Gorodovskaya, Vera (20th January 1919-26th October 1999)

She was a psaltery player, pianist, composer and arranger born Vera Nikolaevna in Rostov, Russia whose father was a choral leader in Rostov Cathedral. She began learning the piano when she was seven years old and played regularly at family houses. When she was seven years old, in 1926, she began her studies at the Rostov School of Music, graduating in 1934 and taking further education at the Yaroslavl and St. Petersburg Conservatories.

She became a talented pianist and showed interest in other instruments and performed in the Yaroslavl Orchestra from 1934 to 1937. In 1938 she entered the Moscow Conservatory and studied many facets of musical education such as music history, the piano, harmony and chamber music. However, she gained her acclaim in 1939 when she performed at a music competition playing the psaltery, which had only been played by men until she came on the scene. This gained her immediate attention and she quickly became a member of the Ossipov Balalaika Orchestra and carved out a long and successful career with them, which covered six decades.

Often writing and arranging pieces for balalaika orchestra she arranged works such as the traditional folksongs “Im Morgengrauen” and “At Sunrise” which were performed by the Osipov Russian State Folk Orchestra. After having received many honours for her services to Russia in WWII, she was given the title of “People’s Artiste of Russia” in 1969.

Her own works include Concert Fantasy on the Waltz “Autumn Dream”, Molodezhnaya Overture and the choral piece “In Memory of Sergey Yasenin”. Her compositions and arrangements have featured on albums such as her own Sing, Gusli as well as Red Berry Blossom by the Osipov Balalaika Orchestra, Symphonic Works by Russian Composers, Balalaika Favourites by the Ossipov Russian State Folk Orchestra and Elena Obraztsova: Russian Vocal School.

She passed away in Moscow in October 1999 when she was 80 years old.

In 2008 the III Open International Competition of Performers on Multistring Neckless Instruments that was named after Vera was held in Moscow.

Osipov Russian State Folk Orchestra
At Sunrise (Traditional Russian)
Mercury 432 000-2 (CD: Balalaika Favourites)
Conductor – Vitaly Gnutov
Domra – Rudolf Belov
Arranger– Vera Gorodovskaya

Sources:

Gorodovskaya, Vera (20th January 1919-26th October 1999)

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