ABOUT THE TAMBURITZANS



1801 Boulevard of the Allies

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15219

tel (412) 396-5185

fax (412) 396-5583

e-mail tamburitzans@duq.edu

duq.edu/tamburitzans

ABOUT THE TAMBURITZANS

Based on the exciting music, songs, and dances of Western Europe and neighboring cultures, the Duquesne University Tamburitzans is the longest-running live stage show of its kind in the United States. Via a two-hour virtual journey filled with color, sound and movement, the ensemble relates the joys of life and the timeless beauty of the many cultures which it artistically represents.

The ensemble, founded in 1937 at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, takes its name from the tamburitza (tamburica) family of stringed folk instruments predominant in the music of Eastern Europe. Company members come from all corners of the U.S., Canada, and Eastern Europe, bringing lifetimes of performing experience to the stage. Chosen on the basis of outstanding talent as well as academic achievement, each of the student performers receives an endowed scholarship award and is eligible to receive a grant-in-aid to study at Duquesne towards a degree in any academic field offered by the University, while performing with the Tamburitzans on weekends and semester breaks.

Managing Director Paul G. Stafura has also been the show’s producer since 1988. An accomplished musician and arranger, Mr. Stafura has engaged scores of world-renowned choreographers and arrangers to create authentic works for the ensemble during his tenure.

The group is headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA at the Tamburitzans Administration Building, just a short walk from Duquesne’s main campus. Along with business, wardrobe, and media departments is a rehearsal hall and the props building which also houses the group’s touring bus. In addition to the company’s offices, TAB houses one of the world’s finest collections of museum-quality folk costumes and artifacts as well as an extensive library of rare books, multi-media recordings, music manuscripts and other artifacts relating to folk culture.

The Tamburitzans travel extensively throughout the continental United States, presenting an average of 80 colorful concerts during their August-to-June performing season. The ensemble has also undertaken ten international tours over its history, performing in Bulgaria, Canada, France, Italy, Latin America (10 countries), Poland, Romania, and the former Czechoslovakia, Soviet Union, and Yugoslavia.

Mission Statement:

The Duquesne University Tamburitzans is dedicated to preserving and perpetuating the cultural heritages of Eastern Europe and its neighbors through performance, while awarding scholarships to talented and deserving student performers.

History:

The Duquesne University Tamburitzans began in 1937 as a musical group of twelve young men who played the tamburitza. Intrigued by the culture surrounding this traditional East European stringed instrument (which is similar to a mandolin), the group’s founder, Dr. A. Lester Pierce brought his “Slavonic Tamburitza Orchestra” from St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he garnered support for his ensemble from the multitude of ethnic communities and fraternal societies residing in the culturally diverse city. Equipped with this affirmation of the viability of his ensemble in Pittsburgh, Dr. Pierce negotiated a work scholarship arrangement with Duquesne University, and the Tamburitzans began a spirited tradition heralded as “unique in all the world.”

Today, these young men and women perform the music, songs, and dances of Eastern Europe and surrounding cultures under the direction of Managing Director Paul G. Stafura.

The Tamburitzans’ numbers have tripled since those early days. The students who comprise the Tamburitzans performing ensemble come from across the country, across the border, and across the sea. Contrary to popular supposition, Tamburitzans performers are not professional; they are college students who receive grant consideration for their participation in the ensemble. Each Tamburitzans performer is concurrently a full-time student at Duquesne University, studying in the academic field of his or her choice. Tamburitzans students at Duquesne major in everything from Accounting and International Business to Pharmacy and Nursing. Attending classes during the week and performing an average of eighty shows from coast to coast on most weekends and breaks during the academic year is a hectic schedule which many college students would find impossible to keep. Yet, the Tamburitzans accomplish this feat with the bravura of seasoned professionals, despite the fact that no performer has a tenure with the ensemble for more than four years. And, most admirable, Tamburitzans also achieve academic excellence, placing on the dean’s list often during their unconventionally busy college careers.

How do Tamburitzans become Tamburitzans?

Most Tamburitzans saw their first concert as children, belonged to a children’s performing group, took private lessons, had parents who took a keen interest in their artistic progress, and most important, worded hard at perfecting their talents prior to auditioning for a position in the ensemble. After a general audition, either in person at the Tamburitzans Administration Building, or via video (many applicants live across the country or overseas, and cannot travel to Pittsburgh), those applicants who meet the academic and talent criteria necessary to fill vacancies in the ensemble are chosen to compete in an all-day session similar to the rigors of a day of Tamburitzans production camp. The judging panel (comprised of Tamburitzans staff and local experts in the field so f music, vocal, and dance performance) scrutinizes all hopefuls, and makes the next round of selections. TAMBURITZANS – members of one of the world’s most unique groups of performing artists.

