Evelina Petrova is a rare find in a world of ever-repeating, inward-spiraling popular music. This bright flame shoots off at a wild tangent from the safe traditions of folk music and challenges the most avant-garde of contemporary classical composers.
Frank Zappa meets Valkyrie Handmaiden-on-testosterone. Banshee wailing over complex chording and lightening melodic ripples. Big, powerful, yet often delicate and feminine, Evelina toys with her audience, scary grunting one minute and scattergun girly crooning the next. Her accordion playing is scholarly and masterful while evoking comparisons with the folky, improvisational excellence of close neighbour, the Finnish maestro, Maria Kalaniemi.
Having had the brief pleasure of her musical and personal company as a guest with us on stage recently in St. Petersburg, Russia, I can confidently predict her effect on audiences everywhere. She will assault your ears, heart and soul in short order and redefine your perception of stark femininity at its most primitive level.
Evelina (Evelyn) Petrova 's first solo album is "Year's Cycle” - a collection of songs reflecting the months of the year in music and song. With lyrics based often on traditional Russian folk songs and music mostly from Evelina herself, the combination is magic. Settle back with some iced Stolichnaya Vodka, close your eyes, open your ears and feel the pulse of Mother Russia as her seasons go by.....
Ian Anderson, Jethro Tull April 2005
Evelina Petrova studied in Saint-Petersburg Musical College, the Theater Academy and Saint-Petersburg State Conservatory.
At the Theater Academy Evelina took part in different art actions and concerts and in 1997 she played in quintet at musical festivals in Archangelsk and St.-Petersburg (Russia). From 1997 Evelina started to play in duo with V. Gayvoronsky (trumpet). In October of 1998 at the Firth International Competition devoted to Astor Piazzolla in Italy (Castelfidardo) the duo got the special prize for original music style. The duo has recorded two CD. The first one is the series of jazz compositions that collected different styles: russian, spanish, american… The second one has more similar themes: there are 10 songs in Russian folk interacting with new jazz.
The first solo album of Evelina - "Year’s cycle" was released on British label Leo Records. There she introduced herself not only as a player but also as a composer."Year’s cycle" represents author's experience of Russian national calendar.
Collaborations with artists- Simon Nabatov (piano), Arkadyi Shilkloper (corn), Sergei Starostin (voice). Russia festival, Amsterdam, Holland
Iva Bittova (violin, voice, Czech) Vooruit, Gent, Belgium
Bert Van Laethem (violin, Belgium)- concerts in Belgium
Alexander Balanescu (violin, GB)
