Vermicelli Orchestra - Byzantium (1999)

Vermicelli Orchestra is an instrumental project of professional musicians founded by composer Sergey Schurakov. The band consists of Sergei Schurakov (accordion, composition), Natalia Marashova (mandolin), Julia Rytchagova (cello), Timur Bogatyrev (flute), Mikhail Ivanov (bass), Ilya Rozovski (guitar), Pavel Ivanov (drums) and Oleg Shar (percussion). Vermicelli Orchestra performs its own original music of the unique sound and structure. The style can be defined as a modern music combining a multitude of styles bordering on rock, classical and ethnic music along with extensive use of polyphony and minimalism.

Vermicelli Orchestra was founded in 1996 after two years of work, experiments and artistic search. The musicians had started performing and recorded their first studio album, "Anabasis", the same year. The record was released in 1997 on MC in St. Petersburg and on CD year later in London. At the same time the band members continued working on the material for a second album that was done in 1999. The CD titled "Byzantium" was released in March 2000. Both albums are being distributed by Wayside Music in the USA and by Boheme International in Europe.

The band has been actively performing in Russia and in Europe since it was established. Vermicelli Orchestra participated in such festivals as Forte (Riga, Latvia, 1999), Musicmesse Festival (St.Petersburg, Russia, 2001), Blagovest (Helsinki, Finland, 2001), Faces Ethnofestival (Finland,2001), SKIF-6 (St.Petersburg, Russia, 2002), TRNfest (Ljubljana, Slovenia, 2002), KULTURSCHIFF (Dusseldorf-Bonn-Mainz, Germany,2003).

Vermicelli Orchestra has always been very creative project. In December 2001 it was founded a small chamber orchestra made up of young musicians from the St. Petersburg Conservatoire. It is an octet comprising four violins, two violas and two cellos that have been participating in the all major concerts of Vermicelli Orchestra since the time it was established. Vermicelli Orchestra has been performing as a support act for Peter Hammill and Michael Nyman shows in St.Petersburg. The musicians of Vermicelli Orchestra also cooperated with Mark Almond in recording his long awaited Russian album "Heart On Snow".

Vermicelli Orchestra is an often guest on Russian national TV channels, performing live concerts (e.g. NTV, TV STO, Daryal TV and NBN). The band's music can be also heard on the radio. For instance, the track Byzantium got spot in Severnaya Stolitsa's February 2002 hit parade. Now you can listen to the music of Vermicelle Orchestra in the air of Radio Classic St.Petersburg.

Vermicelli Orchestra performs live regurarly. In St.Petersburg, the band usually make "big" concerts in The Estrada Theatre, DK Lensoveta, utilizing the JFC Jazz Club for routine club gigs. Conventional venues in Moscow are The Central House of Artist's Concert Hall, the DOM Center, the PROEKT OGI club.

Sergei Schurakov's pieces are intricate but easy to perceive which explains why they enjoy a well-earned success not only with sophisticated listeners and music critics but with the general pubic as well. Despite its unique style and top-notch professionalism of its members Vermicelli Orchestra it has not shut itself off from the general audience making it a welcome presence with broad ranging strata of the local and international audience. Which makes it appropriate to rank Vermicelli Orchestra as a phenomenon unique not only to the Russian but also to the international musical scene.

~ last.fm