Ethnic music from Russia and the Philippines to share the stage in historic concert

A history-making concert is set to happen when ethnic music from the Philippines and Russia share the stage at the Asia Pacific College Auditorium in Makati City this January 22.

Bayang Barrios and Rumiya Niyazova bring to the forefront music and culture of the Manobos and the Tatarstans, respectively, with the concert "Beyond Borders: A Cultural Dialogue of Music". They will be joined by various Filipino music artists.

Award-winning singer/songwriter Bayang Barrios, also known as the Katutubong Diva, uses her music to promote indigenous people’s rights, hope, peace, and environmental awareness. She started her career as the female lead vocalist in Joey Ayala’s ensemble, Ang Bagong Lumad. 

She went solo in 1994 and established her own recording company, Mayumi Records. She released her albums Alon, Biyaya, and Sariwang Hangin, among others. 

Joining Barrios in this concert is her group Naliyagan as well as The Binan Folkloric Dance Troupe 

Rumiya Niyazova is an accomplished singer and theater actress and a resident performer at the LDM Theatre in St Petersburg, Russia. She completed her studies at the Moscow Institute of Culture and the Arts. She also hosted a travel show aired by the Russian Travel Guide channel. 

For this one-night-only concert, the sultry-looking singer will perform the music of Tatarstan, an autonomous republic situated within Russia where the largest ethnic groups are the Tatars.

Niyazova, who speaks three languages, says that she hopes this will introduce Tatarstan music to a Filipino music-loving audience and open doors for more cultural collaborations.

Their traditional music is a mixture of Turkic, Mongolic ad Finno-Ugric elements that bridge Mongolian and Hungarian music. Secular songs and sacred music are all part of Tatar music. Niyazova was a three-time winner of the International Tatar Song Festival. She will be backed by String Fusion and Jerome Rico. 

"Beyond Borders" is produced by Sandra Lim Viray and Faye Miravite of Nadezhda Foundation in cooperation with Asia Pacific College and JB Music. Tickets are priced at P1, 500 with cocktails at 6pm/ Show is at 7pm. For inquiries, visit www.ticketmax.ph or call or text 09154979909.