Schedule for Lyudmila Nikolaeva and her "Russian Soul" ensemble 2022

Liudmila Nikolaeva, National (Narodny) Artist of Russia, and her Ensemble "Russkaya Dusha" ("Russian Soul") is one of the leading Russian song groups working in the genre of Russian folk music. The group of Liudmila Nikolayeva, with magnificent musicians as well as the (recent added) ballet dancers has been enjoying great popularity, respect and love from the Russian audience and spectators in other countries for more than 10 years.

The "Russian Soul" Folk Ensemble was founded in February 1994, when Liudmila Nikolayeva together with her friends, key musicians in the genre of Russian folk musical instrument skills and vocal art, decided to unite their efforts in maintaining and developing unique traditions of Russian folk songs and music.

Among the team founders were such glorious performers as:
Vladimir Grishin, musical director - accordion;
Eugene Shirochenkov - balalaika and vocal;
Alexander Pivovarov - balalaika-contrabass and vocal;
Serghei Klevensky - folk wind instruments.

Liudmila Nikolayeva’s creative career started at the age of sixteen as a soloist in the National Academic Folk Choir of Russian Songs in the city of Ryazan. During an occasion, when Liudmila Zykina, the Queen of Russian Songs, came to Ryazan on a tour, the young performer plucked up all her courage and was given the opportunity to be heard by the famous singer after the concert. Liudmila Zykina liked the young singer’s voice so much that she invited Liudmila to join her group.

As a member of the Ensemble "Russia", Liudmila Nikolayeva worked for seven years, touring worldwide, mastering her vocal skills and acquiring experience for her subsequent soloistic career. Having become the laureate of the 1st National Russian Radio-TV Competition for folk songs "Voices of Russia", Liudmila started to perform as a soloist with the "Ossipov" National Academic Orchestra of Russian Folk Music, and recorded her first solo CD.

Building up her own team, above all Liudmila Nikolayeva was striving to identify her own inimitable style, by preserving a unique nature of Russian folk troll, descant and instrument playing skills.

A distinction of musical style became disclosed in a fine, new-laid combination of genuine folk melodies, folk instruments and elements of up-to-date sounding. Outstanding abilities of soloist and musicians have defined a peculiar histrionics of musical stuff: each performer combines features of an instrument player, a vocalist, a dancer and an actor at the same time.

Besides, one can not but be overwhelmed by an atmosphere of friendship, consensus of opinion and collegiality in the creative research, that has been reigning in their team since it was built up, making this union and all its deeds particularly warm and sincere.

Since "Russkaya Dusha" was founded, 5 compact discs were released, each of them having its special feature:
1. " Russian Soul" (Russkaya Dusha), 1995 - Russian folk songs;
2. "Lilac Blossoms" (Ciren’ Tsvetet), 1997 - Old-time urban romances;
3. "Golden Fair" (Zolotaya Iarmarka), 1999 - Songs of Russian composers;
4. "Happiness" (Schastiye), 2001 - Folk songs of Russia and of people around the world;
5. "Intact Berry" (Netronutaya Iagoda), 2003 - Songs of contemporary Russian composers and folk songs of Russia and Ukraine.

From day-to-day the Folk Ensemble has been actively engaged in concert programs, performing on leading concert sites of Moscow and other cities in Russia, the CIS and worldwide. Tours of Liudmila Nikolayeva and her Ensemble were of tremendous success in Japan, USA, Turkey, Cyprus, Mongolia, Germany, France, India, Bulgaria, Azerbaijan, Kirghizia, Belarus and Ukraine.

