Defender of the Fatherland Day: War Songs with Mazaika Duo

An evening of songs and foot-tapping nostalgia to mark the Defender of the Fatherland day. These songs are known and loved in Russia and abroad. A number of highly talented composers and poets were among their authors, and no Soviet family get-together could pass without these songs being sung. The words of these songs may be generated by the war, but at the forefront of them is the world that the war is supposed to save.

The programme of the evening will include famous Soviet soldier songs plus some Russian folk songs.

Igor Outkine [Russia] studied classical accordion at Elektrostal’s music college and traditional singing at the Gnesin Institute in Moscow. He performed extensively with top folk groups and with the Rozovsky Theatre of Moscow. In 1996 he met violinist Sarah Harrison with who he created Mazaika. His performance of Russian Tangos, Romances and Folksongs at the Oxford Chamber Music Festival in 2000 was broadcast by BBC Radio 3. In 2004 he appeared in London’s Almeida Theatre with Soft Cell lead singer Marc Almond playing and singing Russian songs and is featured on Marc’s live DVD “Sin Songs”. He has played on several major film soundtracks including “The Man Who Knew Too Little” (1998), “Birthday Girl” (2001), “Mirrormask” (2004), “La Vie en Rose” (1997), and “la Mome” (2007). Igor also appears on screen in the new feature film “Eastern Promises” (2007) directed by David Cronenberg (“Fly”, “Crash”) singing the Russian song Dark Eyes.