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Hutnick Final Blog Post

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This is it.

We’ve gone over the site – tested all the links, read aloud our content, adjusted our images. We’ve made our tweaks. We’re ready for soft launch – tomorrow, we present our progress to the class – and to WBENA. This next week will be devoted to edits to our presentation and our site from both parties, and to the final deployment.

Where did the time go? It feels like we had just gotten started. Development was definitely full of surprises – we had to get creative with song research, we had to adjust expectations for time and well-being,  I went through three injuries. It’s been rough at times, even without the project. There were days where I didn’t know how I was going to find the energy to continue. It was small but mighty comfort to know that we were building something important. That we were helping to preserve a culture under attack. That we could do *anything* at a time with massive, depressing headlines bombarding us with terrors outside of our control. That’s what I love about DH – there’s always something to do.

Of course, we wouldn’t have gotten here without our amazing team. Melissa, for carrying our Outreach side – scheduling and leading our interview and consultations and running our social media team like a boss. Lini, for being our team rock and woman of all trades, always willing to jump in and do whatever needed doing, from logo design to research to csv’s to programming to cutting out brochures. Alex, for teaching the team about software development and being our front-end expert – for reminding us of proper programming practices and for keeping us (me) from taking on more than we can handle. Most of all, for each of you, your enthusiasm and compassion have made this project a joy to work on. From the bottom of my heart: Дуже дякую.

 

Women of Bandura Week 10 Group Blog Post

What we achieved this past week:

  • The team got the Wax software installed!
  • Melissa mapped out the first few social media posts and scheduled an interview with bandurist Nadia Tarnawsky on Monday
  • Lini pitched the final draft of the logo and banners for social media
  • Tasha prepped the CSV’s for upload into Wax / generated basic pages and met with Teryn
  • Alex led the team through an intro to git / GitHub and completed the lower priority wireframes
    • We decided that for each pull request, the rest of the review team (comprised of Alex, Lini, and myself) will need to approve the edits before merging them into the main branch.

Our goals for this week:

  • Alex will lead the team through GitHub training part 2 on Thursday and will prepare ticketing for development tasks
  • Melissa will continue working working on social media drafts
  • Lini will QA the song csv and update social media images
  • Tasha will add the sheet music PDF’s into the data folder
  • Thursday, the team will undergo GitHub training part 2, begin planning our printed material design, unveil the ticketing process, and discuss the History page.
  • Saturday, Melissa and I will attend a bandura workshop hosted by Teryn and Zoya, who lead the New York Bandura School
  • Monday, we’ll interview Nadia Tarnawsky

How are we doing on deadlines?

We’ve had some back and forth on dates due to WBENA / Teryn’s busy schedule (and our own personal injuries, obligations, etc). As a result, we’ve looked at our deadlines and loosened our expectations, especially with our song research practice, so we can get to the goal in a healthier manner. We’ve decided to prioritize each other’s well-being over deadlines or perfectionism, which I believe has served us well. So far, so good.

At this point, we are planning on using our oral history interviews as a main source for our History of Bandura page. We’re going to ask our interviewees if they would like us to upload a recording of the interview after the semester finishes – we decided to place that boundary to avoid piling on more work.

Hutnick Blog Post: Software Setup (Or, Wrestling with Wax)

Ok, this week, my brain is feeling much better and my morale has been boosted by tinkering with code. First bit of good news – we all successfully installed Wax onto our computers and were able to run the sample site! It took much thread following and bargaining, but we each finally got it to work. Of course, each of our systems were different and took some trial, error, and patience to cajole into accepting all of the dependencies that we just threw at them. I commend my team for not ousting me as their leader when they learned that Wax, the framework I championed, required installing several bits of software over the command line. To anyone who doesn’t know what the command line is, think of that window that hackers use on TV to  write their magic commands. Nothing is more frustrating (and then exhilirating!) to see something fail for seemingly no reason. . . and then figure out the problem (or sometimes stuff in a solution from Stack Overflow) and have it WORK.

