Year by year

2008

The beginning

In March 2008 Anna Vasylchenko brings together an early music ensemble in Lviv. At that point the musicians have no historical instruments yet, only the wish to play medieval music. Line-up: Anna Vasylchenko, Vsevolod Sukorkin, Max Kerner, Yosyp Horodyskyi, Serhii Fedorchuk. The first performances take place at festivals of medieval culture and in the castles of Galicia.

Kings & Beggars in 2008
2009

Tu Stan! and the first recording

The line-up changes: Max Kerner, Vsevolod Sukorkin and Serhii Fedorchuk leave the band, while Valerii Voloshok and Eugen Grinevich join. The set at the Tu Stan! festival is released as a live album. Today it sounds naive but sincere, and it captures the band as it was back then. The band tours Ukraine extensively.

Kings & Beggars on stage at the Tu Stan! festival, 2009
2010

Line-up changes

Yosyp Horodyskyi and Valerii Voloshok leave the band; Max Kerner returns and Ostap Sukhotskyi joins.

Kings & Beggars as a four-piece, studio photo
2011

Diva Ruzha

A joint recording with the folk metal band Viter in four languages: Ukrainian, Swedish, Latvian and Breton. Artur Temchenko takes over from Ostap Sukhotskyi.

Kings & Beggars in the early 2010s
2012

First concerts abroad

The band plays abroad for the first time: the Battle of the Nations festival in Warsaw and the Rubon festival of medieval culture in Polotsk.

Poster of the medieval music concert at the Rubon festival in Polotsk, 2012
2014

Breve Regnum

The first studio album and a music video made with the support of our listeners.

A frame from the music video shoot
2015

Rota Fortunae

The band's first big show — music, dance and theatre around the Wheel of Fortune.

The Rota Fortunae show
2016

A new member

Marta Hovdysh joins the band.

Marta Hovdysh with a hurdy-gurdy
2018

Rosa das Rosas

In February the band releases an album of the Cantigas de Santa Maria; the programme comes with a joint show with the Joyssance and Beltaine studios.

Kings & Beggars musicians in the Rosa das Rosas costumes
2018

Gryphon

In November the band releases an anniversary album for its tenth year.

Kings & Beggars, photo session 2017
2022

Bogurodzica

The full-scale invasion of Ukraine begins. The band records the track Bogurodzica.

Cover of the single Bogurodzica
2024

Wellerman

The single Wellerman is released.

Cover of the single Wellerman
Today

Line-up

  • Anna VasylchenkoAnna Vasylchenkomedieval fiddle, recorders, crumhorn, litvinian shawm, galician gaita, vocals. Creative director
  • Eugen GrinevichEugen Grinevichrecorders, medieval shawm, pommer, vocalscurrently serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine
  • Marta HovdyshMarta Hovdyshhurdy-gurdy, recorders, vocals
  • Max KernerMax Kernerbass citole, renaissance lute, oud, bouzouki. Sound engineer
  • Artur TemchenkoArtur Temchenkomedieval drum, tar, daf, tambourine, percussioncurrently serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine