User:Maryna Pcholkina/Syarzhuk Douhushau

Syarzhuk Douhushau, full name Syarhey Vasilyevich  Douhushau (born April 17, 1983, village Novaye Tarchylava, Orsha district, Vitebsk region) —

a Belarusian singer, multi-instrumentalist musician, ethnographer, teacher, art manager, founder of the cultural movement "Speuny Skhod", founder and head of the institution for the development of traditional Belarusian culture "EthnoTradition" (Tradycyja) and art residence" Dom Tvortsau", founder of the Warsaw Free Orchestra, solo artist and member of such music bands as Fratrez (Belarus), Vuraj (Belarus), Five-storey ensamble, TryNici (Belarus), Isna Trio (Poland), Slavalachia (USA).

Syarzhuk Douhushau is the author of the vocal course "Natural Voice"

Conducts private and group, online and offline singing lessons to help unlock the natural singing ability.

Biography
Syarzhuk Douhushau was born in the village of Novaе Tarchylava. His father Douhushau Vasil Radzionavich was born on August 25, 1954 in village Khlyauno, Karma district, Homel region and died suddenly on January 1, 1984. His mother Rybakova Natallya Paulauna was born on October 1, 1954 in village Vustse, Vorsha district, Vitebsk region.

Syarzhuk graduated from high school in Bolbasovo urban village (2000). But most of his childhood and youth was spent in the village of Novae Tarchylava, where Syarzhuk began his creative activity, sang and wrote songs, mastered guitar playing, created his own band and arranged concerts.

After finishing school, he entered Mahilou Culinary School N18 to study for a “Chef”, then got education as a “Chemical technologist” at Mahilou Technical College (2004). While studying in Mahilou, Syarzhuk attended Mahilou Music School, where he sang in the choir. Zhaneta Henadzyeuna Yalfimava - the mother of the singer Pyotr Yalfimau - encouraged and invited Syarzhuk to join choir singing.

At the same time, he started to participate in a music band, which later turned into the "Neuma" music band.

While studying in Mahilou, he attended the singing lessons of the teacher Ludmila Mikhailauna Bahamolava, who advised and inspired him to enter Belarus Academy of Music.

In 2004, he moved to Minsk and entered the Academy of Music, specializing in "Opera Singing". At the Academy, his teachers were Nadzeya Hubskaya, Viktor Skorabahatau, and others. In the last years at the Academy, he switched his specialization for "Concert-chamber singing" (graduated in 2010).

Since the Academy time, he began to participate in theatrical productions and sing in operas at the Belarusian State Philharmonic and the Opera and Ballet Theater. After receiving his diploma, Syarzhuk got a job as a soloist at the Belarusian State Philharmonic (2010-2018).

While working at the Philharmonic, in addition to singing performances, he developed and conducted many programs for children (children's programs "Magic Land" and "Aout musical instruments"), organized a number of concerts in memory of Ryhor Baradulin "Pesni matchyny z Vushachyny” (“Mother’s Songs from Vushachy District”).

During his work at the Philharmonic, he has conducted more than 100 concerts, including those in the schools of Minsk and other cities.

In 2018 Syarzhuk Douhushau married Viyaleta Nikitik. Viyaleta Nikitik (born on June 2, 1986 in Baranavichy) is a practicing psychologist-consultant, Gestalt therapist, life coach. Graduated from BSU, Faculty of Philosophy and Social Sciences, Department of Psychology. Certified Gestalt therapist at Moscow Gestalt Institute.

In 2021, S.Douhushau entered the Master's program of Belarus National Academy of Sciences and is investigating the topic of “Belarus Lyre Music and Lyre Players”.

Activities
Syarzhuk Douhushau is actively engaged in creative work both in Belarus and abroad. He is the founder and participant of numerous creative projects.

In 2008 S. Douhushau together with Anastasiya Papova, Volha Palyakova and Andrey Eudakimau created the band "Fratrez" (bel.: "brothers"). Later, Alyaksandr Yasinsky and Ilona Les’ joined the project.

In 2008, S. Douhushau won first prize at the Armenian Song Contest in Moscow.

In addition to the guitar, he also mastered the flute, pipes, ocarina “ryba”, double pipes, fifes and the wheel lyre.

In 2010, on the basis of "Fratrez", the band "Vuraj" was formed, whose activity is based on the assimilation of authentic Belarusian folklore and its popularization through original author's works. The band took part in many European festivals in Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Lithuania and others. “Vuraj” presented 5 studio albums.The group existed until 2020.

In 2013, Syarzhuk Douhushau became the initiator and creator of the public initiative "Speuny Skhod” (Singing Gathering"). The goal of the project is to unite people in singing by means of Belarusian songs. "Speuny Skhod" is organized as an independent thematic event, and is also part of large-scale music festivals and concerts. « Speuny Skhod» are meetings where people come together to sing Belarusian songs of different times. Since 2013 and to this day, the initiative has united hundreds of people who have an interest in Belarusian musical culture. During this time of its existence, a large number of thematic gatherings have been developed: songs from the “Polatski sshytak” (“Polotsk notebook”), romances by M.K. Ahinskiy and S. Manyushka, songs of the 20th century, calendar-ritual songs, songs of The Beatles translated into the Byelarusian language, Polish, Swedish, Jewish songs and others.

