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Juliana & PAVA
Juliana & PAVA is a vocal ensemble performing ancient
Russian folk songs. Beautifully harmonized, these songs have been
integrated into the fabric of rural life for centuries, carried on from
generation to generation only by the oral tradition. Some of the songs
refer to celebrations like Easter, weddings or funerals, while others
relate to the cyclical rituals of the year, like harvest or midsummer.
PAVA means a peacock, a beautiful bird in Russian and refers to a
favorite song where it carries a symbolic significance.
Performance by Juliana & PAVA is much more than just a concert – it’s a
journey many years back into the life of a typical Russian village. The
singers wear eye-catching, colorful, authentic costumes that were
actually worn in the villages. Moreover, these costumes, some of which
are over 200 years old, contribute to evoking an atmosphere and an image
of a culture that all at once seems very exotic and yet not all that
foreign to the Western world.
Some of the songs are performed a cappella, while others are accompanied
by authentic folk instruments, such as the Russian hurdy-gurdy,
balalaika, various flutes or percussion instruments.
PAVA was founded by Juliana Svetlitchnaia, singer and ethnomusicologist,
in 2000 in Denmark. The ensemble became well respected for their unique
authentic style and wide educational activity. Danish national TV filmed
a program about PAVA. Juliana & PAVA have received grants from the
Danish Ministry of Culture (2001), the National Music Council of Denmark
(2001) and World Music Denmark (2004). PAVA’s CD was nominated for “The
World Album of the Year” at the Danish World Awards (2005) and was used
as a learning material in a number of schools of music in Moscow,
Astrakhan and Altai.
After moving to the United States in 2005, Juliana gathered together the
second lineup of PAVA. The ensemble frequently performs at various
Russian and multicultural events in the US. The list of past
performances includes such events and venues as the Northwest Folklife
festival, 10th Anniversary of Benaroya Hall, Cultural Crossroads, Slavic
Festival, University of Washington, Russian Cultural Center, Seattle
Public Library, Sister Cities International Film Festival and others.
In February 2010 Juliana & PAVA represented the Russian community of the
United States at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, BC by performing at
Russky Dom (Russian House) – the official residency of the Russian
Olympic team.
PAVA’s performances are flexible for many different types of events. The
program can be focused on entertainment or education depending on the
event.
Upcoming performances:
For information about PAVA's
upcoming and recent performances, please check out our
calendar! |
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Listen to some of our songs:
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