Classic Balalaika virtuoso Elina Karokhina presents a program of classical music performed on balalaika. Elina is is available for weddings, libraries, colleges, schools, assisted living facilities. Her repertoire includes Sabre Dance from "Gayane" by Aram Khachaturian, The Hungarian Dance "Ungarische Tanze" No. 5 by Johannes Brahms, Csardas by Vittorio Monti, Paganini's Caprice No. 24, Rondo Alla Turca (Turkish March) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Polonaise No. 13 in A minor, "Pozegnanie Ojczyzny" (Farewell to the Fatherland) by Michal Oginski, Libertango by Astor Piazzolla, J.S. Bach - Suite No. 2 - Badinerie (Joke), Waltz for Jazz Orchestra No. 2 by Dmitri Shostakovich, Waltz "Babochka" by V. Andreev, Ave Maria by Gounod, Variations on a Theme of Corelli in the Style of Tartini (Composer, Kreisler, Fritz), M. Glinka, Nocturne «Separation», Auguste Durand, Waltz No. 1 in E flat, and other selections.
Balalaika virtuoso Elina Karokhina with guitar player Mikhail Smirnov
Elina Karokhina was born in Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg), Russia. She began her formal training at the Mussorgsky Music College of St. Petersburg and continued her training at N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov Saint Petersburg State Conservatory, earning a degree as an Orchestra Soloist. She continued her training at the Conservatory, which included a brief residency in Germany. After, she returned to her native St. Petersburg and completed her education, earning a Doctor of Musical Art degree in the Balalaika. Following her graduation, she began working as a musician, both as a teacher and as a performer, teaching balalaika. Elina Karokhina served in the Russian Army in the Military Ensemble in the Northwest Order of Red Stars. As a balalaika soloist Elina has toured all over the world. When she moved to the United States in 2009 she was hired as a musicial director and soloist with the biggest professional Russian music, song and dance ensemble Barynya (New York).
Elina Karokhina with Mikhail Smirnov (guitar) and Leonid Bruk (balalaika-contrabass)
In January 2015 Elina Karokhina was selected to perform the balalaika part with Mariinsky Theatre directed by famous Russian conductor Valery Gergiev in Rodion Shchedrin's opera "The Enchanted Wanderer" at the Howard Gilman Opera House in Brooklyn, New York. In May 2016 she was hired to play six concerts at the Carnegie Hall in New York City as a part of "THE TRIUMPH OF HOPE" international event. In September 2016 he appeared at the Carnegie Hall again as a part of "Moscow Gypsy Army" representing rich musical culture of Eastern Europian Roma people. In January 2017 Elina was hired to play Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's "The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh" Suite at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. with the National Symphony Orchestra. All four performances were under direction of world-famous conductor Sir Mark Elder.
On January 14, 2015 Elina Karokhina was selected to performed balalaika part with Mariinsky Theatre from St. Petersburg, Russia in Rodion Shchedrin's opera "The Enchanted Wanderer" at the BAM - Howard Gilman Opera House in Brooklyn, New York. Some photos and video from Shchedrin’s rarely staged musical treasure, based on the story by Nikolai Leskov are available on Barynya website
01-23-2020. "From Russians With Love", Concert with Charleston Symphony Orchestra, Gaillard Center, Charleston, SC
On Thursday, January 23rd, 2020 Elina Karokhina, and Mikhail Smirnov performed joined concert titled "FROM RUSSIANS WITH LOVE" with Charleston Symphony Orchestra led by conductor Yuriy Bekker. Program of performance: Dmitri Shostakovich Festive Overture, Op. 96, Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky “ Polonaise ” from Eugene Onegin, Sergei Rachmaninoff's Vocalise, Modest Mussorgsky, (arr. Nikolai Rimsky - Korsakov) Night on Bald Mountain, Stravinsky's Firebird Infernal Dance Berceuse Finale, Aram Khachaturian's “Sabre Dance“ from Gayane, Nikolai Rimsky - Korsakov “Flight of the Bumble Bee” from Tale of Tsar Saltan, Russian Folk Song "Oche Chiornie" (Dark Eyes), arr. Carmen Dragon, Lionel Bart, arr. John Bachalis “ From Russia With Love “ from James Bond: From Russia With Love, Maurice Jarre, arr. Bill Holcombe “Laura’s Theme” from Dr. Zhivago, Russian Folk Song "Kalinka", Russian Folk Song "Kamarinskaiya", Russian Folk Song "Valenki", Russian Folk Song "Korobushka", Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky “Finale” from Symphony No . 4 in F minor, Op. 36. All instrumental numbers were performed by Elina and MIkhail on guitar, and the traditional Russian instruments balalaika and garmoshka. After the performance conductor Yuriy Bekker, tenor Edward Brennan, Mikhail and Elina stepped into the lobby of the beautuful Charleston Gaillard Center to sign concert posters and take photos with people who attended the performance. Exact address of the venue: 95 Calhoun Street, Charleston, SC 29401
Performance with the Washington Balalaika Orchestra
In the end of November 2021 Elina was invited as a soloist and balalaika prima of the Washington Balalaika Orchestra for two performances in Virginia and Maryland. The WBS (Washington Balalaika Orchestra) is a community-based orchestra of more than fifty musicians with a mixture of amateur and professional training. Conductor Svetlana Nikonova.
