2026 Convention
Washington, DC
The 46th Annual BDAA Convention:
July 7-11, 2026
Herndon, VA / Dulles
Guest Artists
This year we welcome back these 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.
Registration
Convention registration will open in early spring.
We ask that everyone registers as soon as possible after registration opens for planning purposes. To facilitate early bookings, registration costs will increase after June 15th.
You can register online if paying by credit card or by mail if paying with a check. If paying by credit card, you must fill out a separate form and pay separately for each person in your family or group (additional credit card payment instructions can be found here). Multiple registrations can be grouped together if paying by mail.
Hotel Location
The convention will be held at the Hyatt Regency Dulles in Herndon, VA. The BDAA convention rate is available to BDAA members, their friends, and family. The rate is available for two days prior and two days after the convention if you would like to extend your stay.
Use this link to book directly with our special BDAA rate. If you call to make a reservation please use group code: G-MB11
Please book for yourself and your friends/family with the BDAA code and not through third party services! The hotel will likely sell out of rooms during the busy summer season, so it’s imperative that you book early! The cutoff date for our BDAA room rate is June 8th
There is a complimentary shuttle service from the airport to the hotel. See “How to get to Dulles” for details.
Please note that this year many of the restaurants in the area are >1 mile from the convention hotel. It will help to bring or rent a vehicle if possible. If you do not have a vehicle, don’t worry! We ask the folks with transportation to buddy up with people who need rides throughout the week.
Scholarship Application
Each year we offer multiple scholarships to cover registration costs for the convention through the Michael Kolos & Walter Kasura Scholarship Fund. Scholarships are available to all BDAA members, whether it is their first convention or not. Anyone who has an interest in Slavic folk music, attending a convention, and has a financial need is welcome to apply.
Note there is a lifetime limit of 2 scholarships per member, but we do have extra resources available through our Youth Initiative Fund for students and young members who have maxed out their scholarship awards. If this is relevant to you, then we encourage you to fill out the scholarship application to request assistance through the Youth Initiative.
The application for 2026 will be available soon.
The 2015 scholarship convention attendees
Concert Information
The annual BDAA Festival Concert will be held on Saturday, July 11th, 2026 at 7:30 pm in the Luray Ballroom of the Hyatt Regency Dulles in Herndon, VA.
The concert brings together musicians from around the world performing Eastern European and Roma folk music and is the culmination of the BDAA’s annual convention. The performance will feature our virtuoso guest artists with a 60-piece folk orchestra.
Sheet Music Access
When your registration has processed we will email you an access code / login code to download and print copies of the orchestra and workshop music. You can go directly to the link in your email or enter the login information below to be redirected.
Workshops and Daily Schedule
The convention starts Tuesday, July 8th at ~4:00 PM with orchestra rehearsal. We will break for dinner and then have a performance and welcome party Tuesday night at ~8:00 PM.
This year we are offering many of our classic (and favorite) workshops, alongside some new ones
-
- Balalaika technique, balalaika choir, and beginning lessons
- Domra technique, domra choir, and beginning lessons
- Bayan / accordion
- Slavic folk dance
- Chorus
- Festival orchestra
- Music lectures
- Evening concerts, open mic, and jamming
- And more to be announced!
How do I get to Dulles and the Hotel?
Herndon, VA is within driving distance of many local orchestras. If flying, the best option is Dulles International Airport. The convention hotel is only 10 minutes from the Dulles Airport.
There is a complimentary shuttle service from the airport to the hotel. It is available 24/7 to (IAD) Washington Dulles International Airport, running every 30 minutes between 6a-11p. Outside of those hours the shuttle runs upon request and you will need to call the hotel (703- 713-1234) or register at the front desk to schedule pick up or drop off. The driver will pick up at 2B or 2G (lower level).
Don’t Forget Your REAL ID for US Flights!
Note that starting May 7th, US travelers 18 and older must show valid REAL ID identification to board domestic flights. Convention attendees needing to acquire appropriate ID are encouraged to begin the process as soon as possible. Learn more at the REAL ID website and check if your ID card is REAL ID compliant. A list of acceptable forms of ID for US travel can be found at the TSA website.
Tips for Finding Cheap Flights
Remember to check airports in your general region for best prices. It may be cheaper to drive a little further to save on airfare (e.g. if in Madison check MSN, MKE, ORD, MDW; if in DC check IAD, DCA, BWI; Tucson check PHX). Keep in mind that some airlines like Southwest do not show up on flight aggregator sites like Kayak, Skyscanner, JustFly, etc.
