Peter Mark Horodysky

With great sadness, we announce the passing of retired University of Tennessee at Knoxville (UTK) Music professor, Peter Mark Horodysky. He died peacefully in his sleep while under hospice care. Peter was a World War II refugee from Drohobych, Ukraine. He immigrated to the United States as a teenager with his parents Ivan and Irene Horodysky, eventually settling in Irvington, New Jersey. There, they joined St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church in Newark, NJ and his parents sang in the choir. Peter was also a member of Plast Youth, attended St. Benedict’s Prep School in Newark, and spent time working at his local Boys Club.

While attaining his Masters’ degrees in Violin Performance and Music Education from The Manhattan School of Music, he worked with renowned teachers including Samuel Applebaum, Stanley Bednar, Eudice Shapiro, and Berl Senofsky. Peter furthered his education at the University of Southern California, studying with such luminaries as William Primrose and Gregor Piatigorsky. He was chosen to be a part of the University’s Student Quartet in Residence, and in 1965, it was a prizewinner at the International Chamber Music Competition in Munich.

In 1966, Peter joined the music faculty at UTK. In his more than three decades there, Peter served as Professor of Violin, conductor of the orchestra, and tutor to several generations of Suzuki string players. He performed with many quartets and trios such as the faculty “Storioni” quartet, and the faculty Piano Trio. He served as the concertmaster of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra for over a decade, and was the concertmaster of both the Chattanooga and Kingsport Symphonies.

Peter had a wry sense of humor, was an avid dog lover, fisherman, and championship bowler. A talented woodworker, he turned vases on his lathe and built custom cabinets, beds, and shelving. He enjoyed these hobbies, but missed his students after retirement, resulting in his brief return to work as a UTK academic advisor.

Peter was predeceased by his grandmother Julia Daszko, his parents Ivan and Irene Horodysky, and his aunt and uncle Roman and Theodora Bryttan. He leaves behind his 1st wife and mother of his daughter, Virginia McFadden Dougherty, his daughter Virginia (GiGi) Horodysky Bayne, and her husband, Stuart, all of Oliver Springs, TN. Peter is also survived by his cousins Adrian Bryttan of NY and Julian (Rusty) Bryttan, and his wife Jane, of Ottawa, and his 2nd wife, Burreldine Horodysky of FL (divorced 1992).

The family thanks the staff at Life Care of Blount County, the hospice staff of Amedisys, and Father Joe from Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church in Maryville, TN who not only gave Peter compassionate, spiritual, and loving care over the last two months of his life, but also comforted his family and helped us all through this process.

The funeral service will be held on Tuesday, December 10th at 10:30 a.m. at St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church, 733 Sandford Ave. Newark, NJ 07106. The graveside service will be held at Holy Spirit Ukrainian Catholic Cemetery, 141 Sarah Wells Trail, Campbell Hall, NY 10916 following the funeral service.