Domra takes its modest but honorable place among the Slavic folk instruments. The well-known musician and teacher Alexander Tsygankov plays domra all his life. And, as a rule, the audience enthusiastically accepts his performances.
Children's hobbies
In those days when the Internet had not yet been invented, music lovers and connoisseurs gathered in the evenings to play different folk instruments. The most popular were balalaika, mandolin and domra. Some wits call them "one stick two strings." Alexander Andreevich Tsygankov understands jokes. With his many years of work, he convincingly proves that domra is a full-fledged musical instrument. The concerts that the famous artist gives in different cities and countries always gather full halls.
The future maestro was born on November 1, 1948 in an ordinary Soviet family. Parents lived in the Siberian city of Omsk. From an early age, Alexander often stayed with relatives in the village. Grandfather played a very good mandolin. And seeing that the grandson was interested in playing music, he made a simple instrument for him. The boy in two accounts mastered the technique of playing on it. As a schoolboy, Tsygankov actively participated in amateur art. For some time he played in the brass band of the house of pioneers. He graduated from the music school in three years.
Professional activity
Tsygankov studied easily. In any free minute, he picked up his beloved domra and honed the technique of performance. Few differed in this approach to their own education. In 1965, Alexander received the first prize at the All-Union Exhibition of Young Performers in Sverdlovsk. Participating in various festivals and competitions, he realized that he lacked theoretical training. The young musician decided to get a higher special education at the Gnesins Moscow Musical Pedagogical Institute. Already in his first year, he became a laureate of the World Festival of Youth and Students, held in Sofia.
Tsygankov’s creative career took shape along an increasing trajectory. In the fourth year of the institute, Alexander passed the qualifying competition, and he was enrolled in the Osipov State Orchestra of Russian Folk Instruments. In this group, the musician worked for almost fifty years. In the 70s, the repertoire for domra was small. Given this circumstance, Tsygankov systematically engaged in arranging classical melodies written for other instruments. First of all, for the violin. The composer included elements of classical music, romance and jazz in the folk melody.