Tips for Flying with an Instrument
Domras and balalaikas are strange shapes, which can make air travel with your instrument difficult. In general, we recommend going to the gate with your domra or balalaika as your dedicated carry-on. Try to board the plane as early as possible to ensure there is overhead bin space. Since your instrument is your carry-on, your luggage will have to be checked. Most people do not have a hard-shell case designed for a domra or balalaika to be checked into cargo. If you do have a hard-shell and check your instrument, be sure to place an AirTag or similar tracking device in the case so it doesn’t get lost.
Domras are easier to fly with than balalaikas, and most domras (and small balalaikas) will fit in the overhead bin. Depending on the case, some prima domras and balalaikas can even fit under the seat in front of you. Additionally, most aircraft have a closet near the front for tall items. If you politely ask a flight attendant for help, they may be able to store your instrument in this closet.
The larger the instrument, the harder air travel becomes. If you play a large instrument (e.g. bass balalaika) you may be able to borrow one at the convention site. Reach out to the BDAA board to request a loaner instrument and we may be able to accommodate (no guarantees). Accordions / bayans may have to buy a second seat for their instrument or take it apart so it fits in the overhead bins. Incredibly, on some budget airlines (e.g. Frontier) a second seat may be cheaper or similar in price to checking an additional bag.
In 2012, the American Federation of Musicians (AFM) successfully lobbied Congress to protect musicians flying with instruments and created a great travel guide you can follow. Airlines will often have their own instrument policies that you should research ahead of time. The International Federation of Musicians (FIM) has compiled a list ranking different airlines based on their policies and overall friendliness towards musicians traveling with instruments.
Before You Leave for Washington, DC:
-
- Bring items for the auction – anything you think will help raise money for the BDAA and the Scholarship Fund.
- Print your sheet music. Music for the orchestra and all workshops (except for beginning classes) are posted online.
- Pack a nice outfit for the banquet on Friday night.
- If playing in the orchestra, bring an ethnic costume or orchestra attire (black & white or all black) for the concert on Saturday. See below for extra details.
- Bring a music stand if you can.
- Bring jamming books & lead sheets for the evening parties. All types of music are welcome at the jam – we love to see a diverse jamming repertoire.
- Email your coordinators at BDAA.board (at) gmail.com if you have convention questions!
Festival Orchestra Attire & Costumes
As a multi-ethnic organization, there is no standard BDAA folk costume for the festival concert. We represent multiple countries and cultures and let everyone wear the folk attire they want to, resulting in a beautiful and colorful smorgasbord on stage. If you are new and do not have a folk costume, people will often bring extra costumes / accessories you may be able to borrow. If not, you can wear the classic all black, or black & white orchestra attire for the concert.
With the recent political strife in Eastern Europe, we understand that some musicians may feel strongly about wearing or not wearing the costumes of certain countries in either protest or in solidarity. We support each orchestra member deciding to dress as their conscience may dictate.
Workshop Leaders & Convention Team
Claudia Dwass – Convention Co-Coordinator
A native of Evanston, Illinois, Claudia has played bass domra with the Washington Balalaika Society Orchestra for over 20 years, after moving to Northern Virginia with her family in 1999. Claudia’s musical adventures started with piano lessons at age five, and then cello lessons and participation with her school orchestra through high school. While not a star musician, she really enjoyed performing with the orchestra as well as the school’s handbell choir. As a student at the University of Illinois, Claudia discovered the University’s Russian Folk Orchestra, which at the time was led by Professor John Garvey and Assistant Conductor Victor Gorodinsky. At her first rehearsal she was handed a bass domra to play as this part was closest to the cello music she was familiar with. The orchestra performed concerts on campus and had several road trips to perform throughout the area which were lots of fun. After graduating, Claudia moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan, and soon had the opportunity play with the Russian Folk Orchestra of Detroit, where she played sekunda balalaika. This was a different musical experience, with a smaller ensemble rather than a large orchestra, and a group with long-standing ties to the local Russian community. It was through the Detroit orchestra that she developed friendships and ties to the BDAA community. Claudia currently keeps busy as Treasurer of the WBS Orchestra, volunteering as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for a child in foster care as well as training to run her second half-marathon with her husband Russ.
Jan Bohm – Convention Co-Coordinator
Ekaterina Skliar – Domra Technique
Andrei Saveliev – Balalaika Technique
More workshop staff coming soon!
Sponsors and 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.
Note that as a non-profit, all donations to the BDAA are tax deductible.
2026 Concert Donors
Coming Soon!