DakhaBrakha
“The creative quartet from Kiev makes music that sounds like nothing I've ever heard, with strands of everything I've ever heard… At times, DakhaBrakha is simply a rock band, whose crazy homeland harmonies are filled with joy.” —Bob Boilen, National Public Radio About DakhaBrakha • DakhaBrakha is a music quartet from Kiev, Ukraine. They incorporate Indian, Arabic, African, Russian and Australian instruments and rhythms with traditional Ukrainian folk music, creating a unique and unforgettable sound they call “ethno-chaos”. • Their name means “give/take” in the old Ukrainian language, reflecting the way they borrow from other musical styles and creative influences to create an innovative sound they can share with the world. • They strive to expand the potential of traditional Ukrainian folk melodies, touching the hearts and minds of the younger generation in Ukraine, and connecting to people all over the globe. • The quartet began over 15 years ago as the musical side of Kiev’s DAKH Theatre, experimenting with Ukrainian folklore in a series of avant-garde plays. Since then, they have performed nearly a thousand concerts on 14 world tours—including several visits to UCLA Center for the Art of Performance. • In 2010, DakhaBrakha won the prestigious Kuriokhin Grand Prix prize for contemporary art forms, reconfirming their cultural impact in their home country.
• DakhaBrakha’s theatrical beginnings can be seen in their lush, multi-cultural costumes. This performance was recorded live in DakhaBrakha’s studio in Kiev in April 2021, especially for UCLA Center for the Art of Performance. It will be available for streaming on demand until May 31. For an engaging, danceable, all-ages experience, we recommend the first 35 minutes of this performance, ending with the piece called “Vynnaya Ya”.
The full performance is 70 minutes, and briefly includes some mature content in the song “Monakh”.
About the Performers Marko Halanevych (vocals, darbuka, tabla accordion) Marko is the only representative of the countryside in the band. He was born in a village in the Vinnitskiy region, into a family of intellectuals. He graduated with a degree in Ukrainian philology (the study of language and its history) but went into the theatre, became an actor at the Kiev Center of Contemporary Art (DAKH) and then accidentally found himself working with the band. Marko is fond of design – he creates the visual images for DakhaBrakha and also for the DAKH theatre where he continues to perform as an actor.
Iryna Kovalenko (vocals, djembe, bass drums, accordion, percussion, bugay, zgaleyka, piano) Iryna has played Ukrainian ethnic music since her early childhood and has a degree in folklore. She is fond of yoga, yachting, and rowing. Ira is responsible for the “brass section ” of the group, as she easily gets the feel of different musical instruments. She also performs as an actress at the DAKH theatre.
Olena Tsybulska (vocals, bass drums, percussion, garmoshka) Olena is one of the specialists at the folklore department of the National University of Ukraine. When she has some time off, she works on preparing her dissertation about traditional Ukrainian wedding songs. She is fond of driving, sewing and interior design.
Nina Garenetska (vocals, cello, bass drum) Nina professionally studied folklore and is a self-taught cellist. She is the most artistically open-minded member of the band and is always up for collaborating with other musicians. Nina is fond of travelling, photography, fancywork and adornment creation. About Ukraine Ukraine is one of the largest countries in Europe. It has beautiful plains with productive farmland, crossed by rivers that run to the Black Sea on Ukraine’s southern coast. The Carpathian Mountains stretch down the western side of the country. For centuries, it has been a popular vacation spot for Europeans, with beautiful seaside and mountain resorts. Founded in 860, the capital, Kyiv, (spelled Kiev in English) has been a respected center of culture, business, and governance for over a thousand years.
Ukraine has a long and complicated history, with shifting A View of Kiev: Spires of a monastery dating back to 1070 borders and many cultural influences from Asia, the stand across the river from modern high-rises. Middle East and Europe developing over centuries. Over 18 languages are spoken by Ukrainians today, though the primary languages are Ukrainian—the country’s official language and the native language of over two-thirds of the population—and Russian. For nearly 70 years, beginning in 1922, Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union, and was under Russian control. Ukraine became a fully independent country once again in 1991, after the collapse of the Soviet Union. You may have heard about Ukraine in the news recently. In 2014, Russian forces invaded Ukraine, occupying large segments of land along the eastern border and the The famous “Swallow’s Nest” Castle perches on rocky southern peninsula. Fighting in the area has continued off cliffs above the Black Sea. and on for years. Over the last few weeks, the conflict has intensified, and violence has flared once again. The US, along with many other nations that support Ukraine’s independence, are working toward a peaceful solution.
