DRABARNI

The Drabarni ensemble consists of Tanya Karamanos on violin and Vytautas Bucionis Jr. on keyboard and voice. This creative and musically adventurous duo has selected ‘Drabarni’ as an ensemble name as it is the Roma word for "healer" and "fortune teller". Music often acts as a healing device in our lives. It can also act as a way of channeling good fortune and creating and maintaining hope for the future.
Tanya Karamanos’s specialty lies in Romanian musical traditions. She has done extensive work on the subject both in Canada and in Romania where she conducted fieldwork with local musicians. She has also basked in a partly Ukrainian household growing up, where a mandolin and a mandola were always on hand. Ukrainian and Russian repertoire played an integral role in Tanya’s earliest musical upbringing and still to this day, holds a very special place in her heart. Finally, klezmer music has also been a defining factor in Tanya’s sound. She has been performing klezmer now for over twelve years and has studied with the ‘greats’ of this tradition.
Lituanian born Vytautas Bucionis Jr.’s musical interest lie primarily in Balkan folk melodies and klezmer. An avid performer of all Anatolian, Macedonian, Bulgarian, Serbian and Romanian melodies, he feels at home in multiple musical environments. The Lithuanian and Russian repertoire also holds a special place in his heart due to his upbringing in Lithuania. Recognized at an early age for his special talents, this multi-faceted performer, improvisor, composer, pianist and last but not least, singer has been creating elating musical environments whenever and wherever he performs.

This creative duo focuses on the repertoire of Poland, Romania, Lithuania, Ukraine and Russia. They also perform traditional Roma and Klezmer melodies. This ensemble puts a modern twist on traditional repertoire. Opa!