Moscow Nights

The repertoire is centered on masterpieces of Eastern European folklore and represents the diversity of the culture, ranging from gently humorous songs to lyrical ballads.

Moscow Night's lively program includes audience participation and presents an authentic picture of folk traditions and culture. Lilting balalaikas, dynamic bayan accordion, humorous dances, and superb vocals combine for an exhilarating and educational performance for audiences of all ages.

Moscow Nights is an exciting, versatile ensemble of world-recognized, prize-winning musicians from Russia.

They have already established themselves as one of the fastest rising folk groups in the United States. These

classically trained artists first took Western Europe by storm and now have brought their dazzling, toe-tapping music

to North America.

Vitaliy Bezrodnov, bayan accordion and leader of the ensemble, began attending music school at the young age

of seven. Around the late 1980’s, he began studying at the prestigious Kaluga Music Conservatory in Kaluga,

Russia where Moscow Nights was initially formed under his direction. After completing his conservatory studies,

he attended the Musical Academy of Arts in Voronezh and St. Petersburg. In 1994 he came to the United States

under a Cultural Exchange program. The demand for Moscow Nights was so intense that he decided to bring the

group to the U.S. for a tour. The United States is now his home, and the group continues to tour year-round.

Sergei Pudov, prima balalaika. was raised in the city of Magnitogorsk, Russia. At the very young age of six, he

showed much musical talent and was considered a child prodigy. In addition to his musical talent, he was a dancer –

folk and ballet. Before entering college, he was a top dancer for the City of Magnitogorsk and a finalist for the Ural

Mountain Award for all Central Russia and Europe.

After studying at the Glinka Music Conservatory, he became a soloist with the Philharmonia Orchestra and the

Glinka Conservatory Orchestra. He received Laureate awards with the All Russia and International Competitions

for the City of Ufa and Orenburg.

He then began touring with many companies, one of which was the Ivan & Maria Dance Company who has

toured twice in the United States. As a result, he crossed paths with Vitaliy, and he became a member of the

ensemble.

Dima Busov, contra-bass balalaika, has a long history of playing many bass instruments – electric bass, string

bass, and now contra- bass balalaika – with many professional groups over the years in St. Petersburg, Russia and

now the United States. As the newest member of Moscow Nights, he adds verve and spunk to the many melodies of

Russian music and song.

Select Audio Tracks

Moscow Nights - Selection of Performance Venues

International Performances 

 Walt Disney International Festival

 Germany Interfest

 Turkey FolkFest

 Malta Winter Fest

 Winter Palace, St. Petersburg

 Italy Country Festival, Britane

 Ontario, Canada, House of Composers

 Good Will Games, St. Petersburg Russia

 Performing Arts Centers  

 Spokane Center Stage, WA

 Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater, FL

 Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, Tampa, FL

 Center for Performing Arts, Oxford, OH

 Denver Center for the Performing Arts, CO

 Cleveland Museum of Art, OH

 Hoover Auditorium, OH 

 Champaign County Arts Council Concert Series, OH

 Center Paramount Art, KY

 Wolfeboro Concert Series, NH 

 Fitton Center for Creative Arts, NY 

 Carrboro Arts Center, NC 

 Florissant Civic Center, MO ~ Solon Arts Center, OH

 Brigham Young University, UT

 Colorado State University, CO

 University of Wisconsin-Fox Valley, WI

 Russian Festival – Kalamazoo, MI 

Springfield Arts Council, OH 

North Charleston Festival, SC

Program Sampling

Katusha – World War II Song

Quadrille – Traditional Music for Dance

Russian Dance – From the “Nutcracker”

Turkish March - Mozart “Alla Turka”

Dunaiskie Volni – “Anniversary Waltz”

Krakoviaki – Polish Dance

Hlopushki – Traditional Humorous Dance

Ah, Uhnem – Volga Boatman

Snezhochki – Cossack’s Lyric Song

Ah Bereza – Siberian Variations

Oi, Kalina – Traditional Lyric Folk Song

Varinka – Cossack’s horse-riding song

Svetit Mesiatz – Brightly Shines the Moon

Oi, Moroz – Siberian Song

Korobeiniki – Traditional Variations

Kalinka – Folk Song

Ochi Chornie – Dark Eyes

Moscow Nights

Lora’s Theme – Somewhere my Love, from Doctor Zhivago

Saratovskie Perebori – Traditional Variations with audience participation

Reviews

"Moscow Nights residency services are both engaging and entertaining. Vitaliy and company did a terrific job adapting their outreach concerts to serve diverse market segments which ranged from urban 4th graders to rural library patrons. Each service was marked with humor and artistic excellence and audience participation was invited and impossible to resist. Our Moscow Nights “capstone concert” garnered rave reviews from our audience and we are already contemplating a return engagement."

Steven J. Schmidt
Rochester Civic Music Center
Riverside Concerts and Educational Residency

"...toe-tapping is an understatement...several audience members left their seats to dance down the auditorium aisles!  Their charm and affable spirit brought new heights to audience participation.

Balalaika and Domra Association of America

"The performance was a huge success! We had many people tell us how much they enjoyed Moscow Nights. People will be talking about this for a long time to come."

Friends of Music, Fripp Island, SC

“Moscow Nights” recently completed an arts education tour of schools in the Mid-Ohio Valley for Artsbridge. Without exception, the shows were extremely well-received, and the quality and variety of Russian folk music played and sung by three talented and expert musicians was extraordinary. Students were involved and enthusiastic as audience and participants. Interspersed with lively, rhythmic musical numbers, bits of Russian history and culture were shared, making the shows both educational and entertaining. “Moscow Nights” was a joyous experience for student audiences. This is arts education at its best!

Gerri Torres
Arts Education Director
ARTSBRIDGE, WV

Study Guides

Click here for Study Guide for K-5 Level

Click here for Study Guide for Middle School Level

Click here for Study Guide for High School Level