Ivan Kirchuk is a multi-instrumentalist who specializes in the ethnology and folklore of his homeland Belarus. He owns and plays rare ancient instruments and, with his group, Troitsa, performs music that has almost disappeared from the region.
They play and sing ancient songs accompanied by traditional and endangered instruments. Ivan Kirchuk has spent much of his life traveling all around the Belarusian countryside learning the folklore and old ways of the people.
Ivan is a bigger-than-life character with a magnificent beard to match. He is a professor at the University of Minsk and teaches national folk history. He has a wonderfully soulful voice and he will be bringing with him instruments like the Gusli, Domra, Flutes, Ocarina, Zmyk, and Duda.
He has worked for many years at the Minsk Art College as the head of the section “Rituals and Folklore”, and is the author of more than 20 programs of reconstructed ceremonies for music and art colleges in Belarus. His unique works of arranged authentic folklore are frequently televised and broadcast in Europe, the USA and Australia.
Not only does Ivan perform with Troitsa, he was the founder and the leader of educational laboratories and other folklore groups like Pradviesnie, Bliskavica, Dabradzieji and Dziva, which have participated in numerous festivals in Belarus and abroad during 10 years.
The preservation and revival of the Belarusian antique puppet theater called “Batlejka”, which has been known in Belarus since the 16th century is also a pet project of Ivan’s.
Ivan Kirchuk is a vocalist and also plays ocarina, flutes, guitar, domra, and bagpipe. His Troitsa colleagues include Jury Dmitriev on guitar, domra, vocals; and Jury Pavlovski on percussion.
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Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.
