Concert Information
The annual BDAA Festival Concert brings together musicians from around the world to perform Slavic folk music, including Eastern European, Romani, and Klezmer musical traditions. The performance will feature virtuoso guest artists with a 60-piece folk orchestra.
The BDAA Festival Concert is performed in a different city each year and is the culmination of the BDAA’s annual convention,which celebrates Eastern European folk music and culture in the US. This year the concert will be held on Saturday, July 11th, 2026 at 7:30 pm in the Luray Ballroom of the Hyatt Regency Dulles Hotel
Ticket Prices (no extra online ticket fees!)
- Adults: $35
- Seniors & Military: $30
- Students: $15
- Children 14 & Under: Free
- Ask us about our Group Rate ($25) at (BDAA.board (at) gmail.com)
Guest Artists
This year we are featuring the following amazing guest artists:
Svetlana Nikonova – Festival Orchestra Conductor
Andrei Saveliev – Prima Balalaika
Ekaterina Skliar – Prima Domra & Mandolin
Ekaterina Skliar
Prima Domra & Mandolin
Ekaterina Skliar is a domraist and mandolinist with virtuosic skill and impeccable artistry. She studied at the Novosibirsk State Conservatory and is known for Known for her pure, crystalline tone. Ekaterina is a prizewinner of international competitions and also won the Silver Medal Global Music Award for her domra and mandolin recordings. She enthralls audiences with a repertoire that spans the globe; from Bach duets to neo-folklore and jazz.
Svetlana Nikonova
Orchestra Conductor
Svetlana Nikonova joined the Washington Balalaika Society in 2003, and has brought exceptional artistry, leadership, and musicianship to the orchestra. She graduated from the prestigious St. Petersburg Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory with a conducting degree and is also a professional domra soloist. An accomplished arranger, she adapts folk and classical works Svetlana is also an experienced and gifted orchestral arranger, able to adapt musical selections from folk to classical.
Andrei Saveliev
Prima Balalaika
Andrei graduated from the Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory and was trained as a balalaika soloist. Andrei played balalaika with the Andreyev Balalaika Orchestra and with local and touring ensembles before immigrating to the U.S. in 1992. Currently, Andrei is a balalaika soloist for the Washington Balalaika Society. Andrei teaches balalaika by using the same techniques he learned as a student in St. Petersburg and is universally beloved by his students.
With Special Guests
The Washington Balalaika Society
Founded in 1988, the Washington Balalaika Society (WBS) is the largest Slavic folk orchestra in the United States. Starting with only 8 members, it has grown to more than sixty musicians and is community-based. The Orchestra presents more than a dozen concerts each year, including their annual Spring and Fall Series, festivals, parks, community concert series and other public and private venues. The WBS Orchestra has even performed at the Kennedy Center Concert HaIl. Currently WBS is under the baton of artistic director (and this year’s BDAA conductor), Svetlana Nikonova, who joined the WBS in 2003. As hosts of this year’s convention, WBS will open our Slavic Festival Concert with an amazing performance you won’t want to miss.
Previous Concert Clips
Check out a few recordings from previous concerts / conventions below!
2026 Sponsors / Donors
The BDAA is a non-profit organization that relies on the generosity of our members, donors, and sponsors.
We are seeking additional donations and sponsorships for the concert. If you would like to donate and be recognized here and in our concert playbill / program booklet as an individual or as an organization please click below to go directly to the donation site or email BDAA.board (at) gmail.com for more info.
2026 Benefit Concert Donors
- Coming Soon!