Join Us for the 2006 BDAA Convention! July 9-16, 2006, in Akron, Ohio Facilities Registration Tourism & Local Activities

VICTOR GORODINSKY
Festival Orchestra Conductor

Russian-born conductor, arranger, instrumentalist, and scholar from Madison, WI, will be this year’s conductor for the Festival concert. Victor is a Slavic Librarian at the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Memorial Library. Originally from Russia, he immigrated to the United States in 1982. He has a Master's Degree in Music (classical guitar and orchestral conducting) from Gnesin College of Music in Moscow. Before moving to Madison in 1995, he worked at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where, in addition to being a Slavic Librarian, he was Assistant Director and later, Music Director of the University Russian Folk Orchestra, the official School of Music performing and touring ensemble. Under Victor's baton, the 40-piece orchestra was performing several times a year at the University of Illinois' Krannert Center for the Performing Arts and toured around the Midwest. The orchestra also made several recordings.

BIBS EKKEL
Ay Romale!   Deciphering the Gypsy Song

Born in 1946 in England of mixed Polish-English background, Bibs Ekkel is both musician and linguist. His career as one of very few outstanding professional balalaika players outside Russia has brought him much recognition worldwide, including Russia where he has performed on radio and TV as well as Moscow's prestigious "Hall of Columns" and "Tchaikovsky Hall". In addition to concerts, recordings, movie soundtracks, radio and TV he has had speaking and playing roles in many films and BBC-TV productions, where he has also worked as an advisor on Russian language and music. Bibs has also composed scores on folk themes for movies such as, The Man who Knew too Little; The Saint; Yasha the Liar. He has lectured at a variety of US Universities, co-authored a BBC radio educational series and written and presented programs for BBC World service. Apart from solo balalaika albums and various recordings for record libraries he has recorded several albums with his group "Tziganka,” a highly successful music and dance ensemble that has been touring and playing internationally since Bibs founded it in 1975.

JUDY SHERMAN
Beginning Balalaika

Judy Sherman began her balalaika career in the UCLA Balalaika Orchestra, and went on to sing, play balalaika, record, and tour with the Los-Angeles-based Odessa Balalaikas for seven years. She has directed the Penn Balalaika Orchestra at the University of Pennsylvania, and was also a member of the Gypsy Balalaikas of Philadelphia. On numerous occasions, Judy was featured vocalist with various groups such as the Detroit Balalaika Orchestra and the Atlanta Balalaika Society. She currently brings her 30 years of experience to the Big Rock Balalaikas, directing this group that brings the sound of Russian folk instruments and singing to the Central Coast of California.

ANDREI SAVELEIV
Balalaika Technique

Andrei Saveleiv is originally from St. Petersburg, Russia, with musical training starting early in his youth. He began his primary-school 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 Orchestra after graduation, as well as with local and touring ensembles before emigrating to the U.S. in 1992. 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 instructor they have ever had. He is this year’s concert soloist on the balalaika.

SVETLANA NIKONOVA
Beginning Domra

Svetlana Nikonova is a graduate of the Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory in St. Petersburg, and played with the Andreyev Balalaika Orchestra in that city prior to immigrating with her husband to America. Early in their careers, Svetlana and her husband, bayan virtuoso Vladimir Zakharevich, traveled and performed throughout Europe as a musical duo. She is a gifted arranger and conductor and is currently the artistic director of the Washington Balalaika Society. Svetlana also plays domra with the St. Petersburg Trio.

CHARLEY RAPPAPORT
Intermediate Domra & Domra Choir

Charley Rappaport’s first instrument was a mandolin that his grandfather carried to the U.S. in a pillowcase from Odessa, Russia. In 1964 Alexander Kutin, the conductor of the Balalaika Symphonic Orchestra, lent Charley his first domra and installed him in the orchestra to do “as much as he could do.” From there, Charley has soloed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Town Hall in New York, and the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. Charley has organized and mentored orchestras in New York, Houston, and Atlanta. He is a founder of the BDAA and a member of the BDAA Hall of Fame.

