The Gypsy group “Rodnik” (Radda Erdenko and Nicholas Tsikhelashvili) gave concerts in the UK at the personal invitation of the Madonna, worked with well-known Directors, recorded movie soundtracks, performed in front of politicians and senior hierarchs of the Church. Concert life is rich and diverse. He recently with great success at the festival “MK”, “Good mood”, and on July 7 will present the original program of the festival is “Tradition” in the estate “Zakharovo”. “MK” was found with the vocalist and violist of the group, Nikolai Tsikhelashvili.

photo: From personal archive

— Nicholas, I heard that the festival “Tradition” you will present an unusual program.

— Absolutely. We will introduce the audience to our new multicultural project “Songs and tales, born in the road.” It is dedicated to the life of the Roma people and connects different types of art . The audience will see photographs and reproductions of paintings that reflect the life of Gypsies for almost two hundred years. Before the musical part of the performances will be presented Gypsy tales. Then we will perform authentic Gypsy songs and Russian romances. This manor is associated with childhood Pushkin, the idea of the festival is to bring the audience to the XIX century, to convey its atmosphere. From this we proceeded, picking up a repertoire of songs for the festival. And our program is in tune with this idea. We appeal to the inhabitants of the metropolis, immersed in a perpetual rush, the struggle and competition. And want the people looking at photographs and paintings of Gypsies living in tents, listening to their amazingly beautiful songs and exciting tales, thinking about the fact that you can live differently. We strive to ensure that people become a little happier and more harmonious, the spirit of our art.

— This year your group will be 15 years old. Can you say that you have already formed?

In a sense it is, but we are not standing still. Our daughter, Lala-Maria, stands with us with great success, the eldest son also works with us, he plays drum set, percussion and Cajon. The team has a great composition, which involves musicians playing the trumpet, guitar, bass, keyboards, stringed instruments, and dancers, as well as a smaller structure, consisting of only five people. So we can speak in the great hall and chamber room, singing the poignant piercing melodies. Then, hopefully, grandchildren will be with us. So this is the road of a lifetime. Although the philosophy of our creation is formed and remains the same, music will evolve. We continue to experiment using the different types and kinds of music, delighting the audience with new rhythms and fresh sounds.

Festival Tradition will be held July 7, the day marks the celebration of love, family and loyalty. How you feel about him?

— The day of saints Peter and Fevronia of Murom for Rudd is much more significant. In its spiritual content is closer than came from Europe Valentine’s Day. For us, loyalty and love, which are described in the life of Peter and Fevronia are the ideal height of human feelings, relationships and devotion to each other. We strive to live the same way.