I then rinse repeated this feeling of frustration and euphoria as I then had to stuff both of our project CSV’s into the repository and keep entering the commands to generate pages from them and run the site locally until it worked. Let me back up. Last week, I mentioned that I would need to prepare the CSV’s (comma separated values – like a low resolution excel file) that would power the song and program pages of the site. We had been preparing the song CSV file for pretty much the whole semester with our research, but the program CSV would need to be made from scratch. I thought the program CSV would be easy to make since I didn’t have to look for any information – I would just have to fill in what was on the program PDF. Boy was I wrong.

Here’s the issue: most of the information per program – i.e. date of concert, city of concert, performers, etc. have multiple values. The Ensemble performs multiple nights in multiple cities with (obviously) multiple performers. And they don’t always have the same number of performances, cities, performers, songs, etc. And sometimes the data with multiple values was associated with data with even MORE values – i.e. each performer was associated with their home city in the program. So, how was I going to reconcile all of these columns?

The answer was fairly simple – keep one column per data type and separate out the values with semicolons (;). We’ll have to loop through this data on the front end in order to separate the values, but it is the simplest way to prepare the data. I thought that switching to a JSON format for the programs may be easier since the structure could be a bit more freeform, but Nicole helpfully pointed out that 1. We’d still need to loop over the data and 2. While *I* as a programmer think that a JSON would look more readable, anyone not familiar with JSON’s / object oriented programming would probably have a harder time with it. Considering that we’re handing this project off to the Ensemble, who may or may not be familiar with JSON’s, it would be simpler to stick with CSV’s (after all, more people have definitely used Excel at some point in their life). Lesson of the Week: Changing data file types does not automatically solve the problem.

So, I set up the headers and Lini and I got to work transcribing the programs. I was careful to include as many details as I could for accessibility’s sake – while we would have the PDF of the programs available, it’s also good to provide the information in a way that users can parse and that provides users who can’t see the PDF for whatever reason with a way to still receive the data.

After that (and some more trial and error), I was able to generate pages for the current programs / list of songs. Mercifully, there were no curveballs in pulling the Cyrillic names or lyrics. So, we’re in business (locally!). I did push the changes up to our GitHub repository, which Alex will use tomorrow in a lesson in pull requests and general GitHub introduction. Exciting times!

Also, we’re going to be interviewing Nadia Tarnawsky (bandurist and singer featured in Dr. Ostashewski’s article on Women in Bandura) next Monday – it’s all coming together!

 

Women of Bandura Group Update Week 9

What we accomplished tonight:

  • Reviewed Song Research Sheet and discussed final steps
  • Briefly reviewed CSV structure
  • Reviewed Lini’s amazing second draft logo designs
  • Brainstormed social media posts
  • FINALLY got Wax to run locally (Tasha – after much frustration)

What we’re working on this week:

  • Alex – continuing with lower priority wireframes and Wax setup
  • Tasha – refine and add existing CSV’s into the backend for testing and check in with Teryn on social media posts, hosting the sound files for the site,  contacts for interviews, etc.
  • Lini – work on banner for social media
  • Melissa + Lini – continue developing our social media post backlog
  • Melissa – reach out to bandurist Nadia Tarnawsky about possibility of interview

Our next team meeting will be Thursday, at which we’ll reconvene on the progress of the above. We will also discuss adjusting course / expectations as we enter into the final month of the project. We’ve already discussed this in regards to our approach to song research tonight, but it will be good to have a refresh with the whole team toward the whole project.

Nicole’s astonishment at the progress each of our projects made was certainly heartwarming and invigorating. It helps to have a reminder of all of the work we’ve achieved up until this point, especially when we’re taking a good look at ourselves and considering what we can reasonably accomplish going forward.

