TRADITIONS OF BALALAIKA ART IN OREL
Authors:   Orel State Institute of Culture (Orel, Russian Federation), Semergeev Valery B. , Afanasiev Gennady K. ,   Orel State Institute of Culture (Orel, Russian Federation)
Published: December 2020

The role of a musical instrument in the development, preservation and revival of the native cul-ture, in the establishment of esthetic consciousness of multinational Russia’s peoples is difficult to overestimate. Balalaika has won the audience’s hearts, and today it is difficult to find balalaika admirers who are not familiar with performances of accomplished balalaika players – People’s Artist of the USSR, the laureate of state prize, Professor P.I. Necheporenco, People’s Artist of Russia, Pro-fessor E.G. Blinov, and their many students and followers. Orel is home of one of the oldest educational institutions in Russia – Orel Musical College, which, according to the archive documents of Orel and St. Petersburg, was founded in 1877. The good name of the College is supported by its today’s students and teachers. It is here where Orel’s balalaika education was established and developed. In August 1953, on the initiative of the Main Department for Arts of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, the graduate of the Department of String Musical Instruments of Oktyabrskaya Revolutsiya Music College (now “A.Schnittke Moscow State Institute of Music”) Vera Ivanovna Max-imova came to Orel. It was V.I. Maximova who took charge of creating the string folk music instru-ments class. She also taught domra and balalaika class and was the head of the folk music instruments orchestra of the College. She traveled a lot seeking out young talents in the districts of the Region. Lukonina Lubov Ivanovna, a famous teacher in Orel, combines her work in the ensemble “Or-lovski Suvenir” (“Orel Souvenir”) with educating younger generation of musicians and teachers of Orel. Following their teacher’s traditions, L.I. Lukonina’s students participate in various contests and become laureates. The graduate of Orel Music College, Nadezhda Mikhailovna Kovaleva carries on the work of A.V. Dorofeev and V.I. Maximova. In 1969 she enters the Tambov Branch of Moscow Institute of Culture. For family reasons she interrupts her studies and continues her education at the Orel Branch of Moscow Institute of Culture (now Orel State Institute of Culture). Alexander Alexandrovich Somov is one of the few balalaika players who, for many years, is demonstrating excellent performing skills, stability, brilliant virtuoso technique, impeccable musical taste, artistry. It is amazing how sonorous the voice of the balalaika becomes when it is in the hands of the virtuoso performer and propagandist of this Russian beauty. Stacatto dance tunes and brooding reverie, vigorous energy and strict simplicity fill the musician’s play. Graduating from V.S. Kalinnikov Music School in Orel, balalaika class of N.M. Kovaleva, he entered Orel Music College, the class of L.I. Lukonina. After the graduation A.A. Somov served his military service and entered Rostov State Music Institute (now Rostov State Conservatory. Rachmaninov). He was enrolled in the class of the famous balalaika player, Honored Artist of Russia, rector – А.S. Danilov. At the Institute he worked in the ensemble “Dontsi” (artistic director – Honored Worker of Culture of the Russian Federation, A.P. Kolontaev). Selina Galina Ivanovna is one of those prominent musicians-teachers who are capable of encouraging love for music in their students. She is sincerely involved in her work, which is aimed at bringing both professional skills and rich musical knowledge to students. In Orel there is a professional orchestra of folk music instruments, which is the first orchestra of this kind in the history of the Orel Region. It engages Orel’s best musicians and teachers. The first performance of the professional orchestra of folk music instruments took place in Orel on November 5, 1987. The orchestra was created on the basis of the Region’s musical society. In January 1991, by the decision of the administrative bodies of Orel, it received the status of the munici-pal orchestra. The founder and artistic director of the ensemble is Honoured Art Worker of Russia, Professor of the Orel State Institute of Culture, Viktor Kirianovich Suchoroslov. Orel’s educators are trying to revive and spread the native Russian traditions of instrumental per-formance and enrich them with high performing culture. Creative and pedagogical activities of balalai-ka players in the Orel Region convincingly show the high professional level of musicians. Teachers of modern children's art schools, College of Culture and Arts, Music College and Orel State Institute of Culture are highly qualified, competent and dedicated professionals who inspire their students. Crea-tive and pedagogical activities of balalaika players in Orel contribute to further preservation and development of this type of performing art.