TAMARA VOLSKAYA
Advanced Domra
ANATOLY TROFIMOV
Bayan

Tamara Volskaya was a professor at the Mussorgsky State Conservatory in Ekaterinburg, Russia, prior to emigrating to the U.S. Tamara, domra concertmistress and music director of the Carnival ensemble, is regarded as the world’s foremost soloist on the four-stringed domra. Winner of numerous international competitions, she has appeared regularly as a soloist with orchestras across the U.S., Russia, Japan, Germany, Spain, and Australia. A Merited Artist of Russia, she is also renowned for her master class instruction, and is author of several scholarly works on the domra. She is this year’s concert soloist on the domra.

Anatoly Trofimov, like his wife Tamara Volksaya, was a professor at the Mussorgsky State Conservatory in Ekaterinburg, Russia, prior to emigrating to the U.S. He is a gifted accompanist and laureate of many national and international competitions, and is principal musical arranger for the Carnival ensemble. He is this year’s concert soloist on the bayan.

DAVID COOPER
Jamming

David Cooper grew up in a family of musicians and was influenced by the varied musical cultures represented in Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania. While studying Ethno-Musicology and Social Work at the University of Illinois, he was a member of the famed University of Illinois Russian Folk Orchestra, the Persian Orchestra, and the Wind Ensemble. In 1979, David moved to Atlanta and since then has appeared internationally with the World Music Consort, Troika Balalaikas, Czar Balalaikas, Massenkoff Russian Folk Festival, University of Pennsylvania Balalaika Orchestra, the University of Illinois Russian Folk Orchestra, and was selected for a fellowship at the Gliere Institute in Kiev, Ukraine. He has served as music director of the Atlanta Balalaika Society since 1986. Most recently David appeared with the Atlanta Ballet Orchestra performing on the Tar (a Persian folk instrument) for "1001 Nights".

JOE LAZICH
Tamburitza

Joseph Lazich is a graduate of Youngstown State University with degrees in Music History and Literature and Music Education, and worked for 27 years as a high school music teacher. His lifelong involvement in tamburitza music and Slavic folk dancing began while he was in high school and continued for 30 years, when he became music director, dance instructor and choreographer for numerous ethnic youth groups between Cleveland and Pittsburgh. Joe received the great honor of being chosen as director of the 25th Annual Croatian Fraternal Union Junior Tamburitza Festival of 1976 which took place in Zagreb, Croatia, and was a member of the famous Duquesne University Tamburitzans for one year. Currently he remains active in the tamburitza field as a member of the Veseljaci Adult Tamburitzans of Farrell, Pennsylvania (where he writes for the group and plays bass) and also as music director and choreographer of the youth folk group “Avala” in Youngstown, Ohio Joe resides with his wife Cathy in Brookfield, Ohio.

GÖRAN RYGERT
Percussion

Göran Rygert was born in Sweden and has resided in Atlanta since 1993. In his former home Göran was president of “Kazbek”, one of Sweden’s premier Russian Folk Orchestras, an elected member of Swedish Composers of Popular Music, as well as an honorary member of the Swedish Ballads and Songs Association. Here in the U.S. he was past president of the Nordic Lodge of the Vasa Order of America, is currently the vice President of the Atlanta Balalaika Society Orchestra, and an active member of the BDAA Board of Directors since 1999. Göran has taught percussion, woodwinds and contrabass balalaika at previous BDAA conventions. As well as being a successful architect, composer and arranger, Göran is a freelance editor for Warner/Chappell in Stockholm, Sweden, having been responsible for more than 25 songbooks. He is the founder and leader of the men’s choir “Vasa Drangar,” who in September will give their 10th anniversary concert. In 2004, he released a CD with music of his own, titled Visituder.

MIA RHOWEDER
Pysanky & Matryoshka Painting

Mia Rhoweder is an Akron-area native who has been a craftswoman of Eastern European art for over 20 years. Mia is a life-long member of St. Nicholas Orthodox church and has been making pysanky since she was 10 years old. Now a successful engineer and busy mother of 3, Mia still finds time to volunteer with many church-related cultural and outreach activities. Specifically, Mia diligently organizes the pysanky presentation area of the annual St. Nicholas Something Russian Festival, and has taught pysanky/craft workshops in past years.