The Music

In a diversity of form and style, using instruments unusual and familiar, the Tamburitzans program explores the sensational realm of World Music. Panpipes from Romania, the balalaikas of Russia, Greek bouzoukee . . . the Tamburitzans play the music of our world with soulful passion and fire.

The TAMBURITZANS takes its name from the tamburitza family of stringed instruments. A unique feature of the ensemble’s show is the philharmonic sound of the tamburitza orchestra, in which the entire company plays. Unlike many high-tech productions, the Tamburitzans is one of the few stage presentations in the U.S. which uses all-live music, and predominantly acoustic instrumentation.

Although the Tamburitzans production relies largely on music to convey the essence of the cultures

represented, a dozen or more languages may be used during the course of the production to convey the same. Dialect and regional nuances are important considerations when fine-tuning the performance, so experts are utilized to ensure the proper enunciation of words and sensible delivery of vocal phrasing.

Music is paramount in The Tamburitzans show. The ensemble actually began as a strictly musical group of tamburitza players. Yet, even with the passage of time, and with the introduction of a wider variety of folk and orchestral instruments and other audio technologies into the show, music remains the driving force behind the production.

Ensemble musicians have undergone years of training in the musical folk arts, having learned from masters of the craft — including virtuosi from Eastern Europe, the U.S., and Canada.

When presenting such an array of style, it is important to portray each nationality’s or country’s music as

authentically as possible. The Tamburitzans bring in some of the finest musical artists and

composers/arrangers when formulating the new season’s production to effect such authenticity, in tandem

with the some of the latest advances in sound and musical technology to present the theater-goer with a full range of sound.

The result is a fusion of modern ideas with time-tested folk motifs, pleasing the most discerning purist, as

well as the average music lover.

The Dances

The Tamburitzans engage some of the world’s finest choreographers and dance trainers to work with the ensemble. Combining precision and authenticity with creativity and theatrics, these professionals have injected their own brands of excitement into the Tamburitzans’ productions, shaping the eclectic style that is a Tamburitzans trademark.

The choreographies featured in the Tamburitzans production are the result of hours, days, months, even years of intense work. Learning the sequences is only half of the story. The performers are taught ten or more complete choreographies each year during the ensemble’s pre-season production camp. The choreographers - - most of them from the country of origin -- who have created these works teach their own dances, oftentimes with the aid of professional dance assistants. These artists have spent lifetimes dedicated to the research, preservation, and re-creation of these dances of Eastern Europe and neighboring cultures.

When presenting folk culture on a theatrical level, it is impossible to re-create the entire scope of folk life. However, the dances and sequences presented by The Tamburitzans have been highly researched for authenticity, staying as true as possible to the dance style and musical forms of the countries or nationalities represented, keeping a pleasant balance between educating and entertaining the audience.

The Costumes

Color comes alive when The TAMBURITZANS captures the stage.

Brilliant colors, intricately embroidered textiles, dazzling accessories — are all part of the excitement of The Tamburitzans show. Lush musical portraiture is complemented by breathtaking visual artistry as The Tamburitzans sets the stage afire in a blaze of color and style.

In just two hours, The Tamburitzans presents over five hundred variations of wearable folk art in as many colors as the mind can imagine. From bold and beautiful to soft and subtle, the visual impact of the ensemble’s wardrobe is stunning.

The Tamburitzans possesses one of the most extensive collections of East European costumes and accessories in the Western Hemisphere. The ensemble’s wardrobe technician handles all aspects of the care, maintenance, and research in the creation of costuming for the ensemble, working with choreographers and expert folk arts consultants to ensure authenticity and attention to detail.

Over 500 original (directly from the country of origin) and replicated (researched and duplicated in our wardrobe department) costumes are used in The Tamburitzans production.

THE DUQUESNE UNIVERSITY TAMBURITZANS:

PRODUCTION & PERFORMERS

Throughout its 77 years of existence, this outstanding group of entertainers has presented thousands of shows throughout the United States and Canada, and has also achieved international acclaim in countries from South America to Europe.

