Nerekhta Horn Ensemble performed on the Main Street Stage of the RUSSIA EXPO in Moscow

The concert of the ensemble became part of the jubilee creative program organized at the initiative of Governor Sergei Sitnikov.

On the Main Street Stage of VDNH, the Kostroma ensemble not only performed song and dance tunes, impressing the guests of the RUSSIA EXPO with its originality. Throughout the concert, the horn players talked about the musical culture of the region, immersing the guests in the history of folk traditions. The audience stood applauding the artists and expressing their admiration for their talent.

"I learned about the performance of the Kostroma ensemble from the exposition news. And I came today specifically to listen to how the horn sounds. It's an incredible, original, genuinely Russian music, which the musicians carefully preserve. I'm thrilled," shared Moscow resident Alexander.

For the Nerekhta Horn Ensemble, performing at VDNH is a great honor, the musicians admit. It's an opportunity to introduce exposition guests, who come from different regions of Russia, to the unique art of horn playing.

"Today was very hot. The horns warmed up from the sun and the smiles of the audience. We have been preparing for this performance for a long time, selecting a program to showcase the original Kostroma art, demonstrating the richness of instrument sounds and the coherence of performance," noted Konstantin Sergeyev, the leader of the folklore and ethnographic ensemble "Nerekhta Horn Ensemble."

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Nerekhta Horn Ensemble. The ensemble's performance in Moscow became part of the jubilee creative program organized at the initiative of Governor Sergei Sitnikov. In addition, a concert tour of Nerekhta horn players will be organized specially for the anniversary. It will be dedicated to the festive date and the horn music festival, which annually gathers enthusiasts of this art, authentic performers from all over the country, ethnographers, and music experts in Nerekhta.

In 2023, for significant contributions to the development of the region's cultural life, the Nerekhta horn players were awarded the title of Merited Folk Art Collective. The ensemble is classified as part of the cultural heritage of the Kostroma region, has received numerous Russian and international awards, and is a regular participant in various festivals and competitions. Last year, the Nerekhta Horn Ensemble became the winner of the All-Russian Festival-Competition of Amateur Creative Collectives of the national project "Culture" and received a grant of two million rubles for development.

The Nerekhta Horn Ensemble is a unique ensemble. The basis of its repertoire is traditional Nerekhta hornpipe playing — a collective performance on shepherd's horns, the rendition of songs and tunes by Nerekhta horn players, long known in the Kostroma region and beyond for their rich sound and coherence of performance. Reviving the traditions of ensemble horn playing, the ensemble members learned directly from folk musicians and performers, collecting unique musical material during expeditions in the Kostroma and Vladimir regions.