HESSTON — The sounds of Russian folk instruments will fill Hesston Mennonite Church when Trio Voronezh rounds out the Hesston-Bethel Performing Arts season at 3 p.m. Sunday, April 12, on the Hesston College campus.
Trio Voronezh made its first HBPA appearance in 2009 when the group dazzled the audience with astonishing virtuosity and artistic innovation.
The Los Angeles Times hailed the trio as “Three players, alone on a large open stage, filling every crevice with their rich, imaginatively conceived music.”
The Russian folk trio of accordion, domra and bass balalaika delights with a repertoire ranging from classical masterworks from composers including Vivaldi and Bach to Russian folk songs, Argentine tangos, gypsy dance music, bluegrass and Gershwin favorites.
The trio was formed in 1993 by Valerie Petrukhin on balalaika, Sergei Teleshev on accordion and Vladimir Volokhin on domra, and was named after the place they studied together – the Conservatory in Voronezh, Russia, about 350 miles south of Moscow.  
The group’s international recognition began when they were found playing in a Frankfurt, Germany, subway station in 1995. They have since performed by solo and with symphony orchestras throughout Russia, Europe and the U.S.
All three musicians have won significant awards in their respective instrument.
Trio Voronezh has released five albums and was featured in a 2007 release of a “Peter and the Wolf” orchestral suite with the London Symphony selected as one of Dr. Toy’s 2007’s “10 Best” products for children as well as a National Parenting Publication Awards “NAPPA Gold Award.”  
Reserved seating and general admission tickets for Trio Voronezh are available through the HBPA website at hesstonbethel.org or by calling 620-327-8158. Ticket prices range from $17 to $20 with discounts available for students and senior citizens.
The Hesston-Bethel Performing Arts series, now in its 33rd year, is a collaborative effort of Hesston College and Bethel College (North Newton), presenting five performances by world-renowned or regionally acclaimed artists each year.