Within the framework of the Russian Seasons project supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the State Academic Northern Russian Folk Choir presented the program Song-like Radiance of the White Sea. The concerts were held in Tashkent and Olmaliq on November 16 in and November 17 respectively. In addition to the concerts, an exhibition illustrating the history of the choir – from its foundation to the present day – was organized.
Song-like Radiance of the White Sea is based on cultural traditions of the Russian North. The program includes authentic folk songs collected in different areas of the Arkhangelsk region. Among them – Kak u Stolbyshka Totsenogo (By a Chiseled Column) from Leshukonsky district, Tiho Stonet Sine More (Quietly Moans the Blue Sea) from Mezensky district, the Big Pinezh round dance Khozhu Ya Po Travke (Walking on the Grass), chastushki (four line folk couplets) from Solvychegodsk area and other songs and dances.
“This is the first tour of the Northern Russian Folk Choir in Uzbekistan for the last 30 years. The team gave two big concerts to full houses. The audience received us very well, there was an ovation after each song. As a gift to the residents of the Republic of Uzbekistan, we brought the beauty of the Russian North, the lyricism and sincerity of traditional northern songs and round dances, the cheerful prowess of dancing, and the harmony of folk musical culture. We were glad to have the opportunity to represent the Arkhangelsk region at the international level and to be part of such a large-scale and significant project as Russian Seasons,” said the director of the choir, Natalya Asadchik.
During the tour, the group was introduced to the residents of Tashkent by the Governor of the Arkhangelsk region, Alexander Tsybulsky:
The Northern Russian Folk Choir is a unique company that was founded almost a hundred years ago. All this time it has been developing, never interrupting its activities, growing with new traditions and voices. Today we all have a great opportunity here in the south to feel the warm soul of the north, to get acquainted with the song and dance traditions of the Arkhangelsk region,” noted Alexander Tsybulsky.
The Russian Seasons program in Uzbekistan also included an exhibition about the history of the Northern Russian Folk Choir, which revealed the main milestones of its development: the foundation in Veliky Ustyug in 1926 by teacher Antonina Kolotilova, the transformation of an amateur group into a professional company in 1940, receiving the status of “academic” “under the direction of People’s Artist of the USSR Nina Meshko in 1976. In addition, the exhibition told about the international tours and awards of the Northern Choir, and its creative activities at present time.
We express our gratitude to the general information partner of the project, the international news agency Sputnik Uzbekistan!
Sputnik – up-to-date information about events in Uzbekistan and the world. Follow the news on the website and telegram channel Sputnik Uzbekistan.
We also thank the official information partner of the Russian Seasons project, the Interstate Television and Radio Company Mir , and the radio partner of the Russian Seasons project, the Federal Radio Station Radio Russia.
