2007 ensemble Barynya upcoming performances

Wednesday, May 30, 2007, 10pm. Misha Smirnov (garmoshka, guitar), Lev Zabeginsky (balalaika) and Ruslan Khain on contrabass at The Russian Children's Welfare Society post-concert reception for soprano Anna Netrebko and baritone
Dmitri Hvorostovsky at the Carnegie Hall in New York City... more info

June 3-5, 2007. Casa Serena Hotel, Oxnard, CA. June 4th 9:10AM. Ensemble Barynya Russian dance and music showcase in Ojai, California. Dancers: A.Cybyk, N.Ejova, Mikhail Smirnov (garmoshka, balalaika, vocals)

Saturday, June 9th, 2007. Russian Balalaika Duo Alex Siniavski and Mikhail Smirnov 1 hour performance at the Annual International Day. Pearl S. Buck International. 520 Dublin Rd, Perkasie PA 18944

Tuesday, June 12, 2007, 8:30PM. Barynya dancers with klezmer show Bottle Dancers USA at the Jewish International Connection gala event "Passport to the World". Prince George Ballroom. 15 East 27th Street (between Fifth and Madison Avenues), New York City, New York

Saturday, June 23, 2007. 11:30PM Bottle Dancers at private party (Wedding).
Water's Edge. 44th Drive - East River, Long Island, NY 11101. Phone: (718) 482-0033

Sunday, June 24, 2007. Bottle Dancers at the private party in Brooklyn, New York. Pending

Sunday, July 3, 2007. Vassar in Poughkeepsie, New York

Sunday, July 3, 2007. Chicago, Illinois. 2 dancers, 3 musicians. Pending

July 6th, 2007 1:45PM. Barynya Russian Dance Camp. 2 dancers, one musicians. 91 S Orange Ave at Newark Academy. Livingstone, NJ

Monday, July 9th, 2007 at Bryn Mawr, Bryn Mawr, PA

Wednesday, July 11th - Sunday, July 15th, 2007. Singer Alexander Menshikov and Mikhail Smirnov (Russian garmoshka) at The Balalaika and Domra Association of America 29th Annual Convention. Luther College, Decorah, Iowa

Sunday, July 15th, 2007. One hour free public concert of Barynya Russian Band at the street fest in New Jersey. Pending

Ensemble "Barynya" is touring state of OHIO. July 16-July 30, 2007. Full company. More details will be posted soon.

Tusday, July 31, 2007. Princeton University, Princeton, NJ

Friday, August 3rd, 2007. Vineland, NJ. Full company. Pending

Monday, August 6th, 2007 1:30PM-3pm. Russian Balalaika Duo Alex Siniavski and Mikhail Smirnov at the Musikfest. Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

Tuesday, August 7th, 2007. 3pm-4:30pm. Russian Balalaika Duo Alex Siniavski and Mikhail Smirnov at the Musikfest. Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

Saturday August 11, 2007 from 1pm to 4pm. Russian Balalaika Duo Alex Siniavski and Mikhail Smirnov. International Summer Music Series for Liberty Village Premium Outlets. One Church Street, Flemington, New Jersey 08822

August 11th-August 20th, 2007. Russian garmoshka player and singer Mikhail Smirnov at the Slavic Festival in Canada, Quebeck

Saturday, September 1st 2007. Milford, PA

Friday, September 7, 2007. showcasing at the Midwest Arts Conference. Columbus, OH

Sunday, September 9th, 2007. Russian Mosaic Festival. Penns Landing, Philadelphia, PA. One hour music program, brake, two hours full lenght concert. Full company. 6 dancers, 3 musicians and singer. Pending

Thursday, September 27, 2007. Showcasing at the Performing Arts Exchange, Louisville, KY

Thursday, September 28, 2007. Showcasing at the Performing Arts Exchange, Louisville, KY

Friday, October 12, 2007. Rehearsal with The Atlanta Balalaika Society. Roswell Cultural Arts Center, 950 Forrest Street, Roswell, GA 30075

Saturday, October 13, 2007 at the Roswell Cultural Arts Center, 950 Forest Street, Roswell, Georgia 30075. M.Smirnov (garmoshka, balalaika, vocals), A.Siniavski (balalaika, Gypsy guitar), dancers: V.Kvasova, A.Cybyk

