over 40 years, he directed the ensemble, which earned the title of “People’s Ensemble” and performed in France, Hungary, Poland,Türkiye, and other countries. In 1966, he established a bandura class at the Yalta Children’s Music School and founded the children’s ensemble Krymski Prolisky (Crimean Snowdrops), which also achieved the status of a People’s Ensemble.

Thanks to his efforts, by the late 20th century, Crimea had seven kobzar ensembles recognized as “Amateur People’s Ensembles.” His students carried on his legacy both in Ukraine and abroad, including in Germany, Japan, and even Morocco.

Oleksii Nyrko was deeply engaged in educational and cultural activities. He led the initiative to create the Lesia Ukrainka Museum in Yalta and, in 1984, founded the Museum of Kobzar Art of Crimea and Kuban at the Yalta Pedagogical College. From 1992 onward, he organized kobzar festivals. He became the head of the Crimean branch of the All-Ukrainian Union of Kobzars and the director of the Center for Kobzar Art of Crimea and Kuban. Over his lifetime, he amassed a unique collection of banduras and books.

Oleksii Nyrko was the founder of the first Prosvita in Crimea, established in the city of Yalta.

His arrangements for bandura, which included Ukrainian folk songs and compositions by classical authors, held particular significance. His work as a performer and leader was repeatedly recognized with diplomas and medals, and his bandura became a symbol of the strength of the Ukrainian spirit in Crimea.

As a researcher, Oleksii Nyrko made significant contributions to the study of kobzar history. His works, including Kobzar Art of Crimea and Kuban and Yalta’s ‘Ukrainian Troupe,’ became foundational studies.

During his later years, he worked on the book Kobzar Art of Crimea and Kuban, which was published posthumously. In his research, Nyrko thoroughly refuted anti-Ukrainian claims about the supposed absence of Ukrainian culture in Crimea.

The collection of banduras and books amassed by Nyrko was transported to the Crimean Institute of Humanities in 2012 without his family’s consent. The fate of this collection following the occupation of Crimea remains unknown.