Moscow Nights Study Guide High School Level We can be found on the web at: If you have questions, please contact us: www.russianfolk.com RussianTrio@gmail.com Program Description From the Artic to the Black Sea, the Baltic to the Pacific, and the Steppes to the Taiga, Moscow Nights brings you music from the heart of the vast Russian continent. This unique ensemble performs on balalaikas ranging from small to enormous; the bayan; an accordion with buttons on both sides; and an assortment of authentic percussive instruments. Singing in the Russian language and wearing colorful costumes, the ensemble recreates a sense of old world history and the spirited excitement of Russian folk melodies and rhythms. 1
Moscow Nights - Biography Moscow Nights is an exciting, versatile ensemble of world- recognized, prize- winning musicians from Russia. They have already established themselves as one of the fastest rising folk groups in the United States. These classically trained artists first took Western Europe by storm and now have brought their dazzling, toe- tapping music to North America. Vitaliy Bezrodnov, bayan (accordion) player and director of the ensemble, began attending music school at the young age of seven. Around the late 1980 s, he began studying at the prestigious Kaluga Music Conservatory in Kaluga, Russia where Moscow Nights was initially formed under his direction. After completing his conservatory studies, he attended the Musical Academy of Arts in Voronezh and St. Petersburg. During this same time period he was an actor and musician for the Municipal Folk Music Theatre Ethno, the main sponsor and act for the opening and closing of the Good Will Games in 1991. In 1994 he came to the United States under a Cultural Exchange program. The demand for Moscow Nights was so intense that he made a decision to bring the group to the U.S. for a tour. The United States is now his home, and the group continues to tour year- round. 2
Sergei Pudov, prima balalaika player with Moscow Nights, was raised in the city of Magnitogorsk, Russia. At the very young age of six, he showed much musical talent and was considered a child prodigy. In addition to his musical talent, he was a dancer folk and ballet. Before entering college, he was a top dancer for the City of Magnitogorsk and a finalist for the Ural Mountain Award for all of Central Russia and Europe. After studying at the Glinka Music Conservatory, he became a soloist with the Philharmonia Orchestra and the Glinka Conservatory Orchestra. He received Laureate awards with the All Russia and International Competitions for the City of Ufa and Orenburg. He then began touring with many companies, one of which was the Ivan & Maria Dance Company who has toured twice in the United States. As a result he crossed paths with Vitaliy Bezrodnov, director of Moscow Nights and became a member of the ensemble. Dima Busov, Contra-bass balalaika, has a long history of playing many bass instruments electric bass, string bass, and now contra- bass balalaika with many professional groups over the years in St. Petersburg, Russia and now the United States. He is especially known in the Russian circles for his great talent, nice smile, and stylistic rhythms and melodic interpretations. As the newest member of Moscow Nights, he adds verve and spunk to the many melodies of Russian music and song. 3
Biography ~ Moscow Nights/Golden Gates In 1993 the company Golden Gates was created in St. Petersburg, Russia. Drawing upon students from the Author s Aesthetic Music Secondary School, these young people became the first members of the group, and they began performing at various cultural events, folk festivals, schools, and concerts throughout Russia and Europe. Ranging in ages thirteen to eighteen, the company features Instrumentals, Songs and dances from Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and Georgia. A typical school program includes songs, rituals, folk stories, audience participation, and dances that have been carefully researched and recreated in performance. The dancers will thrill your students with their skillful virtuosity, colorful costumes, syncopation of footwork, and gymnastic leaping of foot- stomping ferocity. Moscow Nights, an ensemble of talented Russian folk musicians, tours with the Golden Gates every January/February and July/August in the United States. Embarking upon their fifteenth season across the United Sates and performing in venues as diverse as evening concerts, arts councils, festivals, and school shows, Golden Gates and Moscow Nights are receiving rave reviews from across the country. 4
Background on Art Form The word balalaika literally means to chatter. It is Tartar in origin reflecting the arrival of the Mongols and especially the great Ghengis Khan who swept over the territories of Northern Asia in the thirteenth century. The balalaika, triangular in shape, is a descendent from the domra, a three- stringed round- bodied instrument that can be traced back to the ninth century Tartars. The balalaika originally had only two strings attached to a long neck with a gourd- like sounding box. Eventually this was replaced by the triangular sound- box, the neck was shortened, and a third string was added. Today there are six sizes of balalaikas and four sizes of domras, and these make up the body of the modern balalaika orchestra that exist in Russia, the United States, and the entire world. The bayan is a type of chromatic button accordion developed in Russia in the early 20th century. 5
