The Belarusian Music Seasons in France was organised on initiative and with the assistance of the Belarusian Embassy to France and the Life in Music French-Belarusian Association. The event aroused great interest from the public, proven by the fact that the small library — a traditional venue for organising cultural events in the embassy — could hardly seat all the spectators.
At the concert in Paris
Those attending the evening were welcomed by the Belarusian Ambassador to France and Permanent Representative of Belarus to UNESCO, Pavel Latushko, who noted that as part of the Belarusian Music Seasons in France the audience will be offered concerts of classical and pop music, performed by both professional and amateur bands.
The guests at the evening — representatives of diplomatic missions, as well as those from French state institutions and the Belarusian diaspora — were offered a concert by the Toloka Dance, Music and Song Ensemble of the Vitebsk Regional Philharmonic.
Toloka presented vocal and instrumental performances from its repertoire which includes both the works of Belarusian folklore and modern pieces, dedicated to the rich traditions of Belarusian musical art. The works are compositions devoted to the 75th anniversary of the birth of the People’s Artist of Belarus, the founder and leader of the Pesnyary band, Vladimir Mulyavin.
Toloka’s performing talent impressed the audience: long ovations were heard after each performance, as well as words of praise after the concert. Nikolay Podolyakov, the artistic leader of the ensemble, was awarded a diploma from the embassy in gratitude for his participation in the presentation of the Belarusian Music Seasons in France.
This is not the first creative success of the Toloka before French spectators. The Belarusian artistes have previously performed in Lyon, one of the historic and cultural centres of France.
The Belarusian Music Seasons in France will continue with performances by the famous Pesnyary band, a young talented pianist Vladislav Khandogiy, a musical-folklore band from the Belarusian minority in Poland — Prymaki from Bialystok, Vlasteliny folk music and song ensemble from the Grodno Region’s Volkovysk amongst others.
By Vladislav Molokhov
