Belarusians Adopt “Ambasovishcha” as their Native Festival

Hutki Smouzh (Fast Snail) - winner of Ambasovishcha 2009

On June 24, 2009, the U.S. Embassy held its fifth annual festival of Belarusian music at the Ambassador’s residence in Raubichi. Widely known throughout the Belarusian cultural community and general public as “Ambasovishcha”, the festival kept to its tradition of introducing new talent and joining musicians of all genres and guests from all walks of life in a relaxed atmosphere in support of freedom of artistic expression.

This year for the first time, the Embassy solicited applications from Belarusian bands, and from dozens of submissions from all over Belarus, the Embassy selected eight bands to play in the contest portion of the festival and three to perform as headliners.  Several hundred guests enjoyed performances ranging from folk to garage glam to heavy metal. The set by American special guests – the prolific “The Gifted Children” from Rochester, NY—completed the already rich gamut of musical genres and turned “Ambasovishcha” into a truly bilateral event

The festival was broadcast live on two Internet radio stations and will be featured on an Embassy-produced DVD, both of which have become traditions of this central event on the Embassy’s cultural calendar.