Performers: Vagram Saradjian – cello, Tatiana Gerasimova – piano
The musical events dedicated to Dmitry Shostakovich has been a good tradition at Russian Cultural Center. We continue to introduce the works of the great Russian composer to our audience.
Duet of incredible musicians, Vagram Saradjian and Tatiana Gerasimova is well-known in Houston. They appeared at RCC on various occasions and their performances has been acclaimed by the public.
Wine will be served.
Advanced ticket purchase is recommended as seating is limited.
We invite all to celebrate the end of winter in tradition of the Russian folk holiday. An essential and delicious element of the celebration – Russian pirogi with dufferent staffings will be offered.
There will also be an assortment of traditional Russian souvenirs for sale.
Well-known Russian band Flying Balalaika Brothers will provide the entertainment. The group plays various music: from Russian folk to bluegrass, country and rock. Dancing is allowed and encouraged.
This year, Russian Cultural Center organizes the festivities in collaboration with Houston FOTOFEST. FotoFest’s focus for its 2012 Biennial exhibitions is Contemporary Russian Photography.
Alexander Scriabin (1872- 1915) was one of the most innovative and most controversial of early modern composers. Many of his works are written for the piano. The earliest pieces resemble Frederic Chopin and include music in many forms that Chopin himself employed, such as the etude, the prelude and the mazurka. The style of composer changed enormously as he progressed. The early pieces are romantic, fresh and easily accessible, while his later compositions explore harmony’s further reaches.
An avid chamber musician, Teng-Kai Yang currently works on his doctorate in piano performance at University of Houston. His mentor is the most respectful pianist professor Abby Simon.
Wine will be served.
Advanced ticket purchase is recommended as seating is limited.
MEET THE PHOTOGRAPHER: Thursday, March 15, 7:30 p.m.
ADMISSION: free
MASTER CLASS: Monday, March 19, 7:30 p.m.
ADMISSION: $30
Dmitry Vyshemirsky is a resident of Kaliningrad. Until the end of World War II it was a city of East Prussia named Kenigsberg. Kaliningrad Region is a cultural landscape which emerged in Europe from a conflicting fusion of German and Russian cultures. The German heritage and today’s reality of his native city is the major focus of the art of Vyshemirsky.
The author attempts to expand the boundaries of traditional genres of photography. He is striving to express by means of the picture the methods he developed himself, to apply a single style throughout the images he has captured, to bring purely photographic and fine art features intimately into synthesis, and – remaining a photographer – to fill up his photographs with a wide range of painting styles.
Photo-documentary project “Post-“ includes colour slides produced exclusively in the Kaliningrad region, during 2004-2006. All photographs were taken using a tripod at a natural eye level without angle, using one camera and one type of film. Having applied this strict method of taking pictures, the author succeeded in scrutinizing everyday life. Balancing on the thin line of trivia, he managed to see a lot of interesting things in this common and ordinary life, and yet created a meditative, philosophical and poetic image of the land in which he lives.
We are open: Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Saturday 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Russian Cultural Center Our Texas presents Musical Evening dedicated to Great Russian singer Feodor Chaliapin.
Feodor Chaliapin is perhaps the most legendary operatic bass in history. Possessed of a large and beautiful voice, he devoted himself to all aspects of his art — most significantly his dramatic portrayals.
Program: fragments of unique documentaries with live Chaliapin, excerpts of audio records 1900-1927 years, exhibit of singer’s portraits, display of books and photo albums about Chaliapin, presentation by Mark Zaltsberg.
Mark Zaltsberg is the passionate lover of opera music and collects the materials about Feodor Chaliapin all his life. He is the owner of the full collection of Chaliapin’s records. For many years Mark was a translator for visiting Russian singers at Houston Grand Opera.
Advanced ticket purchase is recommended as seating is limited.
Director: Damian Wojciechowski. Co-producer: Caroline Walker. 2004, Russia
The documentary film Forgive Me, Sergey is a story of love, betrayal and forgiveness between two people who never met. It is an example of how the ideological war between the Soviet Union and the United States dramatically affected the fates of those living in the Twentieth Century. A 20-year-old Soviet sailor Sergey Kourdakov, on the third of September 1971, jumped from his ship in the Pacific Ocean and barely made it alive to the Canadian shore.
Before his death in 1973, he wrote his autobiography, which sold millions worldwide. This book inspired young American woman, Caroline Walker, to make a journey to Russia looking for truth about Sergey’s life.
Caroline Walker will be present to answer questions.
Time of screening: 53 min
Language: Russian with English subtitles
Advance tickets purchase is recommended as seating is limited
Russian Cultural Center “Our Texas” presents a unique concert “Bach in Jazz Style” featuring Russian pianist Valery Grohovski, violinist Mark Cheikhet and local jazz musicians: Adam Booker (bass) and Darren Kuper (drums). These brilliant musicians demonstrate a flawless transition from classical music to jazz.
THE PROGRAM:
Part I:
Felix Mendelssohn – Wedding March from “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”.
