The orchestra has been busy since our October newsletter, with recording sessions and concerts at Strathfield Town Hall, Café Carnivale, Sutherland Music Club and The Riverside Theatre Parramatta.

Our 4th CD is nearing completion and we are aiming to make it availiable at our upcoming concert in Penrith. It features solos by Robin Brawley, Steven Lalor, Lucy Voronov and Lina Chegodaev as well as vocal performances by Maria Timofeeva and a duet by Sophia Cece & Nika Fairy. Special thanks go to Vic for putting in so many hours in editing and mixing. He has said of the new album: “I’m very excited with the fourth CD, it contains a good variety of music of high standard featuring our brilliant soloists and guest singer Maria Timofeeva.”

In February, vocalist Sophia Cece and bayan player Lina Chegodaev were invited to participate in the "Russian Song 2010" festival in Moscow. Their initial performance (accompanied by the SBO via backing tape) was so well received that they were asked to perform at the final Gala Concert. Out of 500 competitors from 53 countries participating in many different categories only 20-30 acts were chosen to perform at the Gala Concert. This is a great honour for both Sophia and Lina and we are proud to hear that the SBO is being represented so well in Moscow.

Our group continues to grow with new members Alice Hughes (Contrabass), and Lorraine Chai (Clarinet). We have acquired an additional singer, Lyuba Kosik. This brings the SBO’s membership up to 27, which is almost double the number that went on our last Russian tour!

The flow of new babies has started up again, with three births since our last newsletter. Maria Timofeeva had a baby boy Alexander, Nika Fairy gave birth to a girl Emilia sister to Anastasia, and Milica Vijatovic welcomed a sister Tara to Nicola.

Best Regards
SBO EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

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October 2009

Another busy period is looming for the Sydney Balalaika Orchestra as we prepare for a number of concerts & the recording of our fourth CD. This follows a number of successful performances at Penrith, Strathfield, Hurstville & Bargo.

Orchestra numbers continue to swell, latest additions being another guitarist Brian Free which will bring our present total to 26. “There is even the chance of a second contra bass balalaika joining us. That will add a bit more boom & tonal depth - not to say visual impact to the line up”, said musical director Victor Serghie. “It only seems a couple of years since fewer than 15 of us flew to Uzhno Sakhalinsk for our last Russian Far East tour. At this rate, we’ll soon need a bigger stage.”

A successful concert was held in June at the Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre, Penrith. On 15th August the SBO also played at the Hurstville Civic Centre. This was a charity concert; the proceeds being donated to the Calvary Hospital.

In June, the orchestra performed before many VIPs from the Russian Asia-Pacific Council in Strathfield’s Russian Club. The President of the Russian Australian Representative council Igor Savitsky, reported that some members of the delegation were not only startled to discover that such an orchestra existed in Australia, but were amazed at how well it performed.

The Australian Institute of Music was equally impressed when SBO accompanied one of the orchestra’s bayan (accordion) players, the beautiful Lina Chegodaev. It was her graduation recital and as a result, she won a high distinction – and it was thoroughly deserved.

With all these new players, the orchestra is also working on increasing its repertoire to take advantage of the added richness of tone. “We are due to give a major concert in the Strathfield Town Hall on 21 November. We will have our usual catering of home-made delicacies and refreshments and will have a raffle with excellent prizes. This concert will be followed on 27 November by our annual Musica Viva performance at the Café Carnivalé in Paddington”, said Victor.

The orchestra is also in the process of recording its fourth CD, taking advantage of the bigger sound & the new repertoire being rehearsed. It will build on the orchestra’s earlier CD releases. The new CD will hopefully be available early next year.

The orchestra will also have a bigger on stage look with a costume ‘makeover’,. “These new costumes,” said Victor “while definitely made in Australia, will look very Russian”. “While our earlier costumes will still be worn on stage, new ones will look…..well………you’ll just have to wait and see!”

Please check our website www.balalaika.com.au for all the details on forthcoming performances and other updates.

Best Regards
SBO EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE