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Ireland Meets Russia: Maestro, Joe Burke to Play "Box" in Moscow

by sara star | October 31, 2009 at 11:07 pm

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Music therapy really works. And now the maestro of Ireland, Joe Burke, is playing his accordion in Moscow this weekend. Through his music, he tells of Ireland's history of despair, hope, and inspiration. Russia adores their accordion and is sure to relate to the music often played during difficult times with deep emotion, offering hope.

(Joe Burke) The king of the “box” — as the instrument is known in Ireland — brings his virtuosity from the Atlantic fringe to Russia for the first time. And for a nation that worships the accordion in its own folk idiom, a real treat is in store.

Burke remains true to the essence of his tradition — a living expression of a music echoing a people’s history.

...The Irish folk tradition has attracted interest from far and wide, and Moscow is no different.

Integral to Burke’s visit is local musician Yury Andreichuk, who sings and plays with Slua Si, an all-Russian traditional Irish group in Moscow. Andreichuk speaks Gaelic, learning through his immersion in Irish music.

“My interest came because this is a living tradition,” he said. “We in Russia are losing ours, it’s dying out in the villages. So I wanted to see how another country’s tradition has managed not just to survive, but to be a real living tradition today, and how we Russians can learn from that and do the same for our own.”

Andreichuk said the experiences and Russian and Irish peoples resonate with each other. “The mentality of the people is very similar. The humour is very similar,” he said. “People suffered wars, hunger and hardship, and music and dance were a good way to escape this. But more is known about the Irish tradition because perhaps the Irish are clever at selling this culture to the world, and the Russians are not,” he added with a wry — rather than envious — smile.

...“Russia has some of the greatest accordionists in the world — and I’ve heard some of their amazing music,” Burke said. “I’ve always had a great interest in Russian history and music, and am delighted to be visiting Moscow for the first time to tell the story of our people through our music. Music tells us everything about a people. And I’m looking forward to going to a country with some of the greatest box players in the world!”

Joe Burke plays Oct. 30 at Tochka, at the Celt Pub on Oct .31 and at the Moscow International House of Music on Nov. 1.

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sara star

at 04:43 on November 4th, 2009

It is amazing how versatile the accordion is. Check out this video played by a Finnish heavy metal band, singing Rasputin (lover of the Russian Queen). Complete with an accordion player (in a skirt). There is also an electic violin in place of guitar.

I am not into heavy metal, but I liked this one. Not for everybody though

NOTE: Unfortunately the accordionist vanished last year.

January 2008, accordion player Janne "Lisko" Mäkinen disappeared mysteriously in Amsterdam

While on tour in the Netherlands in January 2008, during the last day of their stay, a few of the band members decided to quickly tour Amsterdam. All of the band members returned safely and on time to the airport for their flight, except Lisko. He is assumed to be alive because he has sent SMS messages to other members of the band, but has not been seen by any member of the band since his disappearance.

mudricky

at 05:26 on November 1st, 2009

I don't think there is many people in my family who can't play the accordion. Most of all the woman, my mother, aunties, Nana and her mother have all been in accordion bands. Most of the males from my Nana's side play too.

It always used to be great as a boy at family parties someone would say to me to go and get the box... also someone always used to play the spoons!