Program
THE WASHINGTON BALALAIKA SOCIETY was founded in 1988 by a group of
musicians interested in studying and performing the
music of Russia, Ukraine and Eastern Europe on
traditional Russian folk instruments – the balalaika,
domra, bayan and related folk wind and percussion. The Society’s
initial membership of eight has grown to more than sixty
and the WBS Orchestra is now the largest of its kind in
the United States.
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Ensemble (To Be Announced)
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BIBS
EKKEL was
born in England of mixed Polish-English
background. His career as one of few
outstanding professional balalaika players outside
Russia has brought him much recognition worldwide,
including Russia, where he has performed at festivals,
on radio and TV. His style elevates the balalaika
to the stature of concert instrument while retaining
close ties with the instrument's folk heritage and he
has entertained Royalty and ordinary folk alike in
settings ranging from cabaret to concert
hall. Along with recordings for record libraries
and film scores, he has recorded several solo
balalaika albums and some with his group
"Tziganka," a highly successful Russian folk music and
dance ensemble that began touring internationally in
1975.
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The
Russian music, dance and song
ensemble BARYNYA,
established in the year 1991 in New York City, is a
world renowned group that enjoys exalting stature as the
premier Russian folk ensemble outside of Russia. Barynya
under the direction of Mikhail Smirnov,
presents Russian, Cossack, Ukrainian, Jewish and Gypsy
Roma traditional dancing, music, songs, and virtuoso
performances. Barynya has been invited to perform at
some of the most prestigious cultural venues in the
United States, including Carnegie Hall in New York, the
National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, the
Smithsonian Institute of America in Washington D.C., the
United Nations in New York, and the Russian Embassy in
Washington D.C.
In
1993, the company, GOLDEN GATES was created in St.
Petersburg, Russia.
Drawing upon students from the Author's Aesthetic
Music Secondary School, these children became the first
members of the group and they began performing at
various cultural events, folk festivals and concerts
throughout Russia, Asia, Europe and America. Ages from ten
to eighteen, the group now includes Russian dancers as
well as singers. The
dancers will thrill the audience with their skillful
virtuosity, colorful costumes, syncopation of footwork
and gymnastic leaping of foot-stomping ferocity.
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ANDREI
SAVELIEV
is originally from St. Petersburg, Russia, with musical
training starting early in his youth. He began his
pre-college education in a music curriculum, then
attended a musical college, and eventually graduated
from the Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory in St. Petersburg.
He was trained as a balalaika soloist and has an
extensive repertoire of performance pieces. He
played balalaika with the Andreyev Balalaika Orchestra
after graduation, as well as with local and touring
ensembles before immigrating to the U.S. in 1996.
Currently, Andrei is a balalaika soloist for the
Washington Balalaika Society and plays contrabass in the
St. Petersburg Trio. Andrei loves teaching by using the
same techniques he learned as a student in St.
Petersburg. His students, many of whom have studied
with other teachers, universally confirm him to be the
best instructors they have ever had.
Domra and Bayan Artists
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ANATOLIY TROFIMOV, a master of the
bayan, graduated from the famous Gnessin Institute of
Music in Moscow. He
is a Gold Medal winner of the prestigious International
Competition in Vienna, attained the status and honor of
“Merited Artist of Russia,” and was a Professor and a
Leader of Folk Instruments Department at the Mussorgsky
Ural State Conservatory in Ekaterinburg, Russia. Trofimov has
composed and arranged many works for domra and bayan,
folk ensembles and orchestras.
“THE RUSSIAN DUO” – Tamara Volskay
and Anatoliy Trofimov comprise one of the most
remarkable and inspiring musical duos to be found
anywhere in the world.
Winners of international and national
competitions, they have toured throughout Russia,
Europe, Canada, Australia, Japan and have recorded
several CDs.
Balalaika and Domra Association of
America Festival Orchestra
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IRINA
ZAGORNOVA
was born in Russia. In 1985 she graduated with high
honors from the Musorgsky College of Music in St.
Petersburg, where she studied folk singing and classical
piano. In
her career, Irina has performed as featured artist expedition
throughout Russia. She has particularly excelled in the
genre known "Chastushki", or "ditties". Her ebullient
personality and dynamic stage presence are exceptionally
well-suited to the playful manner in which these
humorous love songs are traditionally performed with
various ensembles
throughout the World.
An expert in Russian musical folklore
Irina sings in the authentic Russian "open throat" style
characteristic of Russian Folk Singing and has collected
material on several.
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ROGER FOREMAN was awarded first place in the
2010 BDAA Original Composition Contest. He will be
playing his winning composition, Taborniy Vecher on the
violin accompanied by the BDAA Festival Orchestra. Roger received
his Bachelor Degree in Music Composition from the
University of Arizona in 2008 and his Masters Degree in
Music Composition at
Florida State University in 2012. He is
currently a Senior Criminal Justice Information
Technician in Tallahassee, Florida.