“Speuny Skhod” functioned in different places in Belarus such as Hrodna, Brest, Vitsebsk, Babruysk, Маладзечна, Vileyka. In September 2020, the last "Speuny Skhod" on the territory of Belarus took place. In the summer of 2021, "Speuny Skhod" was held in Warsaw.

At the same time, in 2013, S.Douhushau founded the vocal studio "Free Voice Studio" to hold singing classes and help adults and children develop a natural voice.

Since 2013, he has been going on expeditions around Belarus, where he collects folklore.

Also in 2013, as a result of the merger of the projects "Fratrez” and "The Rational diet", the Five-Storey Ensemble appeared, that is the project of contemporary composers Vitaly Apple, Olga Padhayskaya together with Syarhey Douhushau and other musicians.

In 2016, together with musician and friend Alyaksandr Yasinsky, they recorded a joint album "Roads" consisting of author's songs based on the poems of Anatol Sys and Uladzimer Karatkevich. In 2017, a big concert tour with the presentation of the album "Roads" took place. Concerts were held in Vorsha, Vitsebsk, Baranavichy, Brest, Minsk, Mahilyou.

In 2016 and 2017 S. Douhushau and A. Yasinsky performed songs from the album "Roads" at the festival "Bardauskaya Vosen’" in Bialystok.

In 2018, Syarzhyk Douhushau received a scholarship, "Gaude Polonia," from the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of the Republic of Poland, which helped him implement his creative projects in Warsaw. He participated in the organization of joint Polish-Belarusian expeditions to Polesie, collaborated with Polish folk bands, publishers, and ethnographers.

In 2018 in Poland and in 2019 in Belarus, he played together with the Polish violinist Karolina Matushkevich.

In 2019, S.Douhushau organized and held 3 new festivals in Belarus: the festival of wedding traditions "Vyaselle Fest” (“The Wedding Fest"), the traditional music festival “Rajok” and the Hebrew culture festival Litvak Klezmer Fest.

In 2017, 2018 and 2019 S. Douhushau toured the USA with his own Christmas and Kupalle (summer solstice celebration) programs (Boston, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, California, Ohio).

In 2018-2019 S.Douhushau arranged concerts and lectures about Belarusian musical culture in Boston, Los Angeles, Chicago and New York (University of Chicago Assembly, Skokie Public Library, Jalopy Theater and School of Music) and other cities.

In 2018 in the USA, Syarzhuk Douhushau met talented musicians, professional klezmer music performers Alex Koffmann (violin) and Tatsiana Melamed (vocals). Their “Music of our Roots” music program convey the spirit and power of Eastern European folk music. The program features Belarusian, Ukrainian, Jewish, Polish, Gypsy, Balkan songs and instrumental compositions. S.Douhushau had a number of joint performances in various cities of the USA together with A. Koffmann and T. Melamed.

In 2019 Syarzhuk Douhushau together with American musicians Brett Hill and Benjamin Stewart, as well as their future project manager Nadzeyaa Ilkevich, founded the band “Slavalachia”. Some time later, the Ukrainian musicians from the “Torban” project also joined “Slavalachia”.

The “Slavalachia” project is an alliance of folk musicians and artists from Belarus, Ukraine, and the Appalachian region of the United States. Participants explore new uncharted territory by preserving, promoting and experimentating with traditional music. Their mission is to oppose authoritarian regimes in Belarus and around the world, strengthening and connecting cultures that give people meaning and joy.

In August 2021, the album "Slavalachia" was released, created in the Carpathian mountains together with Ukrainian musicians and recorded at a studio in Ternopil.

Another important area of cultural and educational activity of S. Douhushau is the project "Tradycyja" (“Tradition”). The main goal of “Tradycyja” is the development and popularization of traditional Belarusian culture. As part of the project, a series of books and CDs with audio recordings of authentic samples of Belarusian musical folklore have been published (“Male Singing Tradition”(2018 г.), “Wedding Songs” (2019 г.) and others.). Within “Tradycyja” project S.Douhushau organized many concerts, master-classes with the bearers of folk traditions, expeditions, festivals, and presentations of publications.

In 2020, the "Tradycyja" project was officially registered as the "Etna Tradytsyia" (“Ethno Tradition”) Belarusian Music and Art Development Institution (TRADYCYJA) under the leadership of Syarzhuk Douhushau.

Within 2020-2022 the institution “Tradycyja” has created such projects as the virtual encyclopedia of Belarusian traditional costumes “Tradycyiny Stroy”("Traditional Costume"), the film project “Kola Byelaruskikh Abradau”("The Circle of Belarusian rites"), a number of master classes on Belarusian “vytsinanka” folk art, video content with entertainments and fairy tales for children, etc.

Since 2019, S. Douhushau has been working as a project manager with the public company "Hodna". He is the initiator and curator of the project “Spyavayem Hodna”("Sing with dignity"). Six videos were released within this project, where all willing Belarusians sang famous Belarusian songs online together with the well-known Belarusian performers, such as Lyavon Volski, Zmitser Vaitsyushkyevich and others.