In a two-part presentation, The Tamburitzans captures the indomitable spirit of Eastern Europe and neighboring cultures. Language (a dozen or more are used) is no barrier, as these emotions strike a universal chord: joy at a wedding, sorrow over lost love, pride in a plentiful harvest. Through music and movement, The Tamburitzans ensemble portrays the human experience with passion and believability.

It's easy to be enthralled with this exciting show, which uses over 300 costumes. These works of art are as diverse as the countries, regions, and nationalities which they represent. Rich textiles, magnificent embroideries, intricate lacework adorn the performers as they shuttle through cityscape and countryside, bringing to American theatre the magic of places which most people have only read about in a book or heard mentioned in stories and memories of the "Old Country."

Professional folklorists from around the world — choreographers, arrangers, instrumental and vocal trainers — lend their years of experience and fine talents to the Tamburitzans production, creating and instructing authentic works for stage presentation while retaining the cultural and traditional integrity of each work.

A Duquesne University Tamburitzan — the name comes from the stringed folk instruments which they play — is a typical college student with an exceptional amount of performing talent and the ambition to use that talent in a most unusual effort to secure higher education. Most Tamburitzans performers have come through the ranks of "junior" tamburitzan and other ethnic performing groups in their own communities, or have been students of the performing arts since early childhood. Usually during their senior year in high school, applicants audition for a spot in the ensemble. Those who make the grade ship off with the veteran performers for an intensive three-week production camp in mid-July at W&J College, about 35 miles from the ethnically and culturally rich city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, home of Duquesne University. After the new production is perfected during "Camp Tour" (two weeks of performances in mid and north central U.S. cities), these student performers begin classes at Duquesne in late August.

Ensemble members receive sizable grants-in-aid for their participation in the ensemble, and may study in any discipline offered at the university. Concurrently, throughout and beyond Duquesne's academic year, they travel by bus across the U.S., presenting their show on weekends and semester breaks, captivating audiences everywhere with their special brand of entertainment.

TAMBURITZANS PRODUCTION AND TRAINING STAFF

PAUL G. STAFURA (Managing Director) has acted in this capacity since 1988. Having begun his

Tamburitzans career as a performer in 1967, Stafura, a native of West Mifflin, PA, earned both his Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in Music Education from Duquesne University. He served as Tour Manager and Company Manager prior to his present appointment. Stafura, an accomplished musician and arranger, has penned numerous scores for the Tamburitzans, winning in 1983 the "Meet the Composer" Award in New York City.

Currently, he is responsible for myriad aspects of the ensemble's operations, including creating the production, contracting choreographers and music arrangers, making all arrangements for the Tamburitzans annual summer production camp (at W&J College in Washington, PA), rehearsing and perfecting the show and taking it on the road. Stafura also acts as the ensemble's business manager and booking agent, contracting with presenters across the country to perform up to eighty shows each season, and is an expert bus driver, assuming the role when needed to pilot the Tamburitzans bus. Parents of seven children, Stafura and his wife Susan reside in his hometown.

SUSAN M. STAFURA (wardrobe specialist, resource manager, vocal trainer, music arranger) began her affiliation with the Tamburitzans in 1971 as a performer. She has been an arranger for the ensemble since 1983 and the vocal trainer since 1988. Mrs. Stafura received both Bachelor of Science in Music Education and Master of Music in Piano Performance degrees from Duquesne University and has accrued many post-graduate credits in voice. She has been the music director for several junior folk groups, and continues to teach, direct, arrange and perform for various festivals and folk ensembles. Pursuing her interests in sewing and costuming, Mrs. Stafura has created and reproduced numerous sets of authentic costumes for the Tamburitzans as well as for other performing groups. She also works extensively in the researching, collecting, and cataloguing of folklore data.

FAQ’s

Q: What is the relationship between Duquesne

University and the Tamburitzans?

A: The Tamburitzans is a department under the Division of Student Life at Duquesne.

Q: What IS a tamburitza?

A: Considered to be the national folk instrument of

Croatia, the tamburica (tamburitza) or tambura is a

family of musical instruments found throughout the

Balkans. One who plays this instrument is called a

TAMBURITZAN.

Q: How are new Tamburitzans chosen for each season?

A: General auditions take place in early February for the upcoming year. Afterwards, call-backs and interviews complete the process before the final selections are made, usually by mid-April. An average of 10 new performers are chosen each season.

Q: What are the talent requirements

to be a Tamburitzan?

A: All applicants must first be accepted in their chosen school of study at Duquesne University, and should have prior performing arts experience. Many of our students are talented in multiple performance disciplines.

