The Russian Folk Orchestra of Belarusian State Academy of Music includes over forty students from the Orchestral Faculty: domra, balalaika and accordion players.
The ensemble was founded in February 1954 by renowned musician and instructor in the Folk Instruments Department, Georgy Zhikharev. Under his direction, the Orchestra won a prize at the 1957 World Festival of Youth and Students in Moscow.
From 1973 to 1974, the Orchestra was conducted by Nikolai Proshko, and from 1974 to 2012, by Associate Professor Sergei Kofanov. From 2012 to 2019, the Orchestra was conducted by Associate Professor Vladimir Chernikov. Since 2019, the orchestra has been directed by Elvira Takhirova, Associate Professor of the Orchestral Conducting and Instrumentation Department.
The Orchestra’s creative achievements include:
- VIII International Competition of Young Musicians “Musical Vladivostok 2014” – 1st Prize in the “Youth Groups” category (2014);
- XI International Competition and Festival “Winter Stars of Dresden 2021” – 1st Degree Laureate and Gold Medal Winner (2021);
- International Competition “People Play Music” – 1st Degree Laureate (2021);
- VIII International Performing Arts Competition “St. Petersburg Assemblies of Arts – 2021” (2021) – 1st Degree Laureate;
- International Arts Competition and Festival “Peak of Talent” (2023) – Grand Prix.
The ensemble’s creative life is rich and vibrant, and its repertoire is broad and varied, including works by Russian and Western European composers, original orchestral pieces, and arrangements of folk songs. The orchestra presents works by N.Rimsky-Korsakov, A.Lyadov, A.Scriabin, G.Mahler, C.Debussy, and B.Britten with an engaging, original, and colorful sound. Works by Belarusian composers (Dmitry Smolsky, Andrei Mdivani, Valery Ivanov, Viktor Malykh, Vyacheslav Kuznetsov, Viktor Voitik, Vladimir Korolchuk, and Sergei Yankovich) are prominent in the orchestra’s repertoire. Renowned Belarusian singers and instrumentalists Evgeny Gladkov, Viktor Skorobogatov, Larisa Rydlevskaya, Nikolay Maretsky, Natalia Korsak, Vladislav Pligovka, Veronika Praded, Nina Sharubina, Marina Ilyina, Vladislav Bartkevich, Maria Pishchik, Ekaterina Pukst, Alexander Danilov, and Dmitry Titov have performed with the orchestra as soloists, as well as leading soloists from abroad – Alexey Buryakov, Ekaterina Mochalova, Alexander Tsygankov, Evgeny Zhilinsky, and Vera Makarova.
The Russian Folk Orchestra annually prepares over 10 concert programs, including a concert of works by Belarusian composers, the concert “Old New Year” and others. It actively participates in the final round of the “Belarusian Romansiada” vocal competition, performing with the Student Choir and the Academy Symphony Orchestra. In 2026, the Russian Folk Orchestra took part in the XXIII All-Russian Festival “Music of Russia” at the Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education “Gnessin Russian Academy of Music”.
