TUCSON — The ARIZONA BALALAIKA
ORCHESTRA is pleased to announce their
27th annual concert series, “RUSSIAN MASTERS IN CONCERT” to be held February 3, 2007 at
7:30 p.m. and February 4, 2007 at 2:00 p.m. at the Pima Community
College Center for the Arts, Proscenium Theater, 2202 W. Anklam Road,
Tucson, Arizona.The concerts will feature the beautifully costumed 30-member Orchestra playing the lovely and familiar music of Russia and Ukraine on authentic instruments, including the triangular balalaika, the mandolin-like domra, the Russian bayan accordion, as well as wind and percussion instruments. Performing under the direction of Russian-trained Dr. Alexander Tentser, the concert will feature traditional Russian folk music and classical works by Mussorgsky and Budashkin. The Orchestra will be joined by the dynamic and exciting KALINKA RUSSIAN DANCERS, performing traditional Slavic character dance. Also appearing in the concerts will be the powerful voices of the SONS OF ORPHEUS MALE CHOIR OF TUCSON under the direction of Grayson Hirst.
Special guest artists appearing for the first time in the Orchestra’s annual concert will be the talented Russian-trained virtuoso ALEXANDER TSYGANKOV, performing the Russian three-stringed domra, and INNA SHEVCHENKO, accompanying on piano. Trained at the world-renowned Gnessin Institute of Moscow, Mr. Tsygankov has become a domra artist of legendary virtuosity and performed as principal domra soloist for many years with the famous Osipov Balalaika Orchestra. He holds many awards, including “Distinguished Artist of Russia,” and has performed throughout Russian, Europe, Japan, and America. His wife Inna Shevchenko studied piano at the Russian Academy of Music in Moscow, has toured throughout the world with her husband, and last year was awarded the prestigious “Distinguished Artist of the Russian People” by President Putin.
The concerts will be a rare opportunity to enjoy the unusual, haunting and exciting music and dance of Russia, and an enjoyable entertainment for the whole family! Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for students and are available now from the Pima College Center for the Arts box office, 206-6986, or at The Folk Shop, 2525 N. Campbell Ave. For more information, please call 743-2347 or visit the Orchestra’s website at www.azbalalaika.org