William Chomyn

William Chomyn

A biography of William Chomyn, a teacher and musician who contributed his musical skill and his passion to the Vancouver Hall.

Text

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Vancouver, BC.

English

1929

Ulaziw, Poland

William Chomyn was born in the village of Ulaziw, Poland (The Lublynetz province was originally part of the Ukraine but was ruled by the Austrian and Polish Empires). His parents felt life would be better in Canada. The family arrived in Canada through the port of Halifax in 1929. They settled in Tyndall. In 1936 they moved to East Selkirk, Manitoba where they owned a farm and 20 acres of land. To pay the taxes on the land during the Depression, Bill's father had to work in the "Bennett Slave Camps" in Kenora for 20 cents a day. They moved to Kirkland Lake, Ontario, where he worked mining gold. It was here that William was sent to the Ukrainian Labour Farmer Temple Hall. He learned to read and write Ukrainian and was introduced to the mandolin. Harry Tuchak, one of his music teachers, played a role in seeing that William was sent to the AUUC School of higher learning in Saskatoon in 1946, where he spent three months. This is where he developed a social conscience.

William worked for the AUUC in Sudbury, Palermo, and Timmins, Ontario. William came to Vancouver in 1950 where he was already and accomplished musician. He attended many more music courses sponsored by the AUUC and passed on his knowledge by teaching, Myron Shatusky assisted him in his preparation for the entry to the Kiev Conservatory of Music in Ukraine in 1956-57. William was the Artistic Director of the AUUC from 1957-1980. In 1982 he was elected as the AUUC/ACTA Provincial Secretary until 1997. He has engaged in a wide range of activities and responsibilities in the AUUC and has found working with the people of this organization rich and rewarding.