Question: How did a Northern Irish ex-pro soccer player get transplanted into North America鈥檚 oldest Russian balalaika orchestra?
Answer: His wife is Russian and she鈥檚 been in the orchestra for 38 years, 34 of which as the conductor.
Not long after meeting his future bride, Natasha Lozovsky-Burns, at UBC, Stephen Burns picked up the famous Russian instrument, which he now plays contrabass in the orchestra.
And it鈥檚 no surprise to hear the Richmond couple鈥檚 two daughters, Ali, 19 (on accordion) and Kira, 18, (on domra 鈥� a kind of mandolin) grew up playing Russian instruments and are also part of the Russian Community Centre鈥檚 (RCC) famous Balalaika Folk Orchestra.
Suffice to say, it鈥檒l be a proud moment for Lozovsky-Burns when she conducts the orchestra鈥檚 50th anniversary concert this Sunday at the Norman Rothstein Theatre in Vancouver.
The appearance and performance of two special guests from the world of Russian music - Alexander Tsygankov, a prima domra soloist, and Inna Shevchenko, a renowned pianist 鈥� is sure to make the event a memorable occasion for all concerned.
鈥淲e did a big concert 12 years ago for the RCC鈥檚 50th anniversary and every April we have an annual concert with the orchestra, dancers and students from the RCC school,鈥� explained Lozovsky-Burns, who has also been the music teacher at Whiteside elementary for the last 10 years.
鈥淏ut this year, we have some very special guests from Moscow and this will probably be the biggest yet.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been a little crazy putting this all together, but it鈥檚 going to be worth it.鈥�
Lozovsky-Burns, 52, who has been conducting the very same orchestra since she was 18, was actually born in Beirut to a Russian father and Czech/Armenian mother.
Her family emigrated to Canada in 1968, when she was age two, and at age four, she went to the Russian school in Vancouver, before joining the orchestra at 14.
鈥淚 spent four years on the orchestra playing the dorma and then became the conductor,鈥� recalled Lozovsky-Burns.
鈥淎nd that鈥檚 what I鈥檝e been doing that for 34 years.鈥�
Lozovsky-Burns added that her husband had likely never even heard of a balalaika until he met her.
Although, music was no doubt circling somewhere in his blood, as his late dad, Danny Burns, was an integral member of the famous Irish band The Wolfhound.
The concert runs Sunday, April 29 at 3 p.m., featuring all of the above in the orchestra, as well as Yablochko Russian Dancers, Kiselniye Berega Russian Choir, Slava Alexandrov (balalaika soloist) and Elena Razlog (operatic soprano).
For ticket information, go online to or call 778 868 1753.
