Ilya Osachuk

Ukrainian-Canadian bassist Ilya Osachuk is one of the top new voices in the North American jazz scene. He seeks to push the boundaries of jazz while simultaneously upholding its tradition and vernacular as a bassist, composer, and arranger.

Born in Winnipeg, Canada, Osachuk quickly established himself as a fixture in Winnipeg's jazz scene. While living there, he regularly worked with the city's top musicians, including Juno Award nominees Erin Propp, Larry Roy, Will Bonness, and Ron Paley. Since relocating to New York City in late 2021, Osachuk has become a fixture of its jazz scene. He has performed with Philip Harper, Stacy Dillard, Bryan Eng and many others at some of the top jazz venues in North America, including Birdland, Smalls Jazz Club, Blues Alley, Yoshi's, and The Jazz Bistro.

Osachuk's sound and approach as both bassist and composer have been recognized by his peers, mentors, and the greater jazz community alike. Since 2022 he has premiered an original composition at The Kennedy Center through the Betty Carter Jazz Ahead program, was the only player-composer selected for The Hnatyshyn Foundation's Ukraine-Heritage – Spirit and Future award, and was named a fellow for the Ravinia Steans Music Institute Program for Jazz.

Osachuk graduated from The Juilliard School with a Master of Music Degree in Jazz Studies in 2023. He studied double bass under Ben Wolfe and Gerald Cannon, and composition and arranging under Andy Farber. Before attending Juilliard, Osachuk graduated from the University of Manitoba's Desautels Faculty of Music in 2021 with a Bachelor's Degree in Jazz Performance. During his tenure there, he studied with professors Karl Kohut, Jon Gordon, and Meredith Johnson (Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra).

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