The activities of the Department of Plucked-String Percussion Folk Instruments of the Belarusian State Conservatory began in 1937, when a class of folk instruments was opened, which included several students in the specialties – cymbals, bayan, domra and balalaika. The first notable success of performers on string folk instruments from the BSSR was the triumph of cymbal players I.Zhinovich (II prize) and A.Ostrometsky (III prize), domra player N.Lysenko (III prize) and balalaika player G.Zhikharev (Diploma) at the All-Union Competition of Performers on Folk Instruments in 1939. In 1941-1945, the activities of the class of folk instruments were interrupted by the war with Nazi Germany.
In 1949, on the basis of the current class, the Folk Instruments Department was organized, which was headed by the outstanding virtuoso cymbal player, the founder of the Belarusian professional cymbal school, Artistic Director and Conductor of the State Folk Orchestra of the BSSR Iosif Zhinovich (1949-1963), who was later awarded the Honorary title – People’s Artist of the USSR, academic title of Professor and the State Prize of the BSSR. After I.Zhinovich, the Department was fruitfully led by such famous musicians as Associate Professor Georgy Zhikharev (1963-1973) and Honored Worker of Culture of the BSSR, Professor Mikhail Solopov (1973-1980).
Together with I.Zhinovich, at the origins of the Folk Instruments Department were Georgy Zhikharev – the founder of the Belarusian professional domra-balalaika school and Elfrida Azarevich, who laid the foundation for the Belarusian professional bayan school. Somewhat later, a graduate of G.Zhikharev’s class Pavel Pogotsky (balalaika) came to work at the Department. Further replenishment and expansion of the Department, as well as the change of generations of teachers, mainly occurred due to its most talented graduates. Thus, the work of our founders was continued by representatives of the generation of the 1930s: Eduard Lembovich (bayan), Nikolai Proshko (balalaika), Galina Osmolovskaya (domra). Somewhat later, the generation of the 1940s joined the Department: Valentin Chaban and Tatiana Braginets (bayan), Evgeny Gladkov and Tatiana Sergeenko (cymbals), Valentin Shcherbak (balalaika).
Over time, the number of instrumental classes of the Department expanded. Along with the bayan, cymbals, domra, balalaika classes that existed since its foundation, an accordion class was opened in the late 1960s, guitars in 1977, and mandolins in 2005. The level of education also grew: the appearance in 1968 of a research assistant internship provided training for the Conservatory teachers of the highest qualification.
By the end of the 1970s, a new generation of employees joined the Department. The number of teachers on string folk instruments, bayan and accordion grew. The division of the Department has become a necessity, providing a focus on the specifics of musical and performing activities. Among the string players the Department staff was replenished by Nikolai Koshelev and Vladimir Belyshev (guitar), Leonid Chernyak and Nikolai Maretsky (domra), Tatiana Eletskaya (cymbals).
In 1980, the Folk Instruments Department was divided into the Bayan and Accordion Department (the Head of the Department is the Honored Artist of the BSSR, Professor N.Sevryukov) and the String Folk Instruments Department, which for 42 years was headed by the People’s Artist of Belarus, Professor E.Gladkov. In the 1980s, Rimma Podoinitsyna (cymbals), Valery Zhivalevsky and Evgeny Gridyushko (guitar) joined the String Folk Instruments Department. In the early 1990s, Marina Ilyina (balalaika) began to work at the Department.
The main areas of the Department’s work are educational, concert performing and research activities. The indicated circle of interests of this structural subdivision of the Academy provides a constant connection between theory and practice and contributes both to the preservation and enhancement of the achievements of the national folk instrumental culture.
The collapse of the USSR and the opening of borders contributed to the activation of international relations of the Department with foreign musicians. The number of students participating in International competitions and master classes is growing exponentially. Touring life becomes an integral part of the educational process.
At the beginning of the 21st century, Pavel Belsky and Pavel Kukhta (guitar), Larisa Rydlevskaya and Veronika Praded (cymbals), Natalia Korsak (domra, mandolin) came to work at the Department.