I. Bach – Piano Concerto in F Minor, BWV. 1056
Cole Porter – Love for Sale
I. Bach – 1-st Movement of Sonata for Viola and Piano Soloist Mark Cheikhet – Viola
Part II:
W.A. Mozart – The Piano Sonata in B-flat major, K. 333
G. Gershwin – Prelude No. 2
I. Bach – Concerto for violin with orchestra Soloist Mark Cheikhet – Violin
W. A. Mozart – Serenade in G major, K. 525 “A Little Night Music”, Finale
Program is subject to change
“Valeri Grohovski is the rarest of musicians – always playing with perfect taste.” – Tatiana Petrova, President of the Gnessin Music College, Moscow. A virtuoso classical pianist equally known for his jazz improvisational talent, Valeri Grohovski is in a class of his own. In addition to his busy concert and recording schedule, he composes, arranges and performs music in a wide range of styles for theatre and cinema. Born and raised in the former USSR, Valeri Grohovski received his doctorate in music in Moscow, before traveling to compete abroad, where he won numerous competitions in both Europe and the United States. Although he lived for a decade in the United States, he now divides his time between homes in Russia, France and Costa Rica.
Violinist Mark Cheikhet earned his master and doctorate degrees in violin performance from Moscow Conservatory. His influential teachers included Maya Glezarova, Eduard Grach, and Sergei Girshenko. He is touring widely as a soloist and in chamber ensembles throughout Russia, Germany, Italy, France, Mexico, and the U.S. His recent performances incluye Brescia-Festa Internazionale Della Musica, a festival of Russian Art in Marseille, France, along with The Promenade festival in Oldenburger, Germany and RAMA in Boston, MA.
Currently the bassist for the Kris Kimura Quintet, Adam Booker has been playing bass for over 20 years. In that short time he has been a member of the Jazz Pharaoh’s, The Asylum Street Spankers, the US Navy Band New Orleans, and others.
Darren Kuper, drums, has been playing music for over 20 years. Together with pianist Barry Brake, he spearheaded a new jazz group in 1990, naming it the Jazz Protagonists. In 2003 Modern Drummer magazine singled out his performances on “Bar Codes”, an album by Mike Brannon’s progressive-jazz group Synergy.
Please, purchase your tickets in advance as the seating is limited.
Enjoy the broad assortment of traditional Russian souvenirs and gifts for Valentine, Easter and any occasion:
Russian gzhel. The history of Gzhel dates back to old times and its will have a long life. The famous folk craft is gathering new force. The factory’s product range includes: vases, tableware sets and sculptured items.
Lomonosov Vintage figurine (Imperial Factory). Lomonosov Factory is the first in the country to have worked out technology and set up production of thin-walled bone china items which are notable for enhanced whiteness, thinness and transparency in comparison with traditional hard porcelain.
Beautiful jewelry boxes – lacquer miniatures, hand-painted with the Russian fairy-tale motifs;
Golden “Khokhloma” (wood painting tableware);
Nesting dolls – famous “Matreshkas”, big and small;
Souvenir flasks;
Beautiful icons, paintings and more
and many more will be a perfect gift for you and your family!
Victoria Kovalenchikova is a professional artist from Belarus, who has been living and working in the Netherlands since 2008. The contemporary trend in her paintings is characterized by a figurative integration of abstract elements. Victoria uses “fragments of emotion” to express her individuality within the framework of urban views and landscapes.
Victoria explains her artwork as follows: “One walks to the favorite spot on the lake, but it is covered with litter. We inhale pollution instead of a flower fragrance. My new work is an outlook at the apocalyptic transformation of the world which surrounds us; creation of ecological crashes of the planet; shout in the cold infinity of cosmos. It is an attempt to understand and help humans by influencing them through the language of art. Maybe it will prevent desire to destruct and destroy life around us…”
Victoria’s work can be found at the Museum of Belarusian State Academy of Arts, Belarusian Contemporary Fine Art Museum, The National Art Museum of the Republic of Belarus (all in Minsk, Belarus), Maslennikov Art Museum, Mogilev Regional Study of Local Lore Museum named after Romanov, Mogilev Museum of Ethnography (all in Mogilev, Belarus), Belarusian Embassy in Berlin, Germany; Belarusian Embassy in Hague, the Netherlands; in the collection of the municipality of Coevorden, the Netherlands; as well as in private collections in Germany, Polland, Russia, Belarus, USA, the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, France, Lebanon and Switzerland.
“TwasThe Night Before Christmas” puppet show combines poetry and dialogue to create a Christmas fantasy. The show opens in Santa’s North Pole workshop where we meet Santa, Mrs. Claus, the elves and Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer. The sleigh travels to a snowy forest for scene two, where Rudolph’s nose has become frozen in the snowstorm. Interested to know what will happen to our friends next? Bring your kids and find out with us!
Presents from Father Frost to Each Child!
Please, purchase your tickets in advance as the seating is limited.
This year, Russian Cultural Center organizes the festivities in collaboration with Houston FOTOFEST. FotoFest’s focus for its 2012 Biennial exhibitions is Contemporary Russian Photography. 
Director: Damian Wojciechowski. Co-producer: Caroline Walker. 2004, Russia
Russian Cultural Center “Our Texas” presents a unique concert “Bach in Jazz Style” featuring Russian pianist Valery Grohovski, violinist Mark Cheikhet and local jazz musicians: Adam Booker (bass) and Darren Kuper (drums). These brilliant musicians demonstrate a flawless transition from classical music to jazz.
“TwasThe Night Before Christmas” puppet show combines poetry and dialogue to create a Christmas fantasy. The show opens in Santa’s North Pole workshop where we meet Santa, Mrs. Claus, the elves and Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer. The sleigh travels to a snowy forest for scene two, where Rudolph’s nose has become frozen in the snowstorm. Interested to know what will happen to our friends next? Bring your kids and find out with us!
