The volatinsky trio
THE Volatinsky Trio will woo audiences with their exotic sounds when they perform at the Blacktown Arts Centre on Saturday, February 2.
The Volatinsky Trio is cimbalom (hammer dulcimer) player Lucy Voronov from Minsk in Russia, cellist Anatoli Torjinski from Odessa in the Ukraine and Kiev-trained Australian musician and composer Stephen Lalor, who also plays the guitar and domra (Russian mandolin).
The trio perform original music which combines the traditional sounds of Russia and the Balkans with their unusual mix of instruments.
Their concert starts at 3pm and kicks-off the 2013 Echo Music Series — a long-running series featuring an array of artists in concert.
Mr Lalor said audiences could expect a colourful, melodic and rhythmical show.
"There is no other group in the world like us," he said.
"Lucy Voronov is one of the world's great players of the cimbalom.
"Anatoli Torjisnki is known around the country as a master improviser, and I'm regularly in demand from Australian and overseas orchestras as a mandolinist.
"The group is unique, visually and musically exciting."
The trio formed five years ago after deciding to combine their musical talents.
"With our shared background, we had played with different groups in the same concerts on several occasions," Lalor said. "With the chance to put together a group for a concert series a few years ago, it seemed a natural fit."
To come up with their blended sounds, Lalor composes the music, which is then rehearsed, interpreted and improvised by the others.
"Often it takes Russian, Ukrainian or Balkan tunes as a starting point," Lalor said.
The unusual name Volatinsky Trio is an amalgam of the musicians' surnames.
"Vo from Voronov," Lalor said. "La from Lalor.
"Tinsky from a compressed version of Torjinski."
Details: 9839 6558; artscentre.blacktown
.nsw.gov.au; 78 Flushcombe Road, Blacktown.