Question: How did a Northern Irish ex-pro soccer player get transplanted into North America’s oldest Russian balalaika orchestra?
Answer: His wife is Russian and she’s been in the orchestra for 38 years, 34 of which as the conductor.
Not long after meeting his future bride, Natasha Lozovsky-Burns, at UBC, Stephen Burns picked up the famous Russian instrument, which he now plays contrabass in the orchestra.
And it’s no surprise to hear the Richmond couple’s two daughters, Ali, 19 (on accordion) and Kira, 18, (on domra – a kind of mandolin) grew up playing Russian instruments and are also part of the Russian Community Centre’s (RCC) famous Balalaika Folk Orchestra.
Suffice to say, it’ll be a proud moment for Lozovsky-Burns when she conducts the orchestra’s 50th anniversary concert this Sunday at the Norman Rothstein Theatre in Vancouver.
The appearance and performance of two special guests from the world of Russian music - Alexander Tsygankov, a prima domra soloist, and Inna Shevchenko, a renowned pianist – is sure to make the event a memorable occasion for all concerned.
“We did a big concert 12 years ago for the RCC’s 50th anniversary and every April we have an annual concert with the orchestra, dancers and students from the RCC school,” explained Lozovsky-Burns, who has also been the music teacher at Whiteside elementary for the last 10 years.
“But this year, we have some very special guests from Moscow and this will probably be the biggest yet.
“It’s been a little crazy putting this all together, but it’s going to be worth it.”
Lozovsky-Burns, 52, who has been conducting the very same orchestra since she was 18, was actually born in Beirut to a Russian father and Czech/Armenian mother.
Her family emigrated to Canada in 1968, when she was age two, and at age four, she went to the Russian school in Vancouver, before joining the orchestra at 14.
“I spent four years on the orchestra playing the dorma and then became the conductor,” recalled Lozovsky-Burns.
“And that’s what I’ve been doing that for 34 years.”
Lozovsky-Burns added that her husband had likely never even heard of a balalaika until he met her.
Although, music was no doubt circling somewhere in his blood, as his late dad, Danny Burns, was an integral member of the famous Irish band The Wolfhound.
The concert runs Sunday, April 29 at 3 p.m., featuring all of the above in the orchestra, as well as Yablochko Russian Dancers, Kiselniye Berega Russian Choir, Slava Alexandrov (balalaika soloist) and Elena Razlog (operatic soprano).
For ticket information, go online to RussianCentreVancouver.com or call 778 868 1753.
