DWORAKIVSKY, WALTER (b. 1929)

Composer Walter Dworakivsky was born on April 7, 1929 in Mt. Carmel, Pennsylvania, to Anastasia and Paul Skrobiak, both immigrants of the Ukraine, and named Vladimir Skrobiak. His father, Paul Skrobiak, worked as a teacher of languages, and as a cantor and choir director. In 1933, when Walter was four years of age, his father died. Anastasia subsequently married the Very Reverend Andrew Dworakivsky. In 1955, Vladimir legally changed his name to Walter Dworakivsky.

 

While growing up, Walter enjoyed music and studied the clarinet and piano. He attended Ambridge High School and upon graduation, enrolled at the University of Pittsburgh. Surprisingly enough, Walter originally did not major in music. He spent his first two years as a pre-dental major but after discovering his lack of interest in this field, transferred to Duquesne University where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Music and Music Education. During his college years, he performed with the Duquesne College Band, various dance bands, and served as principle conductor of Duquesne University's US Air Force ROTC Band. Upon completing the Air Force ROTC program, Walter was stationed at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas for two years, receiving the rank of Second Lieutenant. While at Lackland, he had the opportunity to study composition with renowned composer Roy Harris. Following his two-year Air Force service, Walter enrolled in Columbia University’s Masters Program earning a Masters of Science in Music and Music Education, and completing fifteen credits toward a Ph.CoD. While at Columbia, he studied composition with Dan Harrison.

 

As an educator, Walter taught music at the high school level for 39 years, first in Heightstown, New Jersey, then in Westfield, NJ, and finally in Whitehall, Pennsylvania, where he taught for 25 years before retiring in 1993. During his teaching years, Walter served as principle conductor of the Ukrainian Men's Chorus of Lehigh Valley. Additionally, Walter spent five years as an adjunct professor of ecclesiastical music at St. Sophia Ukrainian Orthodox Theological Seminary in South Bound Brook, New Jersey.

 

As a musician, Walter was a House Pianist as well as a member of the Charlie Burns Band at Skytop lodge in Skytop, PA for more than ten years. He also served as Solo Pianist at the Gourmet Chalet for five years. After retiring from teaching in 1993, Walter joined the Allentown Marine Band and played Solo Clarinet for seven years.  He has performed at various venues in the Lehigh Valley with two local bands, playing clarinet and tenor saxophone.

 

As a composer, Walter began writing classical piano compositions during high school and continued throughout his college years at Duquesne University, at which time, two of his French Horn solos, "Melody in F Minor" and "Melody in C Minor," were published by Volkwein Publications. Since that time, Walter has composed a broad range of works, including instrumental solos, duets, quartets and concertos, as well as works for orchestra and band, and choral compositions. In his retirement, he continues composing with pleasure. Walter Dworakivsky is a member of ASCAP.