Tatjana Masurenko & Yaruss Quartet
Tatjana Masurenko & Yaruss Quartet is a distinctive chamber music collaboration uniting the expressive voice of the viola with the rich traditions of Russian folk instruments.
Led by violist Tatjana Masurenko, the project reimagines Russian Romantic repertoire through historically informed performance, original arrangements, and a unique instrumental sound world.
Selected Recordings:
The collaboration brings together Tatjana Masurenko as solo violist with the Yaruss Quartet, an ensemble specializing in traditional Russian instruments such as soprano and alto domra, accordion, and double bass.
In this constellation, well-known Russian works of the 19th century by composers such as Rimsky-Korsakov, Mussorgsky, Borodin, and Glazunov are presented in newly created arrangements, alongside contemporary compositions by composers such as Oleg Bezborodko. Through these, the music gains a lighter, more transparent, and flexible character, revealing new colours, elegance, and rhythmic vitality.
A defining element of the ensemble is its historically informed approach to sound. Gut strings are used across all instruments in accordance with 19th-century performance practice, allowing the domras to resonate with a timbre reminiscent of Italian historical mandolins.
Combined with great musicality and a vivid joy of playing, the interpretations transcend genre boundaries and create an unusual and compelling chamber music experience.
Yaruss Quartet
Four musicians from the former Soviet Union – Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova – form the Yaruss Quartet:
Elena Kisseljow (soprano domra)
Valerij Kisseljow (alto domra)
Vladislav Cojocaru (accordion)
Georgi Makhoshvili (double bass)
Beyond its musical vision, the collaboration also stands for dialogue and mutual understanding across cultures – expressing, through shared musical language, a commitment to peace and human connection.
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