Russia-America Bluegrass Jamboree |
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| Highlights |
Russia - America Bluegrass Jamboree 2010 HighlightsThis festival, the first of its kind in Russia, was one of those things from which nobody involved emerges quite the same as they were before. For one thing, they were well-cooked. Northwest Russia experienced the hottest July in 140 years with temperatures in the mid-30s C. (90s F)! But the exciting times made up for the discomforts. For the organizers at the U.S. Consulate General at St. Petersburg, it was certainly new, untested ground. For one thing, they didn't know any likely performer candidates, neither in the U.S. nor Russia, so they had to reach out to local musicians for advice. Having concerts in regional towns as well as the big city had never been done. And no one really had any idea how Bluegrass music would go over. The success of the festival changed the landscape and opened up possibilities for the future of the cultural mission. Visit the U.S. Consulate's Bluegrass page »
For the American performers, a trip to perform Bluegrass in Russia was an undreamed-of possibility... a thoroughly exciting, but at the same time slightly scary prospect, given the history of Russian-American relations since WWII. But come they did, and the warm reception they and their music received from all sides will certainly stay with them.
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The directors of the two museums who generously hosted concerts in Vologda and Semenkovo were also in uncharted territory. Would people in their area really
go for this thing the Americans were proposing? What in the world is Bluegrass anyway? Well, they and their visitors heard it for the first time, the toes
tapped, the voices rang out in sing-along, and they would not be at all sorry to see the event repeat next year.
Last but not least, things changed for the Russian performers... the fiery FineStreet bluegrass band, and the young kids of the Cheerful Diligence band.
They have plowed ahead playing a kind of music which, in their native country, almost no one had ever heard of, much less heard. The Jamboree opened
new horizons for these and other Bluegrass musicians in Russia. Thanks to the live shows, plus the radio and internet broadcasts, plus the extensive
TV news coverage, thousands of Russian have now not only heard of Bluegrass music, but have heard it played and enjoyed it. They have the beginnings of
a wider audience now, and that has to be exciting for Russian musicians.
But the significance of this event was bigger than the sum or its parts. So many people were brought together during the Jamboree week through Bluegrass music,
breaking through the barriers of language, culture, and geography, and connecting with each other in a hugely positive way that will stay with them. In the
grand scheme of things in this tense and touchy world, yes it was a small drop in the bucket. But the world just a little bit better place today because
a special, down-home kind of music touched a lot of folks, and planted positive seeds for the future of Bluegrass music.