Pletai: Kosmosjam

Medvedchenkova, Maria Marchenko) formed out of a spontaneous all-night jam session in Moscow in October 2016. The four join together as one ensemble, exploring folklore through the lense of performance art, the theatrical, and the mystical. Combining their powerful voices, violin, harmonium, pipes, and other instruments with video installations, Pletai search for a sense of ritual and sacred in the music they perform, imbuing it with a both a freshness and a depth that brings new energy and life. ‘Pletai’ (wattle) in Russian references a form of ancient dances and songs from northern Russia. It is a symbol of prosperity as well as a play on words–as a verb, it means to make a ritual.
Together with Abraham Brody, Pletai explore both the ancient and modern connection between Slavic and Baltic folklore, as well as seek to demonstrate the unity of different backgrounds and cultures through their powerful artistic partnership. Their members have performed internationally and all over Russia, at such venues as Moscow International Performing Arts Center, Meyerhold Center Moscow (artists in residence June 2017), Central House of Artists Moscow, Ethnosphere Festival, Sziget Festival, Solyanka VPA Gallery Moscow, Vselistvenny Wreath Festival, among others.
National Sawdust