Crimson and Gold Connection; Russian Renaissance

Welcome to Crimson and Gold Connection, keeping you connected with the people and current events at Pittsburgh State University. This is the Crimson and Gold Connection on E.D. 9-9-K-R-P.S. I'm your host, Fred Fletcher-Fierro. That is the Chamber Music Group, Russian Renaissance. The former member group is traveling all the way from Russia to perform throughout the U.S. this fall, starting with a stop in none other than Pittsburgh, Kansas, as part of Pittsburgh State University's Department of Music 2018 solo chamber and music series. It was just last year that Russian Renaissance won the $100,000 grand prize at the 2017 M prize competition at the University of Michigan. That's the largest prize for chamber music in the world, and you have a chance to see

Russian Renaissance this Friday at Pittsburgh State's Sharon K. Dean Recital Hall. The performance starts at 730 p.m. Earlier this week, I spoke with 28-year-old Ibern Kutsthenah, who plays the small bacolina in Russian Renaissance. First I asked him what it was like to share his music and passion for audiences all over the world. I think that music is a language. It can be a monologue or dialogue, and if the audience reacts positively to your convey to you listener, your emotions, your ideas. So you can tell your story of that music. And I very happy that our music is popular with people. When you look up a clip of Russian Renaissance on YouTube, you'll be amazed at how easy the small bacolina looks for Ivan to play.

Like it's almost second nature, turns out it is. He's been playing the small bacolina since he was eight years old. He still recalls his first school assembly in his hometown of Vernosh. And now fast forward, Ivan and the Russian Renaissance are traveling all over the world, sharing their blend of world music with a Russian soul. Even with all the success the group has had, they've only been together a relatively short amount of time. We've been playing together about three years, three or fast maps while starting at the academy. And also we had some occasional spin-off jazz projects with Alexander, our partner cordon player. And our first solo concert was in Serbia in Belgrade, where we played, there are our first music program, and we include music form, Duke Ellington, Richard Galjana, a few classical music pieces and older, where we try now a hand-in-arrangeable music, tango and jazz

tender to create some unique blend of the kind of bright tunes. We also do it with a few music instruments, no music pieces like Beatles, songs come together, which turned out to be successful with some of their old dance. So to be able to play it about three years. Finally, while Russian Renaissance has only played together a short time, I wondered if there was any surprises or so-called pinch-me-moments that I've

always had playing with the group. We're that we know what we enjoy, so like the public and the very feeling of a reality of what has happened that not leave us for a long time.

That was Ivan Kutsnikov of Russia and Renaissance. They will be performing Friday, October 5th as part of Pittsburgh State University's Department of

Music 2018 solo and chamber music series. For more information about the Music Department and Pittsburgh State, visit their Facebook page at Pitt State Music. I'm Fred Fletcher-Fierro and you've been listening to the Crimson and Gold Connection, a production of 89.9 KRPS. Join us for Crimson and Gold Connection Wednesdays at 8.50 and Fridays at 350.