 

Women of Bandura DMP

Description of the Data

We have been provided with programs, song titles, sheet music, photos, audio recordings, performance video YouTube links by WBENA. The dataset will be supplemented with song data and history of women in bandura with research of primary and secondary texts as well as oral history interviews. Since WBENA is an active ensemble, the data set will have new items coming in regularly at a rate of one or two programs per year.

We will be producing two .csv files and one markdown file. We are digesting two programs in six weeks, initiating at a rate of thirteen songs in approximately four weeks. Next, we will research six additional songs from the second program in approximately two weeks. We expect the selected program and song data to remain static.

For this project we are using .csv, PDF, JPEG, MP3 and WAV, which we may need to convert for accessibility, Markdown, CSS, HTML, and JavaScript files.

Data Storage and Protection

We are storing a copy of the data in Google Drive folders shared with access restricted to the team and WBENA. The ensemble has hard copies of programs and sheet music. Audio recordings are hosted on Soundcloud, and the videos  are hosted on YouTube. If original copies of any of the data items go down, we’ll have the site and the data powering it posted on GitHub.

Data Format and Documentation

We are using the Wax framework which will be hosted on GitHub Pages. The song and program data will be inserted into .csv files which will power the website rendered in CSS, HTML,  and JavaScript. The history of women in bandura information will be synthesized into an article and published via a markdown file.

For research, we have a running document of sources. We will write up an agreement between us and any potential interviewees. We have taken existing collections from WBENA via Google Drive, which has been documented in several email threads.

We are planning on creating a README for our website which will include explanations of the files and code included. The code itself will be clearly organized and commented on for accessibility sake. Tasha will take on the role of implementation as the Project Manager, while ensuring that the team is following the plan.

Our directory set up is going to be in line with the Wax framework. We will use kebab-case in naming our files for readability. For each song and program we will be assigning them their own unique identifiers. Each song will be identified as SONG[#] where the number refers to the order of addition to the .csv file. Each program will be identified PROG[#] where the number refers to the order of addition to the .csv file.

​​Data Access, Sharing and Archiving

WBENA owns the information that will be hosted on the site. They also have final say over what is published and final ownership of the project.

Primary sources of access will be Google Drive and GitHub. The WBENA will have access to both repositories. We will designate one team member to download and host information on their hard drive. We will use Zoom to record and transcribe interviews with WBENA on the history of women in bandura. We will not publish recordings without explicit permission. All recordings that are not published will be turned over to WBENA or the respective party at the conclusion of the project. Recordings will comprise audio/video and related transcripts.

The published data will be public on GitHub and the Women of Bandura website, but only WBENA and the team will be able to edit the data. The site will be officially published in late April 2025.

The data will be retained for the foreseeable future since it is powering a public website. Any data not used in the final site will be returned to its owners. At least one member of the project (the Project Lead) will act as a consultant after the project’s completion.

Project Proposal: Bandurapedia

Abstract 

The bandura, a large, lute-like instrument, is Ukraine’s national instrument and a symbol of resistance. The bandura developed from the kobza, a smaller lute-like instrument over the centuries. After the massacre of the kobzars – nomadic​,​ often blind​,​ musicians and storytellers who played the bandura or its predecessor – by the Soviets in the 1930s, the instrument was brought to the United States​​. Since then, ensembles have formed across the country, and bandura communities continue to this day. This project aims to explore modern Ukrainian American musical identity by digitizing musical programs from the Women’s Bandura Ensemble of North America (WBENA) from their founding in 2015 to today in an archive. This archive, powered by the Wax framework, will include recordings where available as well as tags for composers, country of origin, themes, tempo, genre, presence of religion, and language. The team will be working closely with a member of the ensemble for acquisition, publication, and context of the programs and will proceed in publication of this archive only with tacit approval from the whole ensemble​​.

Intended Audience

This archive is intended to be used as an educational resource for anyone interested in Ukrainian culture, musical programming, and ethnomusicology.

