The festival has existed since 1992, when Belarusian musicians began to revive the playing of rare folk music and folk instruments. The initiator producer of the festival is the founder and leader of Stary Olsa band, Zmiter Sosnovski. He first brought together performers from Scotland, Poland, Lithuania and Latvia, with only two pipers among them. Now, after two decades, the performance level of our musicians continues to impress foreign visitors, and is a living legacy of our ancestors’ cultural heritage.
It’s a monstrous injustice that, while the Scottish bagpipes are known worldwide, those from Belarus are known only to a handful of folk dancing music enthusiasts. Mr. Sosnovski is convinced that our native bagpipe produces a better tone than its Scottish brother. He notes, “Belarusian and Scottish bagpipes differ in structure and in tone. The Scottish is rather squeaky and shrill, being designed to carry sounds to maximum range. The Belarusian pipes are sweeter to the ear, so you can listen all day.”
The folk museum of Dudutki is a thriving celebration of European antiquity and historical reconstruction, surprising visitors with its professionalism. It is an example of Belarus being worthy of being known for more than the European media’s criticism.
By Irina Osokina