In 2026, Russian Seasons, а large-scale international project of the Government of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Culture of Russia, will take place in the Kingdom of Thailand. One of the highlights of Thailand’s cultural life in June will be the performance of soloists from the Rossiya State Academic Russian Folk Ensemble named after Lyudmila Zykina on Russia Day, 12 June, at the Yamaha Music Hall in Bangkok.
The concert program From Russia with Love will feature legendary musical compositions from the ensemble’s “golden repertoire.” Honored Artist of the Republic of Ingushetia Anna Sidnina and Honored Artist of the Republic of Khakassia Boris Dyakov will join the ensemble on stage. The gem of the program will be a performance by People’s Artist of the Republic of Bashkortostan, Honored Artist of Russia, and outstanding Bashkir kurai player Ramil Gaizullin. The audience will be offered an opportunity to listen to his original compositions, composed specifically for this musical instrument.
Lovers of folk music will also enjoy a performance by multi-instrumentalist Alexander Uskov: in one musical composition, viewers will hear the sounds of several Russian accordions from different regions of the country – Cherepovets, Livenka, Talyanka, Saratovskaya, and Khromka accordions.
As part of the traditional reception at the Embassy of the Russian Federation in the Kingdom of Thailand on the occasion of Russia Day on the eve of the holiday, 11 June, soloists of the Rossiya ensemble will perform a program of the same name, From Russia with Love, together with students of the Katyusha Academy of Russian Dance.
On 11 June, Artistic Director of the Rossiya Ensemble, Honored Artist of Russia, Professor Dmitry Dmitrienko will hold master classes on the theme Russian Folk Instruments – A Unique Phenomenon of World Musical Culture. Attendees will enjoy a fascinating account of the origins and development of playing Russian folk instruments – the domra, balalaika, button accordion (byan), and their varieties. Soloists of the Lyudmila Zykina Rossiya Ensemble will perform masterpieces of national musical art, including the best compositions by N. Rimsky-Korsakov, V. Andreyev, A. Arkhipovsky, V. Gridin, A. Tsygankov, and V. Gorodovskaya. The audience will have the unique opportunity to experience these exotic Russian folk instruments for the first time and receive lessons of playing the domra, balalaika, and button accordion.
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Russian Seasons is a major international project of the Government of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, with events held in one or more foreign countries throughout the calendar year. In 2025, Russian Seasons were held simultaneously in the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Sultanate of Oman.
The project presents Russia as a country that carefully preserves and develops its rich cultural heritage and traditions. Russian Seasons is organized as a multi-genre cultural festival, with a program that includes events ranging from classical music concerts and theatrical productions to art exhibitions, educational projects, lectures, and master classes. Over 13 million people have attended Russian Seasons events.