The Women’s Bandura Ensemble of North America 

​​​​​This project will publish the programs of the Women’s Bandura Ensemble of North America (WBENA) from its founding in 2015 to the present on its own dedicated website. The ensemble is comprised of twenty-one women from seven different cities across the United States and Canada. The WBENA was chosen to examine the song choices of a North American bandura ensemble as well as the song choices of an all-female bandura ensemble. The bandura is largely considered a male-coded instrument due to the kobzars traditionally being male. Even in the year 2000, the bandura community widely considered a woman playing dumy, or Ukrainian epic poetry songs, to be inappropriate, and women ensembles were near impossible to find in North America. (Ostashewski 143). 

Overview of Project 

For this project, PDFs for each program will be uploaded to the site and more information provided on each document and song performed via Wax, a Jekyll based website framework. The website will contain collections for both the Programs and Songs generated by a csv file with relevant information obtained by the project’s Researchers. Wax was selected because it is free to use, can be deployed for free through GitHub Pages, and is lightweight given the project’s relatively small file footprint.  

For each program, the website will provide a PDF that the user can flip through as well as the date(s), location(s), performers, and if applicable collaborators. Each program will also list the songs performed (roughly 10 – 15 per performance), each of which will have their own page detailing where applicable the composer, the year / time period published, the country of origin, language, genre(s), tempo, lyrics, and themes.  

​​When it comes to tagging songs, the Team will avoid forcing a particular song into a rigid framework. A song may not have one strictly defined place / time of origin or may have nuances in its themes that cannot be replicated. While the Wax framework requires some efficiency, the project requires the team to avoid reductiveness and respect the nonscalable aspects of songs harkening from a centuries old oral tradition (Rawson and Muñoz).  

The first phase will focus on deploying the website with two programs and respective song pages populated as a minimum viable product. Throughout the process, the team will meet with the WBENA in order to ensure that the website receives their approval. As Christen and Anderson advocate in “Toward Slow Archives,” the team will focus on their relationship with the community of origin (the WBENA), ensuring that the ensemble has the right to refusal concerning what is published about their repertoire, their history, and their performances (107). The team aims to collaborate with the ensemble rather than to speak for them. 

Work Plan 

Overview 

The first phase of the project serves to deploy a minimum viable product version of the site. Over the Spring semester (February to mid-May 2025), the team will launch the website on GitHub Pages containing two program pages and pages for each song within those programs. An About section will also be provided with a brief overview of the project, any necessary historical or cultural context, and names of the contributors. 

The second and third phases of this project will occur outside of the DHUM 7002 Methods and Practices course. During these phases, the Project Lead will add the remaining programs into the existing framework and, once all are provided, provide research and context for the remaining songs.  

Below are the proposed steps to Phase 1 of the project:  

February to March 2025 – Song Research 

The first month of the project is dedicated to compiling notes for the two programs and approximately 20 songs, split amongst the two researchers. For programs, the researchers will record the name of the concert, its location(s), the date(s), any collaborators if applicable, the performers’ names, the song titles, any other notes, and the PDF file path. For songs, the researchers will record where available the title, composer, original year or period, language, location of origin, genre, themes, tempo, description, YouTube link, lyrics, and soloists. The researchers will also be free to record any other relevant or interesting information that they find for the song. Given that the team will unlikely be able to read in Ukrainian, interviews with the WBENA will be essential for this research.  

Late March to Early April 2025 – Backend Development 

Towards the end of the Research step, the Backend Developer will begin assembling the csv structure that will power the site. Towards the end of the Backend Development period, the Backend Developer will work with the Frontend Developer to confirm the information provided  for the user interface. The Developers will also generate and briefly deploy sample pages at this time to ensure that the csv is connected properly / show to the WBENA.  

April 2025 – Frontend Development 

Towards the end of the Backend development step, the Frontend Developer will begin designing the aesthetics for the site, with the Researchers aiding in finding images if necessary. The Frontend Developer will also collaborate with the Backend Developer to ensure that all the information required for this design is available to them. The Frontend Developer will then collaborate with the Content Editor to synthesize the content for the site. They will program the user interface, briefly deploying samples of the site periodically to ensure that the site behaves as expected on deployment. 

