The historical origins of the department date back to the establishment of one of the first music and pedagogical faculties in Ukraine at the Ivano-Frankivsk Pedagogical Institute in 1966, on the basis of which two departments were formed in 1967: the Department of Theory, History of Music and Playing Musical Instruments and the Department of Methods of Music Education, Singing and Conducting. The first teachers of conducting disciplines were: Associate Professor Pashchenko V.I., Zvarun V.I., Hrynyshyn M.P., Kolomiiets A.G., Balandin L.Y., Doroniuk V.D., Dolchuk R.O., Velychko H.G. In 2001, the Faculty of Music became the basis for the opening of the Institute of Arts of the V. Stefanyk Precarpathian National University, which formed four new music departments. In 2016, as a result of the reorganisation, it was renamed the Department of Methods of Music Education and Conducting, headed by Candidate of Arts, Professor, Doctor of Philosophy, Honoured Artist of Ukraine Serhaniuk Liubov Ivanivna.
The Department of Choral Conducting is a graduating department in the speciality 014.13 Secondary Education (Musical Art). Forming in students the necessary amount of knowledge, skills and abilities in the disciplines of the conducting and choral cycle, which is a necessary condition for the organisation of the educational process in choral groups, ensembles, gymnasiums, lyceums, pedagogical colleges, higher educational institutions, the teaching staff of the department consists of 30 people: two Honoured Artists of Ukraine (Prof. Savchuk V.Y, Serhaniuk L.I.), three Honoured Workers of Culture of Ukraine (Professor Karas H.V. and Associate Professors Zvarychuk Zh, Serhaniuk Y.M.), two Honoured Artists of Ukraine (Molodii O.R., Petryk M.V.), three professors, two Doctors of Art History (Karas H.V., Kindratiuk B.D.), Serhaniuk L.I., ten candidates of art history, associate professors (Bardashevska Y.M., Dudyk R.V, Zvarychuk Zh.Y., Kazymyriv H.T., Kolubaiev O.L., Maskovych T.M., Novosyadla I.S., Rudyk M.M., Shehda L.V., Yaroshenko I.V.), two candidates of pedagogical sciences (Taran I.M., Shulyar O.D.).
The Department of Choral Conducting fulfils the task of providing quality education for future specialists in the field of conducting and teaching music disciplines as a condition for its integration into the socio-cultural space and development of competitiveness in the labour market. The staff of the department is working on the creation of educational and methodological complexes for courses of conducting disciplines and the organisation of research work on topical issues of choral pedagogy and performance.
The educational and methodological work is focused on training specialists in the disciplines of choral and conducting cycles, generalising and implementing teachers’ pedagogical and creative experience in the educational process, conducting open classes and master classes, and introducing multimedia teaching tools. Teachers of the department have published methodological materials to help students organise self-study and perform creative tasks, bachelor’s, master’s and diploma works. The department organises a scientific and methodological seminar for teachers. Thematic areas of study include the Bologna Process and contemporary realities, new pedagogical technologies in choral studies, and university-level specialist training, as well as the polyartistic education of modern students.Special attention is given to students’ independent work: preparing methodological materials, creative assignments, conducting consultations, and providing educational assistance. All faculty members and accompanists of the department conduct systematic scientific research in the following fields: choral performance, choral practice, theory of music education, musical enlightenment, history of choral music, and music local history.
Students and teachers take part in All-Ukrainian conducting competitions, academic competitions, reviews of choirs, important concerts and creative reports. Particular attention is paid to recruitment of students of the speciality. Career guidance work has been organised in secondary schools and colleges during the period of pedagogical practice and during visiting concerts for young people.The teaching staff constantly participates in scientific and practical conferences and university open days.
The history of the Department is marked by meetings with People’s Artist of Ukraine Nina Matvienko, People’s Artist of Ukraine, Taras Shevchenko National Prize Laureate, composer Lesia Dychko, Honoured Artist, conductor Valerii Matiukhin, Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Professor Nataliia Seheda, Doctors of Art History Stefaniia Pavlyshyn, Liubov Kyianovska, and others. The department maintains creative ties with leading Ukrainian choirs and musical organisations. Among the staff of the department are graduates of various prestigious universities of our country, who have received a high professional base and thorough knowledge in the field of choral performance.
The Department has choirs that perform educational functions (workshop of work with the choir) and participate in the state certification for the Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. Teachers of the department conduct active musical and educational work: thematic programmes, concerts, which have become traditional events and promote the popularisation of Ukrainian academic choral singing.
Since 2013, the department has organised the All-Ukrainian Student Competition of Choral Conductors, which attracts representatives from all regions of Ukraine.