MARVIN PAIOFF
Improvising on the Contrabass Balalaika

Marvin Paioff comes from a long line of musicians and began composing and arranging music for balalaikas and domras as a teenager. He later worked his way through college playing the contrabass balalaika in the Two Guitars nightclub in New York City with such legends as Sasha Polinoff, Kostya Poliansky, and Charley Rappaport . He has written arrangements for Peter Yarrow (Warner Bros. Records) and performed with Theodore Bikel (The Ed Sullivan Show). As a music educator he has taught general and instrumental music in New York City, Colorado, and California. His practical workshop is intended primarily for contrabass players and arrangers, but anyone with an interest in improvisation or composition is invited. The workshop will focus on reading from “charts” - starting at the most basic level and progressing from there. Particular problems with contrabass balalaika technique may also be addressed. Participants will receive handouts and a CD, and no prior knowledge of harmony will be required.

JAN RYGERT
Balkan Dance

Jan Rygert started learning early in life about her Croatian and Slovak background by learning to play the tamburitza with the McKeesport Junior Tamburitzans at age 11. She quickly got hooked on folk music and folk-dancing. Born in the Pittsburgh area, she received her BA in behavioral sciences and went on to focus her career in retailing. Throughout her business career, she still taught and choreographed sets for the Junior groups of the Duquesne University Tamburitzans. Jan has taught folk-dancing at previous BDAA conventions and has been involved with many groups of Eastern European folk music and dance. She had been president of the Atlanta Balalaika Society for many years, and an active member for over 24 years. Jan has been on the board of the BDAA since 1993 and also past president, as well as specialist and current co-librarian for past conventions. Jan currently lives in Atlanta with her husband Göran.

LIZ NUNAN
Russian Folk Dance

Liz Nunan has been a member of BDAA since 1983, and has co-taught folk dancing at conventions several times in the past. She has been folk dancing since 1978, having attended both Balkan and Scandinavian summer dance camps and many weekend dance workshops over the past 30 years. She has taught a children's folk dance/clogging group for several years, and currently organizes an annual folk dance workshop each April in Atlanta that features recognized folk dance teachers from around the country. Liz will say that she dances ”just for fun,” and will be teaching easy dances which can be done to music noted for being played at the evening parties of BDAA conventions.

ALEX SINIAVSKY
The Theory of Improvisation
Hands-on Experience of Improvisation
Getting the Most out of Practicing

Alex Siniavsky arrived in the United States in 1992 from St. Petersburg, Russia. He was a leading prima balalaika player in the Andreyev State Symphonic Balalaika Orchestra, one or the most prestigious orchestras in the former USSR. Graduating with honors from the Leningrad State Musical Conservatory, he toured throughout the former USSR, Europe, and America, and appeared on the television and radio spotlights in Russia, America, and Africa. Currently, Alex is musical director of the New York based Russian folk dance and music ensemble, Barynya, in which he performs around the world, and composes and arranges musical material for the group’s performances, CDs, and videos.

SASHA MOORE
Mussorgsky and Stravinsky: "Pictures at an Exhibition" and "Firebird"

Sasha Moore's earliest musical memories are of Polish and Russian folk music played in her home and the immigrant community where she was born and lived, for a short time, in Pennsylvania. She began piano studies at age seven in New York City and later earned her B.A. and M.A. in Music History from the University of California, Santa Barbara. The musical portion of her thesis on Claudio Monteverdi was published by Novello & Co., London, England in the early 1980s. Retired from the California community college system, she currently teaches music for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of California, Riverside Extension and the Riverside Adult School. Sasha taught at the collegiate level for nearly thirty years and has been a music critic, writer, annotator, teacher, and concert previewer performer in London and southern California. Her lectures aim at understanding the music of classic artists as an active listener.

MIKHAIL SMIRNOV
Chorus

Mikhail Smirnov is a graduate of the Moscow State University of Culture & Arts. As a student, he went to many different parts of Russia to collect Russian Folklore, during which time he recorded over 100 hours of Russian folk songs, tunes and lyrics which he later incorporated into his professional career. “Misha” is noted as a professional folk singer, performer, and musician, and is currently the artistic director, webmaster, manager, and performer in the folk dance and music ensemble Barynya of New York.