Octet of balalaika "Vitebsk virtuosi"

The unique octet of balalaika "Vitebsk Virtuosi" was created in Vitebsk in 1973 by Tamara Alexandrovna Shafranova, Honored Artist of the Republic of Belarus. The band presents all seven varieties of balalaika – from the smallest piccolo balalaika to the largest double bass balalaika.

Tamara Shafranova makes her own instrumentation and the most complex parts for all instruments, so that the octet sounds rich and multi-timbre. The octet's repertoire includes works by composers of different national cultures (Belarusian, Russian, Mexican, Jewish, Greek, Gypsy music), original music written specifically for the balalaika. These are music of various styles and trends – chamber music, jazz compositions, folk arrangements and original pieces for the balalaika. The band, which is distinguished by its own manner and style of performance, is often called the "pearl of Vitebsk".

The performances of the Vitebsk Virtuosos arouse genuine delight among the audience. The octet of balalaika "Vitebsk Virtuosi" is a laureate of the V All–Union Variety Artists Competition (Moscow, 1974), a laureate of the I Republican Variety Artists Competition (Minsk, 1974), the International Astor Piazzolla Music Competition "LIBERTANGO" (Barnaul, 2008).

The band has participated in various festivals.: "Belarusian Musical Autumn" (Minsk, 1974-1975), the International Festival of Arts "Slavyansky Bazar in Vitebsk" (2005, 2008, 2019), the IV Republican Festival named after G.I. Zhikharev (Minsk, 2010, 2022), the Constellation of Masters Festival (Moscow, 2011 and 2023), the II International Festival folk instrumental music "St. Andrew's Days" (Tver region, 2013 and 2023) and many others.

In 2008, having received the second prize at the First International Astor Piazzolla "LIBERTANGO" Music Competition in Barnaul, the Vitebsk Virtuosi were invited to Italy.

 In February 2011 Vitebsk Virtuosi took part in the VIII International Constellation of Masters Festival, which annually gathers musicians and masters from Russia, the CIS, and far abroad. This festival and competition, conducted by Valery Grebennikov, is now the only and unique form of demonstrating the state of the entire folk instrumental genre, starting from the quality of the instruments and ending with new achievements in solo, ensemble, orchestral performance, music publishing and achievements of pedagogical schools in the regions.

In the summer of 2018, Octet Balalaek became a participant in the Russian TV project League of Amazing People. The show was attended by contestants from more than twenty countries around the world. The girls became the only representatives of Belarus in the category "Music without borders".

Vitebsk Virtuosos are actively touring not only in Belarus. The band has already conquered audiences in Russia, Ukraine, Lithuania, Latvia, Moldova, Poland and Germany. Soloists of the National Opera and Ballet Theater, the State Musical Theater of the Republic of Belarus and soloists of the Vitebsk Regional Philharmonic are fruitfully cooperating with the octet. Kirill Yachmenev, a laureate of international competitions, and Associate Professor of the Department of Stringed Folk Instruments at the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, often become a special guest of the octet. The Gnessins (Moscow) Ekaterina Mochalova.

In November 2018, the Vitebsk Virtuosi became the winners of the First International Competition-Festival of Ensembles "National Collection" in St. Petersburg. This competition serves as a support for the professional development of musicians. The "calling card" of the octet was the work "My Dear Kut", which was performed in memory of the outstanding Belarusian composer Igor Luchenka. According to the authoritative international jury, many modern bands work in the pop genre and, trying to be original, lose their individuality, but the octet of balalaika "Vitebsk Virtuosi", with all its innovation, managed not to forget its origins and was awarded the diploma "For the preservation of traditions". 

As part of the Slavyansky Bazar in Vitebsk 2019 International Art Festival, the Balalaika octet became a special guest at a concert by the famous Terem Quartet ensemble of Russian folk instruments from St. Petersburg. The artists also presented a joint performance at the closing of the festival.

In 2022, the band performed at the opening of the VI Republican Festival named after G.I. Zhikharev, dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the Belarusian State Academy of Music. In memory of this event, the ensemble was presented with the score by maestro Georgy Zhikharev himself, an arrangement of D. Millau's "Brasileira" for the balalaika octet.

Vitebsk Virtuosi celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2023. In honor of the anniversary, the Vitebsk Regional Philharmonic is planning a whole series of events, starting from concerts in the open-air format, joint projects with cultural institutions of the country, participation of the collective in festivals, and ending with a large anniversary concert, which will be held this November. On February 24, as part of the XVI International Festival "Constellation of Masters", the band performed a solo concert in Moscow with the participation of a laureate of international competitions, associate professor of the Department of Stringed Folk Instruments at the Russian Academy of Fine Arts. The Gnessins (Moscow) Ekaterina Mochalova, a native of Vitebsk and a member of the octet in 2005-2006.

The soloists of the ensemble are only female winners of prestigious music competitions and festivals.  These are graduates of the Belarusian Academy of Music and the St. Petersburg Conservatory Lyudmila Morozova (balalaika prima), Lyudmila Zagoskina (balalaika prima), Oksana Shurinova (balalaika second), Oksana Volynets (balalaika quarter), Tatiana Korpusenko (balalaika viola), Angelina Karchevskaya (piccolo balalaika), Elena Ryabikova (bass balalaika), Inna Zakharova (double bass balalaika).

"I always wanted the octet to sound like an orchestra: multi-voiced, timbre, diverse, flexible. This is a distinctive feature of the sound of our team. Octet adheres to modern trends as well: Various percussion and noise instruments are actively used, and sound research continues. For example, a typewriter, a whistle, a firecracker, and a wind-up clock used in musical scores allow us to create a multifaceted image of our difficult time. The team is not afraid to experiment," says Tamara Shafranova.

Awards:

• Winner of the First Republican Competition of pop Artists (II prize, Minsk, 1974)
• Laureate of the V All-Union Competition of Pop Artists (I prize, Moscow, 1974)
• Laureate of the I International Astor Piazzolla Music Competition "libertango" (II prize, Barnaul, 2008)
• Diploma for "Preservation of traditions" (St. Petersburg, 2018)

Soloist of the ensemble: