The Russian Folk Instruments Ensemble

[Mourka1 at AOL.COM]

Dear Seelangers and colleagues,

I'm attaching a recent press release in hopes that perhaps your universities 
and colleges would be interested in a performance by the Russian Folk 
Instrument Ensemble.  As you can see, we are performing on a very high 
quality level and have a vast knowledge of the instruments and the material 
that we play which could be useful for a seminar or workshop.

I have CD's, video tapes and plenty of publicity materials to send to you if 
you needed more information.

Here is the press release:

PRESSRELEASE
 
 
Margarita Meyendorff (“Mourka”) is known primarily in the Hudson Valley as 
an actress.  Among her many theatrical credits in the United States and in 
Europe, she has also written, produced and acted in her one-woman show, 
“Mourka” which was performed in Woodstock in 1994, at the Cuneen Hackett 
Institute in Poughkeepsie in 1997and again Off Broadway in New York City in 
1998.  Margarita started singing when she was six years old in the Russian 
Orthodox Church and was a child prodigy as a singer and as an actress within 
the aristocratic Russian society in New York City.  Although her theatrical 
career included several musicals, Margarita  did not pursue singing as a 
career until recently when she discovered a vast repertoire of Russian 
romances and gypsy music stored away in boxes of forgotten trivia.  Margarita 
has a Masters Degree in Education and is certified to teach Russian, French 
and English as a Second Language.  Margarita has since been performing these 
high style, theatrical romances and gypsy songs in the Hudson Valley and in 
New YorkCity with The Russian Folk Instruments Ensemble.  Their most recent 
concert performance was at the Harvard Club in New York City in January, 
2001.  Margarita, along with the Russian Folk Instruments Ensemble, is 
dedicated to bringing forth the richness and beauty of Russian music in all 
its forms.
 
The Russian Folk Instruments Ensemble was formed in 1998 by a famous duo, 
Tamara Volskaya and  Anatoly Trofimov.  This ensemble brings a new dimension 
to the use of Russian folk instruments in the presentation of music of 
different styles and backgrounds –from traditional to modern, to classical, 
to foot-stomping folk and gypsy music.  The group includes artists originally 
from Russia whose combined musical experience demonstrates mastery both of 
their instruments and the music they present.  
 
The domra player, Tamara Volskaya,is an internationally acclaimed solo 
artist. She is a graduate of the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Kiev, Russia and 
has earned a PhD at the Ural State Conservatory in Ekaterinburg, Russia.  
Through recordings and books which she has written and which were written 
about her, Tamara is known as one of the premier domra players in the world 
and a leading spokesperson for the revival of interest in Russian folk music 
in general and the domra in particular.
 
Anatoly Trofimov, the bayan player was also a professor at the Ural State 
Conservatory and is a virtuoso performer and a skilled arranger who has 
appeared all over the world.
 
Leonid Bruk is an accomplished Bass Balalaika player who has traveled and 
performed with several ensembles here and in the United States and in 
Moscow.  
 
Olga Jourba Dusheina   (violinist) is a graduate from the Kiev State 
Conservatory. In 1985, she relocated to St. Petersburg.  Some of her 
positions as violinist included the Moussorgsky Theatre of Opera and Ballet 
Orchestra, the Maryinsky Theatre of Opera and Ballet, The Palace Orchestra 
and finally, Concertmaster of the Theatre of Musical Comedy Orchestra.  She 
often performs as concertmaster with both the Rockland Symphony and the North 
Jersey Symphony Orchestras and is a member of the first violin section of the 
Hudson Valley Philharmonic and the Albany Symphony Orchestras.

ABOUT THE INSTRUMENTS
 
 
The Domra is a member of the Lute family and was introduced to the world 
between 800 and 1100 by the Mongol-Tartar invaders into what was then called 
Kievan Rus. The Russian Orthodox Church associated the domra with pagan 
rituals and banned it from Russian society.  It was only in the 19th century 
when primitive models of the domra and its young cousin, the balalaika were 
found in remote villages of Russia.  Typically the domra is played with a 
pick and the balalaika is played with fingers. The domra exists in both a 
three or four string version as well as in prima, alto, tenor and bass 
sizes.  
 
The Russian bayan is similar to an accordion but has a somewhat mellower tone 
and has buttons instead of piano like keys.
 
The bass balalaika is a large version of the small triangular instrument and 
can be played with fingers as well as with a pick.



If you are interested in bringing this program to your university or college, 
please contact me off-list:

Mourka1 at aol.com

Thank you.

Margarita Meyendorff (Mourka)
 

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