Performer (domra), composer, teacher.
A. Tsygankov is an outstanding virtuoso soloist on the historic Russian folk instrument, the domra. A combination of remarkable natural talent, diligence, broad musical education and erudition has enabled him to create a unique performing style that has placed the domra alongside the piano, violin, cello and other classical instruments.
The large concert repertoire he has created has already become a school of high professional skill on which young domra soloists are formed.
He was born in 1948.
A. A. Tsygankov graduated from the Omsk Music College named after V. Shebalin (class of V. G. Patrashova), the Gnesin State Musical and Pedagogical Institute (now the Gnesin Academy) and its assistant traineeship (class of Professor R. V. Belov).
While still a first‑year student at the Gnesin Institute he was awarded the title of laureate and the Silver Medal at the international competition of the Ninth World Festival of Youth and Students in Sofia, Bulgaria (1968). He subsequently won First Prize at the First All‑Russian Folk Instrument Performers’ Competition in Moscow (1972).
Since 1971 he has been soloist and principal artist of the N. P. Osipov State Academic Russian Folk Orchestra. Within this renowned ensemble he has realised his full potential as performer and composer, creating works that have opened up new directions in domra performance, including «Poem in Memory of Shostakovich», «Introduction and Csárdás», «Belolitsa‑kruglolitsa» and «Chastushki».
His first collection of original works was published by Soviet Composer in 1979, followed by two further volumes in 1982 and 1992. The vivid, highly expressive pieces in these collections are consistently popular with performers in Russia and abroad. The concert repertoire he has created is so widely recognised that virtually no competition or recital programme for domra, at any level, is given without at least one of his works.
Ensemble performance plays a major role in his artistic life. In 1979 the soloists’ ensemble of the Osipov Orchestra under his direction won First Prize at the Second All‑Russian Folk Instrument Performers’ Competition in Leningrad.
Collaboration with the popular trio led by A. V. Belyayev resulted in the suite «Melodies of the Old Town» and a series of arrangements of folk music written in an improvisatory style; these works were published by Muzyka in the collection «Melodies of Past Years».
In 1989 he founded the soloists’ ensemble «Russian Festival», which enjoyed triumphant success in the Netherlands, Spain, Turkey and the United States. The foreign labels Koch International and Fidelio have released three CDs featuring this ensemble.
He has taught at the Gnesin Academy for more than thirty years.
Graduates of his class include laureates of all‑Russian and international competitions such as:
- I. Akulinina (Glybina);
- Ye. Bezryadina;
- A. Galashenkova;
- A. Belov;
- M. Koritsky;
- V. Dunayev;
- Ye. Nepryakhina and others.
He was one of the initiators of the international festival «Strings of Russia» held in Yaroslavl in 1991 and 1993.
He has given masterclasses:
- in the United States for the Balalaika and Domra Association of America courses (1992 and 1994);
- in Japan with the Tokyo Balalaika Orchestra (1996);
- in Norway with members of the Norwegian Russian Folk Instrument Orchestra.
He also conducts extensive teaching work in the form of masterclasses for students at Russian music institutions, taking every opportunity during his tours to meet young performers and share the secrets of his craft.
He is frequently invited to serve as chair of the jury at competitions such as the Cup of the North in Cherepovets and the Andreev Competition in St Petersburg, among others.
As a soloist of the Moscow State and Regional Philharmonic Societies and later of the Mosconcert organisation, he has given up to one hundred solo concerts per season in Russia and abroad, including tours in the former Yugoslavia, Norway, Sweden, Japan, France and Germany.
He works regularly with professional folk instrument orchestras from Petrozavodsk, Kazan, Cherepovets, Krasnodar, Barnaul, Nizhny Novgorod, Kemerovo and Yekaterinburg.
Since 1996 this virtuoso domra player has opened a new and important line in folk‑instrument concert performance by appearing as soloist with symphony orchestras, including:
- the Academic Symphony Orchestra of the Omsk Philharmonic (March 1997);
- the Yaroslavl Provincial Symphony Orchestra (May 1997);
- the Academic Orchestra of the Voronezh Philharmonic (February 1998).
He attaches great importance to the promotion of Russian folk instruments. In the 1970s he created the television series «Voices of Folk Instruments» for Central Television, presenting the history, use and development of the balalaika, domra, bayan, guitar and various folk instruments.
He is a member of the Union of Composers of Russia.
He has written more than seventy works for folk instruments, including a Concerto‑Symphony for balalaika (domra) and orchestra, a Sonata for domra and piano, the Poem in Memory of D. Shostakovich, the Slavic Concerto for domra (balalaika) and orchestra, and over fifty arrangements of folk themes.
