A selection of Gypsy cabaret airs, klezmer melodies and Ukrainian folk songs — rooted in the Slavic musical tradition. Set off on the roads for a programme at the crossroads of sounds and cultures: symphonic power and authenticity blend into a whirlwind of popular jubilation, trance and elegy. The Sirba Octet — a long‑time explorer of these repertoires — joins a symphony orchestra and balalaika virtuoso Alexeï Birioukov for a remarkable meeting of orchestral sound and traditional instruments. Thanks to the exceptional arrangements by Cyrille Lehn, timeless classics take on fresh colours. The prevailing spirit is popular celebration: the energy of Gypsy, Moldovan, Yiddish, klezmer melodies and Ukrainian folk songs invites communal dance while preserving the melancholy of the Slavic soul. Sirba Orchestra! opens a window onto a rich, moving and festive musical world — a journey of themes and variations in dialogue between the Sirba Octet’s soloists, the balalaika and the orchestra, forming a grand medley where joy and nostalgia intertwine.

Formed in 2003, the Sirba Octet brings the vivid traditions of Eastern Europe to the concert stage with striking virtuosity and theatrical flair. Composed mainly of principal players from major French orchestras, the ensemble blends classical technique with folk soul, presenting Gypsy cabaret, klezmer, Ukrainian and other Slavic popular repertories in arrangements that refresh and re‑energize age‑old melodies.

Author of seven recordings — including two on the iconic Deutsche Grammophon label — Sirba Octet has appeared in leading halls worldwide, from the Philharmonie de Paris and Vienna Musikverein to the Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Tokyo Opera City and Shanghai Concert Hall. Their signature line‑up (string quintet, clarinet, piano and cimbalom) creates a distinctive sound palette that moves effortlessly between intimate chamber textures and full symphonic collaborations.

Under the umbrella of Classic World Music, the Octet regularly joins forces with symphony orchestras and guest soloists to stage projects that fuse orchestral power with folk authenticity. Their programmes celebrate dance, joy and wistful nostalgia alike, inviting audiences into a richly expressive musical world where tradition meets invention.

WEBSITE SIRBA OCTET

Born in a family of musicians in the Caucasus, Alexei Birioukov began to play balalaika at the age of 10. He spent 5 years with Balalaika master Pavel.I Netcheporenko and graduated from the Balalaika and conductor of Russian folk instruments at the Moscow Gnessin Academy of Music. In 1991, he won the 1st prize of the international competition of Klingenthal (Germany) in the category “groups” by performing with the Sinioritta Trio and began an international career. Alexey takes part in prestigious musical events and performs with various artistic formations. From 1991 to 1995, he produced a tour in Europe with the Sinioritta Trio. In 1994, he formed a duet with François Heim, diatonic accordion player and created with him the group Balagan. In 1997, he moved permanently to France and played as a soloist with the Avignon Orchestra and the European Philharmonic Orchestra. Since 2005, Alexei has been Artistic Director of the Troika Ensemble (music, dance, Russian, Gypsy and Eastern European singing). In 2007, he was decorated with a gold medal “Service for Art” by the Charitable Public Movement Fund to support Russian culture abroad. In 2013, he participated in the International Festival of Grand Masters Balalaïka in Moscow. The press considers him today as one of the great virtuosos of the balalaika. French critics speak of a “discovery”, of a “penetrating soloist who has kept his adolescent face”..

Hear an excerpt from Sirba Orchestra! – Sirba Octet with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra of Liège, cond. Christian Arming, balalaika: Nicolas Kedroff.