Ensemble "Vladimir Rozhechniki"

About the folk group
Ensemble "Vladimir Rozhechniki"

One of the most prominent representatives of the modern art of playing the horns is the ensemble "Vladimir Rozhechniki" – the base team of the Regional Center of Folk Art (leader – Alexander Lebedev, Laureate of the Russian Government Prize "Soul of Russia", awarded the Thanks of the Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation). "Vladimir Rozhechniki" today have nothing to do with shepherding. All of them are people with professional musical education (Gnesins Russian Academy of Music, Moscow State Institute of Culture, Vladimir College of Music, etc.). But they are united by the love of the Russian folk culture, a desire to revive the original art of playing one of the original Russian musical instruments – the horn.    

The ensemble "Vladimir Rozhechniki" began its creative activity in 1991. The main task of the ensemble is to preserve the traditions of the horn music, the style of Russian folk songs, but at the same time to give them a new life, present them in a modern context, understandable and perceived by the current viewers. The musicians conduct a lot of research work, study the materials of folklore expeditions, historical audio recordings. A significant part of the repertoire of the ensemble "Vladimir Rozhechniki " consists of tunes and folk songs of the Vladimir region which were performed a hundred years ago by the horn-players’ choirs of N.V. Kondratyev, P.G. Pakharev, A.V. Sulimov.  

Concert programs include lyric, dance, wedding, quadrille, calendar, comic, and soldier songs from different regions of Russia. Musical adaptations of Russian folk songs "Ah, you birch", "You are old aged", "At the forge", "Mistress", "Snow was sifting down to the feet of a light-bay horse", "Young Maiden", "Saturday rainy day" were included in the gold fund of the ensemble.

Musicians masterfully play not only the horn, but also other folk instruments – gusli, balalaika, button accordion, tambourine, drum, ratchet, they even produce music by means of scythes and axes. In addition, modern horn-players sing and dance, always demonstrating a high level of performing skill.

The list of achievements and awards of "Vladimir Rozhechniki" is impressive. The ensemble was awarded the title of "People's Collective". It became a laureate of the Regional Prize in the field of culture, art and literature for the preservation and development of the traditions of folk musical art, a winner of the Grant of the President of the Russian Federation.

The horn-players perform at the best concert venues in the country (in the halls of the Gnesins' RAM, in the P.I. Tchaikovsky Concert Hall, in the Kremlin Palace of Congresses). They visited many cities of Russia and overseas countries giving concerts. They are welcome guests everywhere! The ensemble is a laureate and diploma winner of international and national competitions, as well as an active participant in the project of the People's Artist of the Russian Federation Nadezhda Babkina – the All-Russian festival-marathon "Songs of Russia".

"Vladimir Rozhechniki" conduct a lot of concert and educational work, give their performances in educational institutions, military units, hospitals, at regional and city events. Any kind of audience accepts them enthusiastically – both young people and people of mature age. "Vladimir Rozhechniki" is a very bright and distinctive folk music collective which today has become, in fact, the hallmark of the Vladimir region.

Author: V. Korolkova
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