Saturday, October 20th, 2018, 7:30 pm. Balalaika Trio with Atlanta Balalaika Orchestra led by David Cooper in concert titled "An Evening of Music and Song From Slavic Lands" at the Avondale First Baptist Church, 27 Covington Road, Avondale Estates, GA 30002. "Vinyat Menya V Narodye" (Винят меня в народе) arrangement Alexander Shalov
Recording of ensemble Barynya promo-video. Kings Bay YM-YWHA, Brooklyn, New York
On Friday, September 11th, 2020 dancers, singers and musicians of Barynya, Russian dance, song and music ensemble had a rehersal and session of video recording at the Kings Bay YM-YWHA - a Jewish community center and proud partner of UJA-Federation of New York - located at 3495 Nostrand Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11229. Cast of Barynya on that day included Simona Zhukovsky (dancer), Valentina Kvasova (dancer, vocals), Olga Chpitalnaia (dancer), Olga Yeliseyeva (dancer), Alexander Rudoy (dancer), Vladimir Nikitin (dancer), Konstantin Tulinov (dancer), Danila Sherstobitov (dancer), Leonid Bruk (contrabass-balalaika), Elina Karokhina (balalaika), Mikhail Smirnov (garmoshka, guitar, vocals), and singer Irina Zagornova. Company recorded one song performed by Irina Zagornova and several dance routines: "Barynya", "Kalinka", Cossack dance, Moldavian dance, "Metelitsa", Tatar dance, Gypsy dance and Jewish Bottle dance.
Russian Nobility Ball 2023, The Pierre A Taj Hotel, New York City
On Friday, May 5, 2023 90th Annual Russian Nobility Ball took place at The Pierre A Taj Hotel in New York City. Musicians played during cocktail hour, dancers opened the Ball with a Waltz from Sleeping Beauty. The dinner show included Kolomeyka, Mexican, Tatar, American, Gypsy, Flamenko, Hopak, Chardash (instrumental), and Kalinka.
Barynya live at the Anyway Cafe and Bar, Brooklyn, New York
Musicians of ensemble Barynya were playing in Brooklyn on Saturday, May 6th, 2023 from 9pm to midnight. Performance took place in colorful Sheepshead Bay neighborhood of Southern Brooklyn at the Anyway Cafe and Bar, 1602 Gravesend Neck Road, Brooklyn, New York 11229. Musicians Mikhail Smirnov (guitar, vocals, garmoshka) and Elina Karokhina (domra, mandolin, balalaika, back vocals) performed world music, classical, contemporary, etc.
Elina Karokhina, Mikhail Smirnov at the Anyway Cafe Brooklyn, 05-06-2023, Saturday, May 6th, 2023
В субботу, 6-ого мая 2023-его года для жителей города и туристов в колоритном бруклинском районе Шипсхед-Бей (южный Бруклин) в исполнении виртуозных музыкантов ансамбля "Барыня" - Элина Карохина (балалайка, домра, мандолина), Михаил Смирнов (гитара, гармошка, вокал) - звучала живая музыка.
Public concert at the Untermyer Park in Yonkers, New York on August 22nd, 2020
Первый публичный концерт ансамбля "Барыня" после начала эпидемии КОВИД-19 состоялся в субботу, 22-ого августа 2020 года в Антермаер парке города Янкерс (штат Нью-Йорк). Untermyer Park and Gardens (остатки поместья Сэмюэля Дж. Унтермайера "Грейстон") - исторический городской общественный парк площадью 43 акра, расположенный в Йонкерсе, штат Нью-Йорк, в округе Вестчестер, к северу от Манхаттена. На концерте было примерно пятьдесят человек зрителей (строго по пригласительным билетам). Вся публика была в масках. Люди сидели друг от друга на расстоянии в шесть футов (примерно два метра). Прямая трансляция выступления шла для остальных подписчиков этой концертной серии через Фейсбук и YouTube. Басист ансамбля Леонид Брук (Leonid Bruk) записал видео выступления. Благодаря ему концерт можно посмотреть полностью от начала до конца.
Saturday, August 22nd, 2020, Untermyer Park and Gardens, Yonkers, New York, Mikhail Smirnov, Leonid Bruk, Elena Notkina, Natasha Stolichnaya, Frida Anuarbek, Maryia Zhukovich, Vladimir Nikitin, Elina Karokhina, Konstantin Tulinov, Katsiaryna Mileuskaya, Valentina Kvasova, Veronika Hunko
New York Balalaika Orchestra performs at Russian Orthodox weddings, fundraising balls, large scale social events, Doctor Zhivago's style corporate parties. video
Leonid Bruk - Contrabass Balalaika player from Brooklyn, New York.
