First Bluegrass Festival Celebrates Russian-American Harmony!

July 20-21, 2010

Read The Bluegrass Bugle! (PDF - 3.81 MB)

On July 20-21, the U.S.-Russia Bilateral Presidential Commission introduced a new American word – and a new musical form – to Vologda, the “Cultural Capital of Northern Russia,” when it sponsored the first-ever Russian Bluegrass Festival headlined by Colorado’s own Pete and Joan Wernick (Dr. and Nurse Banjo). Because of this ancient Russian city’s longstanding connections to the North American continent (merchants from the region played a key role in the early development of both Alaska and California), the U.S. Mission decided to plant bluegrass seeds in Vologda with the help of its Russian partners at the Vologda Regional Administration and the Vologda Historical Museum. U.S. Consul General Sheila Gwaltney and Vologda’s First Deputy Governor kicked off the first night of the festival held within the beautiful Kremlin Courtyard by reminding the overflow audience of the many connections which unite the U.S. and Russia. The next day, the festival moved to the nearby open air museum of Semyonkovo where another crowd – including a hundred students from a nearby United Russia summer camp – braved the afternoon heat to listen to America’s Dr. and Nurse Banjo supported by two Russian country-bluegrass bands: St. Petersburg’s impressive Fine Street and Obninsk’s crowd-pleasing Cheerful Diligence whose members range in age from 9 to 15. Hooked on bluegrass, the Vologda Oblast Administration has already offered the U.S. Mission their huge Kremlin Square if we return with a second festival next year.

Videos on YouTube:

• The First Russian Bluegrass Festival
• Russian-American Bluegrass Harmony in St. Petersburg
• Pete & Joan Wernick (Dr. & Nurse Banjo) - Spring Break
• Pete & Joan Wernick (Dr. & Nurse Banjo) - Leaving Town
• Pete Wernick (Dr. Banjo) & Justin Hoffenberg - Fire on the Mountain
• Fine Street - Old Home Place
• Fine Street - Blackberry Blossom 
• Cheerful Diligence - Gnomes 
• Cheerful Diligence - Korobeyniki 
• Cheerful Diligence - That Don't Bother Me

Photos on Flickr:

• Russian Bluegrass Festival - Vologda
• Russian Bluegrass Festival - St. Petersburg

Read The Bluegrass Bugle! (PDF - 3.81 MB)