A traditional farm house in rural Ukraine. DakhaBrakha, Dressed to Impress “As theatre people, we care a lot about our style. We realized from the very beginning that we can’t perform in national costumes because, after all, we don’t only play authentic folk music. We described our style as “ethno chaos” flowing with the global river of world music. So we needed costumes to match. Look at our hats, a unique element of our appearance…We spent a lot of time searching other cultures for similar women’s hats – none had them.”
Here are some examples of traditional dress or “national costume” from different regions of Ukraine. How do they compare to DakhaBrakha’s costumes? What’s similar?
Do you think it would be strange for DakhaBrakha play their unique style of music if they were wearing very traditional costumes? What if they chose the more modern and informal rock band look, with no specific costumes, each band member dressed in their own clothes?
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Folk Music & Folklore The simplest definition of folk music is this: music created and performed by everyday people. There is no definite rule, but generally, "folk music" refers to a style of music that is universally known in a certain community, and can be performed by people who aren't necessarily professional or formally trained musicians. Folk music is often passed from generation to generation without ever being written down—young people learn it just from hearing it played or sung by older folks their whole lives. It’s the music you might hear at a holiday gathering or festival in a small town or village. Or, what’s sung at a birthday party or wedding in a big city. Every nation or culture has its own folk music, each unique to the community it grew out of. Many folk songs are connected to folklore, or the tales people tell: myths, fairy tales, “tall tales,” proverbs, and even urban legends. Usually, these are also passed down across generations, and capture something about the values, traditions, beliefs or fears of the community. DakhaBrakha’s music is a modern spin on folk music, with songs primarily evolving out of Ukrainian folklore. “DakhaBrakha is trying to give new life to our grandmas’ songs. Authentic folklore is closely tied to specific traditions or holiday seasons, such as harvest, Christmas, or Kupala Night [the shortest night of the year]. As authentic rituals disappear, the songs disappear as well and a whole layer of culture dies out. Even if you get a grandma on stage, everything in her will tense up and you still won’t hear live authentic music.”
DIG DEEPER: Further Reading, Viewing and Discussion
• Read an interview with the band about their background and influences. • Watch DakhaBrakha perform as part of NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert series. • Listen to recordings and learn more on the band’s website.
DakhaBrakha uses music from across the world, not just from Ukraine. They call their sound "ethno-chaos". How do you think they came up with that word? What was your favorite song or piece of music from this performance? What did you like about it? What was surprising or unexpected? What was familiar? What do you think Folk Music is? Can you think of any folk songs from your community or culture? Can you think of any updated or reimagined folk songs by contemporary artists? What are some examples of Folklore that you are familiar with? One American example is the tale of John Henry. Legend has it that he raced a steam-powered machine while drilling into rock by hand with a heavy hammer. He won, beating the machine though he died from the effort. This tale has inspired songs, stories and films for nearly 200 years. Why do you think this story continues to be passed down? Do you agree with DakhaBrakha’s idea that “even if you get a grandma on stage, you still won’t hear authentic music”? Why or why not? Is DakhaBrakha keeping old folk songs alive by putting their own spin on them, or are they creating something totally new? Could it be both at once? In 2014, parts of Ukraine were occupied by Russian troops and hostilities continue today. Tumultuous times can sometimes offer meaningful material for artists to explore, but DakhaBrakha says conflict is not an inspiration for them. They struggled with how to address this challenging and painful situation, and eventually decided to record their own versions of folk tunes from the areas under Russian occupation as a way of reuniting their county, at least in music. What do you think? Can conflict inspire beauty and creativity? Can it limit creativity? Can music or art be a uniting force?