Q: Where do Tamburitzans come from?

A: Tamburitzans performers come from cities across the U.S.; they belonged to ethnic music/dance ensembles in their hometowns, and/or were classically trained students of music/dance; some also come to Duquesne as International students, bringing their European expertise to the stage.

Q: How do the Tamburitzans travel?

A: The entire production, from staff and performers to costumes and instruments travels from coast to coast in one large touring bus. Occasionally, the Tamburitzans bus is also a “hotel,” since some performance destinations require overnight travel.

Q: Is this the only group which is called

“tamburitzans?”

A: No. While the Duquesne University Tamburitzans is a unique performing entity comprised solely of college students, there are many other educational and recreational tamburitza groups around the world, both junior (through high school age) and adult (post-secondary).

Q: At what age did DUT performers begin their training?

A: Some Tamburitzans were students of dance and music a an early age, sometimes as early as 3 or 4 years old! Overall, many became serious about these disciplines in their early teens, taking private lessons and belonging to junior performance groups and/or dance schools.

Q: Do all of the Tamburitzans speak English?

A: Of course! Most Tamburitzans are English-speaking Americans. Some are second or third generation ethnics, speaking their respective languages at home. Others are international students who speak English as a second language.

Q: How many shows do they perform in a season?

A: On the average, the “Tammies” give 80 performances in a season, which runs from mid-August through May. These include both public and private performances in venues from concert halls and auditoriums to ballrooms and classrooms.

Q: Do the Tamburitzans travel & perform year-round?

A: No, the Tamburitzans’ performing season begins in mid-August with shows in the upper mid-west, and ends the last week of May with a tour of U.S. western states. The group takes a well-deserved 6-week break from June through mid- July.

Q: How far does the ensemble travel?

A: Based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the Tamburitzans’ travel schedule is impressive. With shows from Connecticut to California, Wisconsin to Florida --coast-to-coast and border-to-border in one performing season, the group logs nearly 40,000 miles, traveling through an average of 35 states.

MORE FAQ’s

Q: Is the Tamburitzans show the same every year?

A: No! The components of the show change each season, although the traditional format has remained for over 70 years. Thus, with new performers and a wealth of folk materials to choose from every year, the Tamburitzans show is never the same.

Q: When is the Tamburitzans show prepared?

A: Planning the show happens months before production camp, which then begins in mid-July on the campus of W&J College in Washington, PA, 35 miles away from Pittsburgh. In a little over three weeks, the entire new show is learned, rehearsed, and costumed to take on the road.

Q: How do they learn all of those dances and music?

A: During production camp, choreographers and

arrangers from around the world work with the

Tamburitzans, teaching them all of the steps, notes, and words they need to know to make each segment of the show authentic and exciting.

Q: Do the Tamburitzans rehearse during the year?

A: Yes. Intensive group rehearsals usually take place

early in the season on Fridays at the Tamburitzans

building. Spot rehearsals are usually accomplished at

show sites.

Q: Who makes all of the costumes, and how many are used in a show?

A: About half of the Tamburitzans’ costuming comes

from the country of origin. The rest has been researched and carefully duplicated by our wardrobe staff. A typical show uses at least 300 costumes to outfit all performers.

Q: Do the performers take care of their own costumes?

A: On the road, yes. Each Tamburitzan is responsible for set-up, ironing, packing, and general care of the average 8 to 10 costumes worn by each performer. During “downtime,” the wardrobe staff handles major repairs, laundering & dry cleaning.

Q: How many instruments are used in the show?

A: About 65 different musical instruments are used in the current show. All cast members play the tamburitza; others play violin, flute, accordion, clarinet, trumpet, guitar, bass, soprano sax, alto & piccolo flutes, kontra, and a variety of percussive folk instruments.

Q: Are all of the Tamburitzans music majors?

A: Some choose to major in music, but Tamburitzans

students may major in any of the many courses of study offered at Duquesne, from Nursing, Pharmacy, and Education to Marketing, Multimedia, Information Technology and much more.

Q: Are there many Tamburitzans on Duquesne’s

Dean’s List?

A: Definitely. Tamburitzans overall are very conscientious and hard-working, both as performers and as students, placing on the Dean’s List in their respective schools often throughout their tenure in the ensemble.

Q: Where can I find more information about

the Tamburitzans?

A: Contact us!

phone: 412-396-5185

fax: 412-396-5583

e-mail: tamburitzans@duq.edu

tamburitzans.duq.edu

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