May 2025 – Revisions, Testing, and Deployment 

After the completion of Frontend Development, the team will take the WBENA through the MVP of the site and resolve any edits provided. Once the site has received WBENA approval, the team will test all pages and links locally before deploying the site and testing all pages and links publicly for bugs or errors.  

Phase 1 Note 

Throughout the development process, the team will be in contact with a representative of the WBENA to ensure that they have the Ensemble’s explicit approval, particularly during the Research and Frontend Development portions. Should the Ensemble be in disagreement on how to proceed with a particular element, the Team will negotiate until an agreement can be reached. Any possible elements requested by the WBENA will be accommodated, and the WBENA has final say on any element of the site. Our liaison, Teryn Kuzma, has relayed the project to the WBENA, who have shared their excitement.

Staff / Partners 

We’ll need the following roles for this project, though I anticipate that several will be doubled up and / or involve mentor / mentee work with other members. I have previously built a website using Wax, so I foresee no major technical issues for this website.

Project Lead

The Project Lead will keep track of the team’s progress to ensure that they stay on schedule and will act as point of contact for the WBENA.

Backend Developer 

The Backend Developer will create a basic csv-based infrastructure for the site from the Researchers’ findings and provide the internal database from which the Frontend Developer will create the site design.  The Developer will use / learn how to use the Wax framework as well as some basic Javascript.

Frontend Developer 

The Frontend Developer will be responsible for the aesthetic design of the website and will program the graphical user interface (GUI) using HTML and CSS. They will coordinate with the Backend Developer to ensure that the infrastructure is optimized for the GUI. The Frontend Developer will use / learn Markup language, HTML, CSS, and potentially some JavaScript. They may also use any Design software of their choice should they wish.

Researchers (ideally 2) 

The Researchers will compile notes on the programs and songs from which the Back-End Developer will create the site’s database.   

Content Editor 

The Content Editor will edit the text of the site, collaborating with the Frontend Developer to ensure clarity and lack of grammatical errors.     

WBENA Liaison – Teryn Kuzma  

Teryn Kuzma is a current member and Concertmaster of the Women’s Bandura Ensemble of North America and will serve as liaison between the Ensemble and the Project Team. The Team will ensure consistent communication with the Ensemble and will not publicize any material without their approval. 

Final Project and Dissemination 

The final project will be deployed as its own GitHub Pages site and will be shared on the WBENA website. The Project Lead will coordinate publicization on social media with WBENA and will also reach out to organizations such as the Ukrainian Museum in Manhattan and the Ukrainian History Education and Cultural Center of New Jersey for them to share on their sites and social media.  

Within the CUNY network, the Project Lead will also reach out to the Ethnomusicology department at the Graduate Center and the Russian, Eastern European, and Eurasian Studies scholars at CUNY to share the site through their internal communications and social media as well. Each member of the team will be encouraged to share the project on their own social media accounts as well.

Why This Matters

Currently, no internet archive of this nature exists for the bandura, or for any other instrument as far as I could find. Every bandura ensemble provides a brief history of the instrument and of their group, yet rarely do they go into individual songs. The bandura is Ukraine’s national instrument because of its inextricable link to the nation’s culture and history, during much of which other parties attempted to suppress both.  

In the midst of a brutal invasion where the goal is total conquest of the Ukrainian people and annihilation of their identity, this website aims to serve as a seed, through the growth of which will disseminate not only Ukraine’s rich cultural history and tradition, but also the relevancy of its culture in the modern day. In Ukraine’s National Anthem, the first line translates to “The glory and will of Ukraine has not yet perished.” Through examining an ensemble in North America and comprised of women, the project will demonstrate the strength of Ukrainian culture in diaspora as it continues to live and evolve.