Concert programs, heartedly welcomed by the audience and highlighted by Russian central TV channels, were prepared by Liudmila Nikolayeva and her "Russian Soul" Ensemble:
- March 1998. The first night of the "Yarmarka" concert, including old-time folk songs of Russia and compositions of Russian authors, was held in the National Central Concert Hall "Russia". The Academic Orchestra of Russian Folk Music: "Osipov" and the "Gzhel" Dance Theatre participated.
- November 2001. A concert titled "Songs of peoples of the world’ dedicated to the 20th Anniversary of Nikolayeva’s creative career was presented in the State Palace of Kremlin. The Presidential Symphonic Orchestra of RF, the "Gzhel" Dance Theatre, Oleg Gazmanov, Renat Ibrahimov and other famous artists participated.
- November 2003. The Jubilee of the "Russian Soul" Ensemble was celebrated in the State Palace of Kremlin. Famous songs from the Ensemble’s repertoire as well as new works of Russian composers were performed there. Iosif Kobzon, Lev Leshchenko, the "Gzhel" Dance Theatre, the Academic Russian Folk Choir (from Ryazan), Nadezhda Babkina, Alexander Peskov and other "Russian Soul"- friends participated.

A film-concert with the ensemble under the title "By the river, by the bridge" was made, based on the subject of Folk Ensemble activities.

Five video-clips were also released for the following songs from Nikolayeva’s repertoire:
"Lilac in Bloom" (Sireni Tsvetet);
"Race Coachman, race" (Goni Iamshchik)
"Oh, Destiny!" (Dolia - Doliushka);
"At the Ancient Warsaw Station" (Na starinnom varshavskom vokzale);
"Gold Fair" (Zolotaya Iarmarka)’

The "Russian Soul" Folk Ensemble has also released a DVD disc with records of concert programs and video-clips.

The Artist together with "Russian Soul" Folk Ensemble has been actively participating in Moscow Anniversary festivities, representing the Moscow culture in different countries and regions such as: Azerbaijan, Crimea, Mongolia, Republic of Alanya, Ekaterinburg, Ryazan, Turkey and Cyprus.

In 1998, a solo concert of the "Russian Soul" Ensemble was organized at the reception party "Russian Room" in the frames of "Gala Festival" held during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Government Heads, Investment Company top Executives as well as other key representatives of enterprises, banks and state bodies attended this concert.

Liudmila Nikolayeva and "Russian Soul" had the honor to represent the culture of Russia during the official visit to India by the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin. Their concerts in Delhi, Maysour and Banghalore had tremendous success and a wide coverage in India’s mass media.

Two tragedies suspended the activities of this friendly team for some time. Eugene Shirochenko, the outstanding vocalist and balalaika player, expired in 2001 after a long, serious disease. Vladimir Grishin, the team leader, musical director and a wonderful accordion player, perished in 2003.

In the following time, new talented musicians joined the Folk Ensemble and organically tight-knitted into an unanimous team:
Aleksei Senin - guitar and vocal;
Michael Golovin - balalaika and vocal;
Michael Chernov - accordion;
Vladimir Kurchev - sound engineer.

In 2003 all "Russian Soul" worshippers and fans were pleasantly surprised by the Ensemble which became further enlarged by a dancing group consisting of talented young artists, graduates from Russia’s leading theatrical studios, who perfectly had shown their high performances in former teams:
Andrei Pirogov - ballet-master;
Ekaterina Parchinskaya
Alexander Miheyev
Irina Trushova
Aleksei Melnikov
Olga Lebedeva
Aleksei Fedorov
Elena Chumakova.

At present, Liudmila Nikolayeva and her team members are preparing a new concert program, based on the cultural traditions of people living in the Russian Federation and of the folklore typical to some of its autonomous districts. The Moscow Government and Moscow’s Committee for Culture appraised deservedly the rich experience of creative work and versatile concert practice of Liudmila Nikolayeva, National Artist of Russia, and the "Russian Soul" Folk Ensemble. As a result, the establishing is underway by the Moscow Central Board for Culture, of: "Moscow Cultural Center for Folk Creativity, Russian Soul, under the auspices of Liudmila Nikolayeva".

Copyright © 2004-2007 Russian Soul ensemble, www.russiansoul.ru