VOLYA (Freedom in Belarusian) is a Belarusian folk group based in Seattle, Washington (USA). It was created in 2009 with the mission of introducing the beauty and richness of Belarusian folklore to the people of the Pacific Northwest. The group’s repertoire consists of traditional songs from different regions of Belarus, with a particular emphasis on ancient Belarusian songs, many with roots in pre-Christian and Medieval times, which performed in authentic style.
The group has five members, most of them with deep connections to Belarus and its culture. All members of the group are constantly participating, performing and supporting groups, bands and musical projects that are taking place in the Pacific Northwest region (WA, OR and Vancouver B.C.).
Belarusian folk songs are known to be the oldest, unaltered songs on territory of Europe. Song types and themes include: spring and summer cycle songs, wedding and natal songs, love songs, laments, battle songs, and ancient mythology. Most if not all of these songs are out of everyday use.
Belarusian folk costumes. Folk Group VOLYA and Volya Dzemka own one of the largest private collections of authentic Belarusian folk costumes in the world, outside of Belarus. Belarusian traditional clothing is a part of VOLYA's larger Ethnic Costumes Collection, which also has authentic Ukrainian costumes.
The group has five members, most of them with deep connections to Belarus and its culture. All members of the group are constantly participating, performing and supporting groups, bands and musical projects that are taking place in the Pacific Northwest region (WA, OR and Vancouver B.C.).
Belarusian folk songs are known to be the oldest, unaltered songs on territory of Europe. Song types and themes include: spring and summer cycle songs, wedding and natal songs, love songs, laments, battle songs, and ancient mythology. Most if not all of these songs are out of everyday use.
Belarusian folk costumes. Folk Group VOLYA and Volya Dzemka own one of the largest private collections of authentic Belarusian folk costumes in the world, outside of Belarus. Belarusian traditional clothing is a part of VOLYA's larger Ethnic Costumes Collection, which also has authentic Ukrainian costumes.
Photo by Clean Earth Photography
Volya Dzemka, the group’s lead singer, is a native Belarusian. She was born and raised in the capital city of Minsk, but spent a fair amount of time in her childhood living in a village in Southwestern Belarus with her grandparents. It was in this village that she heard Belarusian folk songs for the first time, and eventually fell in love with them. Volya studied Chemistry in Belarusian State University, but changed field of study, and got her Bachelor’s Degree in Digital Film Making and Cinematography at the Art Institute of Seattle. Over the years Volya has performed in several folk groups, with VOLYA being her latest project. Volya is a producer and director of an award-winning documentary "The Songs of Old Europe – Ancient Belarusian Folk Songs".
Darinka Shapovalova was born in Bulgaria and raised in the Siberia region of Russia. From her early childhood Darinka loved singing, and she started attending the Altai Region College of Culture and the Arts at the age of 15 to study folk history and ethnography. She continued her education at the St. Petersburg State University of Culture and Arts where she was introduced to Belarusian folklore, and pursued Belarusian folk singing.
Olga Sukhover is an ethnic Belarusian born and raised in Moscow, Russia. Her parents come from a village in Slutsk Region in Southern Belarus, where the rest of the family still lives, and where Olga visits every year. Olga has held a love of music since early childhood, and graduated from the Moscow’s renowned Gnesin College where she studied folk singing and choir conducting and acquired her Masterr's Degree in Musical Studies.
Raisa Asriyants is a native Armenian. She started her education in Schnittke Moscow State Institute of Music, and received her Masters degree in Violin Performance from the Western Washington University with honors. She has performed in Europe and the USA, taking part in and winning different solo and chamber competitions across the continents. She is active as an instructor and as a soloist and chamber groups performer. Her music interests range from archaic medieval and baroque, to classical, and to contemporary string compositions, and she successfully combines them as the group’s lead instrumentalist.
Raisa Kreek is a second-generation American with roots in Belarus and Ukraine. She grew up in a musical household, listening to folk music and singing Kievan chant in her church choir for twenty years. While studying English and Russian Literature at the University of Chicago, she sang with GOLOSA, a Chicago-based choir performing Russian secular and sacred songs, particularly from the Semeiskie in Siberia. In addition to participation with VOLYA, Raisa now also sings with Dunava, a Balkan women’s choir. She is proud to bring the traditions of her ancestors to life through performing ancient songs.
Darinka Shapovalova was born in Bulgaria and raised in the Siberia region of Russia. From her early childhood Darinka loved singing, and she started attending the Altai Region College of Culture and the Arts at the age of 15 to study folk history and ethnography. She continued her education at the St. Petersburg State University of Culture and Arts where she was introduced to Belarusian folklore, and pursued Belarusian folk singing.
Olga Sukhover is an ethnic Belarusian born and raised in Moscow, Russia. Her parents come from a village in Slutsk Region in Southern Belarus, where the rest of the family still lives, and where Olga visits every year. Olga has held a love of music since early childhood, and graduated from the Moscow’s renowned Gnesin College where she studied folk singing and choir conducting and acquired her Masterr's Degree in Musical Studies.
Raisa Asriyants is a native Armenian. She started her education in Schnittke Moscow State Institute of Music, and received her Masters degree in Violin Performance from the Western Washington University with honors. She has performed in Europe and the USA, taking part in and winning different solo and chamber competitions across the continents. She is active as an instructor and as a soloist and chamber groups performer. Her music interests range from archaic medieval and baroque, to classical, and to contemporary string compositions, and she successfully combines them as the group’s lead instrumentalist.
Raisa Kreek is a second-generation American with roots in Belarus and Ukraine. She grew up in a musical household, listening to folk music and singing Kievan chant in her church choir for twenty years. While studying English and Russian Literature at the University of Chicago, she sang with GOLOSA, a Chicago-based choir performing Russian secular and sacred songs, particularly from the Semeiskie in Siberia. In addition to participation with VOLYA, Raisa now also sings with Dunava, a Balkan women’s choir. She is proud to bring the traditions of her ancestors to life through performing ancient songs.