Pre/Post Activities Prepare (Pre- or pre- performance) Teachers, please read this to your students. Today we re going to enjoy a musical journey together through a performance by Moscow Nights and Golden Gates - a group of professional musicians and dancers. These performers will introduce a variety of instrumental sounds that will help stir our imaginations and encourage our own exploration of themes common within our curriculum and supportive of appreciation of the arts. Warm Up Questions to set the stage for engaging students and AP Music Students: Compare the balalaika and domra to other stringed instruments with which you are familiar. Describe the differences in tonality, pitches, fret placements, number of strings, and why these differences affect the sound of the instruments. The nature of Russian folk songs and melodies are typically in a minor key, migrating to major in the middle, then transgressing back to the minor. Why? Have you noticed that the prima balalaika is played without a pick? How does this affect the sound? Can songs and music be used for communication how would this affect the particular region and/or country? What are some ways you could learn to play the balalaika? How would you describe the differences in the dancing styles represented by Russia, Ukraine, and Georgia? How do these differences reflect the various countries from various viewpoints politically, culturally, and historically? Warm Up Questions for Listening/Speaking/Viewing : Describe audience etiquette. Why is respect important for the performers and the listeners? 6
Reflect (Post- or post- performance) Reflection activities may vary, but some suggestions include mapping some of the places encountered in the musical journey; journaling about the performance experience; creating a short in- class performance of a Russian song; list the names of the instruments on the board and match them to their definitions or the sounds they make; researching the history of Russian folk music or allowing students to create their own Russian percussion which explores their cultural background or cultures currently being studied; learning counts or beats which mirror mathematical concepts; reading stories which feature Russian folk tales; challenging students to draw, or devise a way to recreate their favorite Russian instrument from the show. Additional Activities Find Russia on a map; discuss how far it is from where students live; what are the major borders or bodies of water Offer students a puzzle map of Russia and have them put it together individually, in cooperative large or small groups, or in think- pair- share; then label the capital, cities, or major political or geographical landmarks Make a tambourine or create a balalaika from materials around the classroom. Ask students what they know about Russian music or history and record it on a graphic organizer for a before- and- after comparison or fill in a K- W- L Chart chronicling What do you KNOW about Russian music / What do you WANT to learn / What did you LEARN Look up information on the Internet and create a Power Point about the history of Russian folk music and dance. Compose Fun Facts like noting how at one time in history the balalaika was a one- stringed instrument that originated from the ninth century Tatars and traveled across the continent of Asia to Russia. Or, what does the word balalaika literally mean? Photocopy photos or pictures of the vocabulary instruments and see if students can match them before and after the performance to their sounds or names or the way they looked. 7
Vocabulary Balalaika 3- stringed triangular instrument that comes in 6 sizes Domra - a 3 or 4- stringed round- bodied instrument that comes in 4 sizes Bayan Similar to an accordion with buttons on both sides. Loshki Russian spoons Treshotki Noise makers Zhaleika New Year s Eve party horn Birch Bark Whistle Traditional whistle made from the bark of the Birch Tree 8
Resources for Teachers & Students www.lynnmcconnell.com www.russianfolk.com www.bdaa.com (Balalaika and Domra Association of America) Basic information from Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/russia World Fact Book statistics on Russia http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/gv.html US Embassy in Russia http://russia.usembassy.gov/ Blank outline map of Russia http://geography.about.com/library/blank/blxrussia.htm Books Folk Music Instruments of the World, by A. Buchner, Crown Publishers Mel Bay s Complete Balalaika Book, by Bibs Ekkel, Mel Bay Publishers A Russian Song Book by Michael Stillman, Miro Music Inc Russian Songs by Jerry Silverman, Oak Publications Russian Songs by Henry Lefkowitch, Kammen Music Co. Recordings Feel Yourself Russian! Recorded by Moscow Nights Osipov Balalaika Orchestra, Melodia label Russian Carousel and Standing Room Only, by the Troika Balalaikas Videos Dollywood - Festival of Nations with Moscow Nights from Russia 2014: https://vimeo.com/99897795 https://www.facebook.com/moscownightstrio/videos/vb.318289321579160/444984965514269/?typ e=2&theater Moscow Nights and the Golden Gates Dancers: https://vimeo.com/123473693 https://www.facebook.com/russiandance/videos/vb.230671427035187/237307886371541/?type=2& theater 9