The State Academic Russian Folk Ensemble Rossiya named after Lyudmila Zykina gave its first performances and master classes in Bangkok as part of the International Project Russian Seasons. The project traditionally presents the best national ensembles, giving international audiences the opportunity to discover new horizons in their acquaintance with Russian culture.
On 11 June, a master class by Dmitry Dmitrienko, artistic director of the State Academic Russian Folk Ensemble Rossiya named after Lyudmila Zykina, professor and Honored Artist of the Russian Federation, received an enthusiastic response from the audience. Dmitry Dmitrienko told the Thai participants about the history of folk instruments, while the ensemble’s soloists introduced the audience to the sounds of the balalaika, domra, Russian accordion, Bashkir kurai, and even a real saw! After the master class, the audience interacted with the musicians, played wooden spoons and balalaika, and sang songs together with the ensemble members.
Dmitry Dmitrienko commented on the event’s results: “I would describe our master class as more of a creative and human encounter, a mutual interaction, a conversation about global musical culture and Russian national art. A pleasant surprise was that many guests came prepared. One of them, for example, brought a balalaika and then happily played the double bass with us. So it wasn’t a master class in the proper sense of the word; it was rather a dialogue bringing a mutual joy.”
On 11 June, a gala reception was held in Bangkok by the Embassy of the Russian Federation in the Kingdom of Thailand to celebrate Russia Day. The event was attended by senior officials of the Kingdom, including Prime Minister Anuthin Chanvirakul, representatives of the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs, representatives of public, business, and academic circles, and the diplomatic corps. Honorary guests of the evening included the ambassadors of Azerbaijan, China, Cuba, Egypt, Kazakhstan, Morocco, the Philippines, and Saudi Arabia — over 1,000 people in total. Soloists of the Rossiya Ensemble named after Lyudmila Zykina performed at the gala reception, along with students of the Katyusha Academy of Russian Dance. The program featured works by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Sergei Prokofiev, and, of course, folk songs, including those performed on Bashkir kurai, Known for its inimitable timbre, and exotic saw.
Thai Prime Minister Anuthin Chanvirakul thanked the Russian Embassy for organizing the musicians’ beautiful performance of the Royal Anthem of Thailand, adding that “every Thai here has taken it very deep into our hearts.” He also noted:
“Russia has been a trusted friend of Thailand for more than a century. This enduring friendship dates back to 1897 when His Majesty King Rama V visited St. Petersburg as the honoured guest of tsar Nicholas II. The iconic photograph of the king and the tsar remains a powerful symbol of friendship and mutual respect between our two peoples… Next year we will mark the 130th anniversary of diplomatic relations between our two countries. We will commemorate this important milestone through exchanges of high-level visits while reaffirming our shared commitment to an even stronger partnership for the benefit of our peoples.”
On 12 June, the State Academic Russian Folk Ensemble Rossiya named after Lyudmila Zykina gave the concert titled From Russia with Love at the Yamaha Music Hall in Bangkok. The guests were greeted by the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Kingdom of Thailand, Evgeny Tomikhin, who emphasized the importance of cultural dialogue between the two countries and thanked the organizers and participants of the Russian Seasons in Thailand. The audience observed a moment of silence in memory of the Queen Mother and Princess Bajrakitiyabha Narentiratheppayawadi.
At their very first performance in Thailand, the musicians of the Rossiya Ensemble literally captivated the audience. Joining the musicians on stage were soloists Anna Sidnina and Boris Dyakov, who performed the Russian romance By The Long Road and Vasily Solovyov-Sedoy’s celebrated Moscow Nights. Ramil Gaizullin, a master of the Bashkir kurai, a folk wind instrument, attracted particular attention from the audience. After the concert, he ceremoniously donated it to the Russian Embassy in Thailand. Multi-instrumentalist Alexander Uskov earned a standing ovation with his own composition, a fantasy based on the Russian folk song From Behind the Island to the Rod. The ensemble’s musicians demonstrated their masterful technique of playing the button accordion, domra, and balalaika. For many guests, this was a true musical revelation.
Evgeny Tomikhin, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Kingdom of Thailand, emphasized:
“Cultural ties are, no doubt, a very important component of any bilateral relationship. They are always positive, mutually enriching, an opportunity to learn a little more about a country’s culture, its traditions, and people, and thereby erase some ingrained stereotypes. Today’s culture is diverse, especially in Russia—a vast country with nearly two hundred ethnic groups. This is a rich space that should be represented abroad, including in Thailand. Next year, we will celebrate 130 years of diplomatic relations between our countries. And, of course, we cannot do without culture. The “Russian Seasons” project facilitates this beneficial cooperation and interaction.”
The International project Russian Seasons will continue in Thailand until the end of the year. In October, the Bolshoi Puppet Theater and the Boris Eifman State Ballet Theater will come to the Kingdom from St. Petersburg, and in November, the Igor Moiseyev State Academic Folk Dance Ensemble will perform. Thailand will also host a series of educational events and exhibitions by the Russian Academy of Arts and the Cinema Museum, the latter dedicated to the Cinema Museum’s 100th anniversary.
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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 a multi-genre cultural festival, with a program featuring a wide range of events: 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.
