If you are a musician with some prior experience in stringed, wind or percussion instruments, you may wish to consider joining the WBS Orchestra. Prior experience on the balalaika or domra, while helpful, is not required. Lessons are offered, and often 'loaner' instruments are available.
Non-musicians who share our interest in this music and culture are also welcome as members of The Balalaika Guild. Guild members are free to attend our rehearsals and quarterly social events, and many make important contributions through their involvement with important publicity, outreach and management functions of the Society.
The WBS Orchestra currently has openings for stringed, wind and percussion instrument players, as well as vocalists. Musicians with some experience (though not necessarily with Russian instruments) and the ability to read music are encouraged to contact Music Director This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to discuss WBS orchestra activities. A limited number of 'loaner' instruments are available, and lessons are offered on balalaika, domra and bayan.
We are a community-based, volunteer orchestra composed of musicians ranging from self-taught amateurs to conservatory graduates. We have members from pre-teens to eighty-plus of age. Some of us have Russian or Ukrainian heritage, but many do not -- we play because we love the music, enjoy each other and appreciate the unique opportunity we have to work with a true professional such as Svetlana Nikonova to create music which delights us in the making as much as it does our audiences in the listening.
More than half of us did not know how to play a balalaika, domra, gusli or bayan before joining the WBS. Some had played mandolin, guitar, piano, ukulele, banjo, dulcimer, woodwinds or horns in their earlier musical lives and took pleasure in learning something new from our talented teachers. All of us work hard at perfecting our art, and we believe that shows in the quality of our performances.
While our orchestra members are volunteers, our conductor is a paid professional and the orchestra incurs additional expenses in concert production, community education and outreach, costume and instrument acquisition, CD production, rehearsal space rental and the presentation of world-class guest artists to our audiences. Our financial supporters, recognized by membership in The Balalaika Guild, provide the solid fiscal base necessary to achieve these and other objectives. Membership in the Guild starts with a contribution of $50 and levels of annual and sustained participation range upwards to $10,000. Guild members receive a quarterly Newsletter, enjoy special performances during the year and have priority seating at WBS performances. More importantly, they enjoy the satisfaction of supporting a local arts organization with an international reputation for excellence. We value their friendship and their generous support.
An organization such as ours with over 60 musicians, an ambitious performance schedule and year-around rehearsals needs plenty of help, and we very much appreciate the volunteers who work with us in concert logistics, as stagehands, in publicity and outreach, in ticket management, on our finance committee, as audio, video and sound technicians, on CD production and many other areas. We're looking for people who can enjoy distributing posters for upcoming concerts, acting as ushers or selling tickets, working the sound booth, helping with Website design, securing performance venues, managing our costume, music and instrument inventory, doing outreach with other community organizations, legal reviews, fundraising and social event planning.