Ukrainian Quartet Performing At W&L Next Month
DakhaBrakha, a global music quartet from Kyiv, Ukraine, will bring their explosive energy and genredefying sound to the Keller stage in the Lenfest Center at Washington and Lee University on March 5 at 7:30 p.m.
By experimenting with Ukrainian folk music and weaving in rhythms and instruments from around the world —including Indian, Arabic and African traditions — their performances are vibrant and unforgettable, said a spokesperson.
DakhaBrakha was created in 2004 at the Kyiv Center of Contemporary Art ‘DAKH’ by avant-garde theater director Vladyslav Troitskyi. Meaning “give and take” in old Ukrainian, the quartet’s vocal range creates a transnational sound rooted at the crossroads of Ukrainian folklore and theater.
DakhaBrakha’s live shows are often characterized by textural, layered sounds, the use of traditional dress, and a stage presence that combines Ukrainian folk elements with global musical influences.
Bob Boilen of NPR is often asked, “What’s your favorite Tiny Desk Concert?” He reports, “It’s the one recently performed by DakhaBrakha. They make music that sounds like nothing I’ve ever heard, with strands of everything I’ve ever heard. There are rhythms that sound West African and drone that feels as if it could have emanated from India or Australia. At times, DakhaBrakha is simply a rock band whose crazy homeland harmonies are filled with joy. All the while, they play tight-knit tunes featuring accordion, drums, reeds and shakers while wearing tall, Marge Simpson-looking wool hats that made me jealous.”
Tickets can be purchased at https://my.wlu.edu/lenfestcenter/ dakhabrakha. Prices are $35 for the general public, $29 for W&L faculty and staff and $8 for students.
The evening before the concert, March 4, at 5:30, DakhaBrakha will be showcased at W&L’s Evans Dining Hall in a “Meet & Greet Ukranian Cooking Exhibition and Dinner.”
Patrons will enjoy a typical Ukrainian dinner prepared by W&L chefs, in addition to a cup of DakhaBrakha’s famous borscht, while enjoying the lively sounds of Ukrainian folk songs performed a cappella.
Tickets for the March 4 event are limited. Visit https://my.wlu.edu/lenfestcenter/ dakhabrakha-cooking- exhibition to purchase.
Prices are $39.73 for the general public. Sales will close for this event on March 2.