Barynya full company tour in Mexico. Pending

Thursday, November 1th, 2007. San Diego, CA. Two musicians, two dancers. Pending

Thursday, November 8th, 2007. Nampa, ID. Full company. Pending

November 17th, 2007. California Institute of Technology. 1200 East California Blvd. Pasadena, CA 91125. Full company. Pending

January 12-13, 2008. Eugene, Oregon.
Slavic Festival

January 23-26th, 2008. IPAY Showcase in Tampa Bay, Florida

Russian dance, food, music May 26 2007 Ostin, TX 7pm

For Immediate ReleaseMarch 15, 2007Russian Speakers SocietyContact Luda Voskov512-442-4016 lvoskov@austin.rr.com

The Master Music Concert. We are proud to announce the Russian Spring Fest concert.
The concert “Russian Spring Fest”, presented by Russian Speakers Society, will be held on May 26, 2007 7:00 PM at the First Unitarian Universalist Church, 4700 Grover Ave., Austin, Texas The concert will feature three outstanding Russian groups, Kalinka, Flying Balalaika Brothers, and Russian Folk Dance Ensemble – “Uzori”. A sumptuous array of Russian cuisine will be provided by Sasha’s Gourmet Russian Market and Cafй.

Admission for this concert/reception is $25. Ticket information: 512-459-1449 The concert will appeal to lovers of all styles of music and is for all ages. The artists are the best interpreters of that kind of music. The concert is supported with funding from the Cultural Contracts Division of the City of Austin, Texas Commission on the Art and The Non Profit Center. The group, Kalinka, features two Russian virtuoso musicians, Sergey Vashchenko, on balalaika, and Vladimir Kaliazine, on bayan. The European award-winning and 2004 Grammy Award Contenders have been performing together for almost twenty years throughout Europe and the United States. They have played with symphonies, chamber groups, and as soloists, interpreting both traditional Russian folk music and popular classical music. Among other awards, Mr. Vashchenko won first place in the 1980 Ukrainian Russian Folk Instrumental Competition, and Mr. Kaliazine was concertmaster for the Folk Dance Ensemble of Siberia. Before moving to the Texas , duo was awarded numerous prizes in Germany , France , and Spain.

The Flying Balalaika Brothers, a local Austin band, have been together for almost two years and feature Zhenya Kolykhanov, Sergey Vashchenko, and Aleksander Kuznetzov. Their music has been labeled Russian folk meets American bluegrass. They have performed for schools and local festivals including the Kerrville Folk Festival and the Pecan Street Festival. Formally of the Red Elvises, Zhenya’s music has been featured in numerous Hollywood Movies and television series, and with his other group ZeeGrass performs in clubs throughout the United States and Europe . He is the groups’ composer and lead singer. His talent as a composer and improviser is combined with Mr. Vashchenko’s extensive skills as a folk musician, conductor, and arranger. Aleksander Kusznetzov, a rising star in the world of music, will amaze you with his talents on double-bass. Together, their music will make you want to get out of your seats and dance!

The name “Uzori”, chosen by the ensemble’s Artistic Director, Yelena Kochourova, from St. Petersburg, is taken from a Russian word meaning “intricate decorations’, such as those found on traditional folk costumes. The ensemble captures both the grace and fire of Russian dance. Uzori is the first Russian dance ensemble to be formed in Houston and present dances of Russia , Ukraine , and Eastern Europe . The company maintains an active schedule of public and private performances, which include the “Russian Day” celebration at NASA and the preview reception for the exhibit “Kremlin Gold” at the Houston Museum of Natural Science.
For more information, please contact Mr. Vashchenko at 512-420-0574 or Balalaika@sbcglobal.net

posted by Mikhail Smirnov
http://www.smirnov.org

Russian Nobility Ball 2007 Ensemble Barynya photos

http://google.com/group/rmda/web/02

репетиция ансамбля Барыня

... начать решили в шесть вечера, чтобы в восемь уже разъехаться по домам...

Мы с Меньшиковым приехали в 6:15 и оказались первыми. Рядом со студией в бруклинском Ред Хуке был маленький деликатессен. Сашка предложил на всякий случай взять что-то попить. Русской водки в магазинчике не было, пришлось ограничиться фисташками и пивом с метеорологическим названием "БАЛТИКА-3".

На выходе столкнулись с танцовщиком М.Нестеренко и басистом Леонидом Б. Они как всегда вели профессиональный разговор о том, как правильно лечиться от "русского недомогания". В их беседе слышались знакомые каждому балалаечнику термины "рассол" и "алкаселтцер".