In the summer of 2021, S. Douhushau created and coordinated the project "Karaoke in the Belarusian language. Let's sing together!".

Syarzhuk Douhushau independently organized a number of concerts, including the online concerts of "Volny Choir" (“The Free Choir”), three “Muzyka Pobach” ("Music Nearby" festivals, became the the author and compiler  of Byelarusian songbooks such as "Hodnyja Pesni" (in 2 parts), “Narodny Speunik”("People’s Songbook") and “Kalyadny Speunik”("Christmas carols Songbook").

In the summer of 2020 S.Douhushau started the “TryNići” project together with the Belarusian opera singer Margarita Lyavchuk and the Byelarusian musician, composer and folklorist Ivan Kirchuk. “TryNići” – is a combination of different styles of independent artists in one project.

In 2021 Syarzhuk Douhushau together with the Byelarusian musicians Andrey Yeudakimau (guitar), Alyaksey Warsoba (accordion) founded a new musical project in Poland called “Isna Trio”. Isna Trio is a magical kind of music that interacts with the work of contemporary poets from Central and Eastern Europe. Byelarusian folk music and improvisation are also important components influencing the sound of the group. The first concert took place at the Folkowisko Festival (Poland).

In 2021 S.Douhushau also created and headed «Warsaw Freedom Orchestra». “Warsaw Freedom Orchestra” appeared on March 25, 2021, when it played for the first time during

celebration of Freedom Day. After that, several solo concerts and many performances at festivals and events were held. This is the first and so far the only completely Byelarusian professional orchestra outside Belarus. The members of the orchestra are mostly Byelarusian professional musicians, forced to emigrate from Belarus after the repressions of 2020-2022. The orchestra's activities are aimed at spreading Belarusian classical and modern music, finding new ways to bring it closer to listeners, finding the original sound of the Belarusian orchestra, as well as supporting Belarusian culture and attracting the attention of the international community to the events in Belarus from 2020 to today.

In addition to these goals, the orchestra also plays against the war in Ukraine. In 2022 the orchestra opened its doors to Ukrainian musicians as well.

In August 2022, Syarzhuk Douhushau founded “Dom Tvortsau” ("The House of Creators") art residence in Warsaw. “Dom Tvortsau” is a project aimed at psychological rehabilitation and creative support of Byelarusian culture and art activists.

Till now four residencies took place in the "House of Creators". Those were the musical, theatrical, artistic and folklore residencies.

All in all there were 42 musicians and singers, 24 theater actors, and 19 artists who took part in the residencies.

Within the period of the project, the musical mystery “Beh Zyamli” ("Running of the Earth") under the direction and authorship of contemporary composers Volha Padhayskaya and Vitaly Epau was organized and created, as well as the theatrical productions, video performances by Yuryj Dzivakou studio, new works and exhibitions by Belarusian artists, folk concert and the premiere of the work "Palyn” (“The Sagebrush") in cooperation with the Ukrainian and Polish musicians under the direction of Anastasiya Nyakrasava and others.

Syarzhuk Douhushau moved to live in the United States in December 2021.

Starting in January 2022, S.Douhushau made a grand tour of 9 US-states with a Christmas program (New York, New Jersey, Chicago, San Francisco, Minneapolis, Boston, Washington, Seattle, etc.).

In the summer of 2022, there was another tour with the Kupala program to the 6 cities of the USA including Chicago, Minneapolis, Orange County, San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco.

Syarzhuk Douhushau is actively involved in crowdfunding and fundraising campaigns. At the moment he has more than 10 successful crowdfundings, including books and albums. Also helps with raising money for other projects.

In the USA Syarzhuk Douhushau actively cooperates and helps in organizing events and holidays for the communities of "Belarusians in Minnesota”, “Belarusians in Chicago”,  “Belarusians of San Francisco”.

In 2022 together with the band “Slavalachia”, S.Douhushau arranged many concerts in support of the Ukraine in Cleveland, Dayton, Cincinnati.

Together with Brett Hill and Ben Stewart, a new music album has been prepared for publication this year.

Also in 2022 a big joint performance with Alex Koffmann and Tanya Melamed took place in Minnesota as well as solo performances in Toronto, Attava and as part of Folk Camp in Ontario (Canada).

In August 2022 Syarzhuk Douhushau registered the organization “Tradycja Limited Liability company” in the USA. Through the activities of the organization, it is planned to popularize and spread Belarusian culture abroad and officially organize festivals and concerts in the United States.


 * Старонка ва «У Кантакце»
 * Тузін Гітоў
 * Беларуская этнафонія
 * Вяселле фэст / Wedding festival
 * Litvak Klezmer Fest
 * RAJOK
 * Fratrez
 * Спеўны сход — афіцыйная старонка
 * Cпеўны сход. Віцебск
 * Спеўны Сход. Вілейка
 * Спеўны Сход. Берасце
 * Спеўны сход. Маладзечна
 * Isna Trio
 * Vuraj
 * The Music of Our Roots
 * The Music of Our Roots