UW Russian Folk Orchestra: A musical tradition at International Festival

Since its founding in 1997, the UW Russian Folk Orchestra has been a vibrant part of Madison’s rich musical community. The group was established by Victor Gorodinsky, who previously served as the music director of the Illinois Russian Folk Orchestra at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. After moving to Madison, Gorodinsky saw potential in starting a similar ensemble at UW.

With support from The Center for Russia, East Europe and Central Asia, the orchestra received a generous grant in 1996 to purchase several authentic Russian folk instruments. Rehearsals began in the fall of 1997.

“At first it was a very small group. I started teaching them the new instruments and introducing them to the music. Slowly but surely, we started growing and giving performances,” Gorodinsky recalled. “It was something I always wanted to do. I never imagined it would become so big.”

Today, the group is composed of 40 members, including three original members since the ensemble's founding. The ensemble is open to everyone, not just UW students, and even includes a dedicated member who travels from Milwaukee weekly for rehearsals.

Now in its 27th year, the orchestra has expanded both in size and repertoire.

“We keep growing over time, not just in numbers but in quality,” Gorodinsky said. “We’re able to play music that five or six years ago we couldn’t. We keep adding more challenging pieces.”

While the orchestra specializes in Russian folk music, its repertoire also includes Ukrainian, other Slavic and modern compositions. “I’m a sucker for modern music,” Gorodinsky admitted. “Sometimes I have to do the orchestrations myself.”

Performing at Overture Center continues to be a highlight for the orchestra. “Playing where the Madison Symphony performs—it’s overwhelming,” Gorodinsky said. “It’s quite something and a lot of fun.”

For this year's International Festival performance, the orchestra's program will be a diverse mix of past favorites and fresh, new selections, explained Gorodinsky: “We’ll have a little bit of everything. A couple modern pieces, some folk pieces and two soloists—Zoya Nevinskaya as our vocal soloist and Amalasuentha McGwin on percussion.”

The group has a loyal following in Madison, and Gorodinsky looks forward to seeing familiar faces in the audience. “I just hope that people enjoy our performance,” he said. “Our concerts are not necessarily formal, and I’m known for talking with the audience. I think people appreciate that.”

Preparing for a performance of this scale takes some extra dedication. In addition to the group's weekly rehearsals, bigger performances sometimes require additional sectional rehearsals as needed. The group meets on campus every Monday for roughly two to two-and-a-half hours.

“Twice a week isn’t always realistic, but when we have big concerts coming up, we do what we can to be ready,” Gorodinsky said.

Beyond International Festival, the orchestra is looking forward to a couple other big performances at Dubuque University in Iowa and Lawrence University in Appleton this spring.

When asked about his favorite part of leading the orchestra, Gorodinsky didn’t hold back any enthusiasm: “I love the music, and I love conducting. Our group is not just an orchestra — we are one big family. We love each other.”

Gorodinsky also emphasizes the collaborative and democratic nature of the ensemble: “I always consult with the group to make sure the music isn’t too difficult and that they enjoy it.”

As the orchestra continues to evolve, their commitment to preserving and sharing this rich musical tradition remains as strong as ever. Whether you’re a longtime fan or a first-time listener, their International Festival performance promises to be a celebration of culture, music and community.

Don’t miss the UW Russian Folk Orchestra take the Overture Hall stage on Saturday, March 8 at 11am.

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