Problem statement. There is an emphasis on an issue to folklore in the music culture of Ukraine. Now practically all leading artists find inspiration in folklore. Among these artists there is a bright figure from Kharkiv. This is a composer Anatolii Haidenko — a representative of senior generation of composers. The aim of the article is to reveal the creative personality of composer’s style of А. Haidenko and find out a place and value of this artist in the modern Ukrainian music culture. Research methodology. Interdisciplinary methodology that is based on the co-operation of general academic (systems analysis, deductive method) and special (historical and cultural, competence) methods and approaches is used in the article. Results. The development of А. Haidenko as a musician and composer took place under the long-term influence of bright representatives of Kharkiv folk-instrumental, music and theoretical and composer’s schools. There is a row of bright works of the widest spectrum in the artistic «luggage» of А. Haidenko: orchestral and choral opuses, chamber music and works for academic instruments — piano, violin, violoncello, French horn, and guitar. The basic part of А. Haidenko’s «composer luggage» is presented by different-genre compositions for folk instruments. The important characteristic feature of composer works of А. Haidenko is deep working and the comprehension of ancient Ukrainian folklore and immersion in music traditions of other people — nearby and remote from Ukraine. А. Haidenko masterly applies both musical folklore and modern vaudeville-jazz intonations, harmonies and rhythms. Novelty. An attempt is made to describe the artistic preference and composer’s «luggage» of А. Haidenko. The value of his activity as a leading representative of modern Kharkiv composer’s school is found out. The outstanding role of a composer in the process of creative combination of folk-music and academic traditions in the instrumental, choral, orchestral performance has been demonstrated. The description of А. Haidenko’s artistic tastes is given. The practical significance. The research will serve as a supplement to methodological materials of courses the «Special instrument» «Pedagogical mastery», «Analysis of music», «Music culture», “Methodology of modern musical pedagogics”. Conclusions. The specific nature of composer’s activity of А. Haidenko is revealed. It is shown that his composer’s style appears in the transformation of folklore intonations, the combination of romantic attitude with difficult modern polyrhythmic and harmonic composer’s language. It is found out that composer’s language of А. Haidenko is based on voice-frequency basis, and improvisations, that are closely constrained by folk instrumental and song traditions.