Barynya: Music & Dance of Russia April 20, 2013 @ 8 p.m. Tickets - $25/$13 for ages 18 and under Volume Plus Discount (purchase adult priced tickets for 5 or more Arts Series Events, not including Lecture or Gallery Series) - $21.25 Volume Discount (purchase adult priced tickets for 3 or 4 Arts Series Events, not including Lecture or Gallery Series) - $22.50

The Russian music, dance and song ensemble Barynya established in 1991 in New York City, is known around the world as the premiere Russian folk ensemble outside of Russia. Barynya presents Russian, Cossack, Ukrainian, Jewish and Gypsy Roma traditional dancing, music, songs, and virtuoso performances on instruments including the balalaika, garmoshka (Russian folk button accordion), balalaika contrabass, bayan, Gypsy guitars, domra, violin. Barynya has been invited to perform at some of the most prestigious cultural venues in the United States, including Carnegie Hall in New York, the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, the Smithsonian Institute of America in Washington D.C., the United Nations in New York, and the Russian Embassy in Washington D.C.

Barynya is globally recognized and boasts an impressive client roster of dignitaries, politicians, celebrities and organizations from around the world. The group performed at the black-tie Gala after the Liberty Medal was presented to former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev by President George H.W. Bush in 2008. The prestigious event was attended by over one thousand dignified guests including the likes of Tom Brokaw, Dikembe Mutumbo and Van Cliburn.

Barynya also performs annually at the Russian Nobility Ball for the Russian Nobility Association in New York. Members of the ensemble have been invited to perform at many film premier and celebrity parties, including the official post-Grammy Award parties in New York and for private events hosted by Barbara Walters, Elton John, the Rolling Stones, and Tommy Hilfiger. Most recently, Mikhail Smirnov, the founder and Artistic Director of Barynya, was invited as one of the eight judges on NBC’s hit dance show, Superstars of Dance. Each judge is an expert in a different nation’s traditional style of dance and the NBC producers decided that Mr. Smirnov, as founder of the premier Russian folk ensemble outside of Russia, is the authority on traditional Russian dance.

Bio courtesy of barynya.com.

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