Минут через десять появился и А.Ц., который как известно никогда никуда не опаздывает. Все закурили. Ждали девочек и скрипача, но их всё не было. Я было начал беспокоиться: когда девочки опаздывают вместе со скрипачем, это может быть надолго (известный случай в Орегоне).

Пока не было девушек, разговор в основном шел именно о них, но уже через полчаса Оля, Ганна и Вичка привезли ворох несвежих бруклинских сплетен. Оказывается, история случившаяся в ресторане "Чинара" до сих пор была в моде.
Решили медленно подыматься.

С крыши студии нижний Манхеттен был как на ладони. По этому случаю многие снова закурили. Брук предложил снять прямо на крыше новый клип "ансамбля" Барыня на свою свеже-купленную у цыган видео-камеру. Певец Меньшиков пожаловался, что не готов к съёмкам, так одел не то бельё. Лёня успокоил его, что на видео-editing программах, временно находящихся в его распоряжении, можно многое приукрасить, а остальное замазать дорогими спецэффектами. Напевая "СТАКАНЬЧИКИ ГРАНЁНЫЕ", Саша начал раздеваться, но тут, проклиная нью-йоркский марафон, пришел хореограф Виталий Вертерич...

Недолго, но уважительно поговорили о предстоящем русском дворянском бале и самих дворянах.


В "Казачке" сначала решили ничего не менять, чтобы не запутаться. Время показало, что это было бы верным ходом, но на репетиции новые варианты цыганского и казачьго танцев выглядели убедительнее старых.

Хозяин студии и поклонник Валентины Квасовой предложил вина и другие традиционные русские напитки. Голоса сразу зазвучали ярче, а хореография обрела долгожданную концертную форму. Кто-то выбросил из окна мою куртку. Все закурили.

Прошли всю программу ещё один раз. Ровно в восемь певица Вичка с танцорами уехала, а вместо них приехал из Филадельфии балалаечник Алеша Синявский со своей цыганской гитарой . Он немного пошептался с Бруком, с Меньшиковым, с хозяином, с Валицей, со скрипачом, и был таков.

Через минут 15 поехали к себе на Брайтон и мы с Меньшиковым.

А соседи хозяина студии ещё несколько лет потом вспоминали, как у них в доме репетировали "русские", хотя, сказать по правде, вспоминать-то особо было нечего...

Mikhail Smirnov, Founder/Artistic Director
New York based ensemble "Barynya"
Russian, Gypsy, Cossack, Klezmer and Ukrainian music and dance
web: http://www.barynya.com
********************
It's Barynya Time!

Russian Nobility Ball May 11th, 2007 New York City

Russian Nobility Ball May 11th, 2007 New York City

Friday, May 11th. 2007. Annual Easter Russian Nobility Ball at the Grand Ball Room of "The Pierre Hotel"

Fifth Avenue at 61st Street, New York City, New York.

The cocktail hour starts at 7:30pm. Barynya musicians and Sergey Riabtsev (violin)

Ensemble Barynya program will start around 9:45pm.

We will perform Cossack song and dance (band, singers and dancers)
Russian Gypsy traditional songs "Dark Eyes" and "Three Lanes"
(Pichurova, Menshikov and band)
Russian Gypsy dance and song "Two Guitars" (band and dancers)Gypsy
Violin Extravaganza (Sergey Riabtsev and band)
balalaika solo (Alex Siniavski)

Barynya performers:Musicians: Sergei Riabtsev (violin), Mikhail Smirnov (garmoshka, guitar,vocals), Alex Siniavski (Gypsy guitar, balalaika), Leonid Bruk (balalaika contrabass), Singers: Viktoria Pichurova and Alexander Menshikov, Dancers: Vitaly Verterich, Misha Nesterenko, Andrij Cybyk, Ganna Makarova, Olga Chpitalnaia, Valentina Kvasova

Ensemble Barynya singers, musicians and dancers

Barynya's director and founder, MIKHAIL SMIRNOV "Misha", recieved his Master's degree in folk chorus conducting from the Moscow State Academy of Culture and Arts. As a child, Mikhail was a member of the famous "Moscow Boys Chorus" - one of the most prestigious all-male choirs in Russia. Before coming to the United States in 1991, Mikhail was a choirmaster in a several Russian folk groups, soloist with the Moscow State Center for Russian Song, "Russkaya Pesnya", under the direction of Nadezhda Babkina. While studying in Moscow, Mikhail followed his passion for Russian folk song by traveling to many different regions of Russia such as Tver, Smolensk, Belgorod, and Don River to collect Russian folklore at its sourse. Songs, melodies, lyrics, and tunes change from village to village, even those as close as a couple of miles apart. In these folklore expeditions, he recorded over 100 hours of Russian folk music. Mikhail has incorporated much of this original material into his ensemble's repertoire. In addition to being a trained singer, Misha is adept on a variety of Russian folk instruments including balalaika, guitar, zhaleika, kugikly, balalaika-contrabass, svirel, and gusli. However, his favorite instrument remains the garmoshka, the small button accordion used in Russian folk music.

