In 1993, choreographer Nikolai Podolyak gathered a group of like-minded people at the Vitebsk Regional Philharmonic, who were united by their love of national Belarusian folklore, and remained the artistic director of the group until 2022. The dance, music and song ensemble was named "Talaka" – by analogy with the ancient tradition of "gurtam", "talaka" to perform the most important and difficult work.
The ensemble introduces listeners to the best samples and little-known "pearls" of the musical heritage of Belarus, giving them originality and a unique sound.
The ensemble consists of dance, vocal and instrumental groups. The musical director is Olga Chernaya, the choirmaster is Valery Bruiko. The artistic director of the ensemble is Alexander Veremiev.
The choreographic program of the ensemble is based on folk and scenic dances of the regions of Belarus, different in their traditions, patterns, manner of performance, color of costumes ("Babyl", "Cola", "Zakabluki", "Baravenichki" and many others). The repertoire of the instrumental group includes Belarusian and regional folklore, music of the peoples of the world (Russian, Ukrainian, Gypsy, Spanish). The song repertoire includes Belarusian folk tunes from the Vitebsk region in traditional chant, professional arrangements of folk songs by N.Sirota, A.Roshchinsky, M.Drinevsky, A.Kashpura, works by I.Luchenka, L.Zahlevny, and others.
Talaka performs with constant success today both at small rural venues and in the most prestigious halls of the republic abroad. The band was applauded in Germany, Poland, Spain, Portugal, Andorra, France, Bulgaria, Moldova, Lithuania, Latvia, and Russia. In the XXVI concert season, the ensemble was honored to represent the region at the World Exhibition EXPO 2015, as well as EXPO 2020, and participated in the Day of Belarusian Culture in Latvia (Rezekne). In 2016, Vitebsk artists performed in Paris and Lyon, presenting vocal, choreographic and instrumental performances from their repertoire, rich in the traditions of national musical art, to the local public. And from 2000 to 2017, the ensemble annually toured Spain, which lasted more than a month. The artists visited Castilla, Leon, Catalonia, Valencia and other regions of the country, performing at city days, festivals and solo concerts.
In 2021, the ensemble was awarded a Certificate of Honor from the Administration of the President of the Republic of Belarus for the worthy work of the creative team, which has repeatedly represented the culture of our country abroad, participates in the opening of important events in the region and in the republic, promotes Belarusian national art, and creates a good mood for people.
The performances of the Talaka ensemble evoke a great emotional response from the audience.
The high level of performing skills, which includes virtuosity, ensemble coherence, and the energy of the artists who embody the creative message of the choreographer on stage, allowed Talaka to take its rightful place among professional ensembles in Belarus.
Artistic director - Alexander Veremiev
Contacts:
e-mail: talaka-vitebsk@mail.ru