The group's musical director, Alex Siniavski "Alyosha", is an acclaimed balalaika and Gypsy guitar virtuoso. Alex graduated with honors from the Leningrad State Musical Conservatory. Prior to his arrival in the United States in 1992, he was a soloist with the Andreev State Symphonic Balalaika Ensemble, one of the most prestigious musical groups in the former USSR. Alyosha has toured throughtout the United States, the former Soviet Unioun, Europe and America, appeared on the television and radio in Russia, America and Africa. A respected teacher as well as a performer, Alex Siniavski has produced the first balalaika instructional course on DVD.

Acclaimed New York based contrabass balalaika player, Leonid Bruk was born in Leningrad, Russia. He graduated from music school as a bass guitarist and performed with many different groups. When he arrived in the United States in 1989 he became deeply attracted to the bass balalaika and balalaika contrabass. In 2000, he founded his own Russian folk music trio, "The Brooklyn Balalaikas", and has played with various folk groups including "Russian Carnaval" and "Barynya" and soon became known for his expertise in Russian traditional music.

Alexander Menshikov "Sasha" is considered to be one of the best performers in Russian Gypsy style in New York. He is a professional singer with many years of experience. Alexander is a native of the small town Bugulma, now Republic of Tatarstan. He studied singing in The Gnesin Academy of Russian Music in Moscow, Russia. In 1990 he performed in the Russian television show "Step to Parnas," which is similar to "American Idol" in the United States. Before he immigrated to the United States in 1992, Sasha was a rising star in Russia. His 1991 album released by Gala Records in Moscow ("My Dear Russia") is still widely available in record stores throughout Russia. The website www.Esenin.ru (dedicated to famous Russian poet Sergey Esenin) selected Sasha as the best singer of Esenin's lyrics. Alexander Petrovich Menshikov performed with ensemble Barynya for the first time in 1996.

Choreographer and dancer VITALY VERTERICH was born in 1967 in Sevastopol, Ukraine. He graduated from the Kiev Ballet School in 1986 and from Moscow Academy of Art in 1992. After performing as Principal Dancer with the National Folk Dance Company “Beriozka” for four years, he joined Russian Chamber Ballet Theatre “Moskva,” where he danced solo roles in both classical and contemporary ballets. At the same time, Mr. Verterich was often invited to perform as guest artist with the Bolshoi Theatre, the Kirov Ballet, and other Russian and international companies. In 1998, Mr. Verterich was offered the position of Principal Dancer with the Moscow Folk Ballet in the world’s hottest show that year - “Riverdance the Show” - created by Michael Flatley. After two years of intense touring in Europe, Australia, Canada, and America, the show took over the Gershwin Theatre on Broadway. It was renamed “Riverdance on Broadway” and Mr. Verterich accepted the position of Principal Dancer. Mr. Verterich is currently works with the New Jersey Ballet and is a resident faculty member at Valentina Kozlova’s Dance Conservatory of New York. Vitaly has joined ensemble Barynya in 2003.

Dance Captain Valentina Kvasova "Valeetsa" was born in Russia, in the city of Rostov-na-Donu, Cossack' s Capital of Russia, on August 25, 1976. After finishing of the formal education in Voronezh Choreographic School in 1994 she has been invited to The Don Cossacks State Academic Song and Dance Ensemble as the actress of ballet. Valentina Kvasova equally manages roles of lyrical, playful or comic characters. The dynamical, bright, sociable, talented person, Valentina is having recognition among professionals. Valeetsa has joined Russian folk dance and music ensemble Barynya in 2004 as a dancer and singer. In 2005 she has become a dance captain and choreographed a few dance numbers.

Russian folk dancer Olga Chpitalnaia from Brooklyn, New York has made the United States her home in 1992. She performed with Ukrainian Dance State Ensemble “Slavutich” and the “Russian song and dance ensemble of the Black Sea Navy Sailors”. Olga Chpitalnaia has joined ensemble Barynya in 2003.

Born in Odessa, Ukraine Ganna Makarova began her dance training at the world-renowned Moiseyev Dance Studio. After completing her training at the Moscow Academy of Performing Arts, she performed with a top Moscow theatre company and starred in several major motion pictures. In 1992, Ganna came to America and succeeded in graduating Magna Cum Laude from Long Island University. In 2001, she realized her dream of performing with Riverdance on Broadway. Ganna also toured with the Riverdance national tour and was a company member for five years with All Nations Dance Company. Ganna Makarova performed with ensemble Barynya for the first time in 1993.

Ukrainian folk dancer and choreographer ANDRIJ CYBYK is the only American born member of "Barynya". Of Ukrainian heritage, he began his training in the Cleveland area studying Ukrainian and Character dance with David Wozniak and Markian Komichak in the ensemble Kashtan and Ballet at the University of Akron Conservatory of Dance. When he was a teen, Mr. Wozniak took Andrij to his first Dance Camp with Roma Pryma Bohachevsky. Two years later, he began attending her Dance Workshop at Verkhovyna, a training ground for the best Ukrainian Character dancers in North America and was invited to perform with Syzokryli, New York based Ukrainian dance ensemble. Andrij attended Duquesne University and graduated Summa Cum Laude with a double major in Psychology and Philosophy. While at Duquesne, he broadened his dance training and experience by performing over 360 shows with the Duquesne University Tamburitzans. In the Tamburitzans, he had the opportunity to study with some of the world’s greatest masters of Eastern European Folk dance including Vasillii Mountian, Dimiter Manov, Zelco Jergan, Elaina Lindtnerova-Kraslakova, Zoltan Zurawski and Dragan Kovacevic. After graduating the ensemble and spending yet another of many summers dancing for and assisting Roma Pryma Bohachevsky, Andrij went to Ukraine and attended the Virsky School of Academic Ukrainian Folk Dance in Kyiv, Ukraine. He graduated with the title Artist of Ballet and returned to the United States. He now lives in New York City and pursues dancing full time. He has been featured as a guest artist and principal dancer for the following dance companies: Anglo-American Ballet Company, Brighton Ballet Theater, Connecticut Ballet, New Jersey Ballet, Shore Ballet Company, Michael Mao Dance, Nai Ni Chen Dance Company, and the ALLNATIONS Dance Company. He has also been a guest artist at numerous schools and for several occasions, including the Times Square Millennium Celebration.

Russian folk dancer Mikhail Nesterenko specializes in character dance as well as ballet. He has graduated from Voronezh Dance Academy in Russia and has worked for various dance companies in Russia including Rhythm Planet under direction of Boris Sankin (former first cast of famous Moyeseev Russian Folk Ensemble). Mikhail’s inborn talent was recognized very early and he was a winner of numerous junior dance competitions. In 1995 Mikhail Nesterenko toured all over Europe with the Dance group MVO, and in 1996 he joined renown Bim-Bom Dance Group and Lovushkin Circus and Folk Dance Company. Between 1997 and 1999 Mr. Nesterenko performed with Lovushkin Group at Cypress Gardens, Florida. Mikhail also performed Russian Trepak in the Nutcracker with the well-known Florida Dance Theater and featured as a principal dancer of the Niel Goldberg’s Cirgue at the Acuff Theater, Nashville, TN. In 2000 Mikhail Nesterenko was invited to perform with the United Art Corporation in New York as a soloist of Pototsky Dance Group, one of the first and most recognized Russian folk shows in the East Coast. Mikhail’s acrobatic skills and knowledge of Russian folklore enjoyed outstanding reviews. Mikhail started to perform with New York based Russian folk dance and music ensemble Barynya in 2004.

Barynya's vocal soloist VICTORIA PICHUROVA was born in Rostov on the Don. She is a former soloist with the Don Cossack State Ensemble and is one of the finest performers of traditional Cossack songs. Equally at home with Russian, Cossack, Ukrainian, and Gypsy folk songs, Victoria Pichurova's repertoire includes wide range of different genres: historical, lyrical, wedding ceremony, the Russian epics called bylina, romances, dance-songs, and chastushki. Many songs in her repertoire are 200 and 300 years old. Victoria performed with "Barynya" for the first time in 2005.