Difficult time for my Countrymen
With Putin invading Ukraine, war and misery have come to the Ukrainian and Russian people. Nobody but Putin wanted this war. Don’t blame the Russian people. Support the citizens of Ukraine and Russia in their terrible time of need.
Merry Christmas to All
Christmas is a magical time. A time to reflect, to give thanks, and to be grateful for all we have!
I have so much to be thankful for. A love for music, a good husband and the ability to bring music to all my fans.
Thank you all for your support over the years. I appreciate all of you!
Tatiana
Snow Angel Tatiana, plays violin
I am back from Russia
Russia, this time of year, is beautiful. Most Russians, if they have a Dacha, are busy harvesting their gardens and canning fruit and vegatables for the winter. Almost 35% of all Russians have a Dacha.
These Dachas are like little second homes. Some are very grand but most are simple dwellings surrounded by the garden area. As Russians, we look forward to spending time at the Dacha in the summer time.
It is not all hard work and no play. Friends and family gather. We eat, drink and catch up on the local gossip. It is fresh air, good food, visiting friends, family and hard work before winter comes. All the things we look forward to each summer!
I am so excited!
I am so excited! I am planning my trip back to Russia on July 10th to see visit my motherland. It has been two years since I was last there. I have so many friends, former students and colleagues to visit.
I love living in the United States but going back to the country I was born in, is always special.
My home town, beautiful Vologda was founded nearly 900 years ago. Vologda is halfway between St Petersburg and Moscow with a population of about 420,000.
One of the things my city is known for is its famous butter. I can even buy it in specialty stores in Las Vegas!
Is it Hard to Learn to Play Violin as an Adult?
I have been asked, How hard is it to start to play violin as an adult?
You might have heard the violin is the most difficult instrument to play…
The wonderful, Itzhak Perlman
However, if you start to play the violin and put in the work, you can get beautiful results a an adult beginner!
Learning music can be compared to learning a language. It takes time and practice
As an adult you are used to learning things. Your memory works better, you analyze things better and you can comprehend things. You are far more developed than a child in many areas. Besides that you have already learned another language being your mother tongue. The same way you can learn to speak a language, you can learn to play music.
Will it be hard or difficult? Yes, absolutely!
Bowed instruments are difficult to learn. They are very complex and sensitive instruments, so it takes a lot of good quality lessons and good quality practice to be able to play some simple tunes beautifully and achieve the realistic goal described above.
Are you committed to do what it takes? Is your goal realistic? Is the time path to achieve this goal realistic? If so, you will be able to succeed!
Contact me if you have a desire to learn. Put my 27 years of teaching both violin and piano to work for you. I can help you achieve the success you desire!
Tatiana 702-682-5202
New Year Resolutions
Russian New Year is our biggest celebration followed by Russian Christmas Jan 7th. Before I give my resolutions, I first must give thanks for all the good fortune I already have! I am thankful for my wonderful daughters, both who are intelligent and beautiful. I am thankful for my husband, who always supports me and finds ways to add sugar and spice to my life. I am thankful for my health and thankful for the wonderful clients and fans who support me in what I love to do. Play violin for people to enjoy!
My wishes for the New Year are not so much for myself as they are hopes and wishes for the New Year. I wish for peace and harmony between countries. While governments bicker and fight, most of the people just want peace and prosperity.
Whatever your resolutions and wishes are for the New Year, may 2018 be the year that all of your dreams and wishes come true! Happy New Year! (Счастливого Нового года!)
Russian Grandfather Frost & Snow Maiden
My favorite time of year
Christmas is my favorite time of year and why not? Lots of parties and friends and family getting together to celebrate and enjoy Christmas and New Year together. Did you know that Russians celebrate Christmas January 7th instead of Dec 25th as Americans do?
The date is different because the Russian Orthodox church uses the old ‘Julian’ calendar for religious celebration days. Another fun fact. We don’t have Santa Claus and his elves. We have Grandfather Frost and his Snow Maiden. Believe me, the children are just as excited to see Grandfather Frost as kids are to visit Santa.
Happy New Year. May the new year bring you all the joy and good fortune you deserve. I hope we have a chance to get together in 2018!
Grandfather Frost & Snow Maiden
Just Back From Russia
Russia is my motherland. When I am there, I get to meet my old friends, drink tea and gossip! This time my husband came with me and we were also like tourists as I showed him around my beautiful country. We visited St. Petersburg, the center of art and old world beauty. After a short stay in my home city of Vologda, we took a train to Moscow and stayed a few days while taking in the sites of Red Square and visiting with friends at their dacha.
It was a wonderful trip!
Wedding Costs are Spiraling
I am fortunate to be a part of many beautiful weddings.
Recent article in “The Knot” talks about how expensive weddings have become. The average wedding 12 years ago was about $16,000. Today, the average wedding is $35,000! I certainly understand what a BIG day this is and how everything should be just right to memorialize this moment for ever. However, if you have to go into debt to finance your wedding, perhaps this is not the best way to start a marriage.
Here are some tips you might want to consider if you want a beautiful wedding without spending a fortune.
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1. Set a realistic budget and stick to it.
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2. Give yourself a lot of time to plan your wedding. There is a lot of preparation and coordination neccessary
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3. You are going to wear that beautiful wedding dress one time. Does it have to cost $3,000? There are a lot of places where you can find wedding dressses inexpensively. A bride we recently met had a full length dazzling beaded wedding gown and looked like a million bucks. She bought the wedding dress at Savers for $250.00.
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4. DJ, Ceremony Music, Photographers, Videographers – all wonderful to have but shop around. The cheapest is not always the best but be sure you are getting what you are going to pay for.
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5. Wedding Planner. A wedding planner sure can make things easier and help you plan the perfect wedding. Maybe you have a girlfriend that would do this for you and you can compensate her for her efforts. Who knows what you like better than her!
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6. Bridemaids and Groomsmen Matching outfits and coordinated colors to match the wedding theme. How many… etc. It is difficult because you want all your besties to be in the wedding, but dont go broke trying to include everyone. We were recently at a wedding with 9 bridesmaids and groomsmen. Dont forget you have to buy a gift for all of these people.
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7. Venue is an important consideration as it is the backdrop to your wedding. I have seen simple weddings in the mountains to lavish weddings at the Bellagio. know what is most important to you and spend your money there and skimp a little in the other areas.
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8. Cocktail hour and Reception. Cocktail hour is important for your guests while you have photos taken to capture this perfect event. Don’t offer Open Bar. Reception dinner is always a nice touch and fun for everyone – if it is in your budget. If not, consider a more relaxed venue and appetizers.
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9. How big is your wedding invitation list? Do you really need to invite aunt Beth that you haven’t seen or talked to in 8 years. The size of your wedding is greatly going to dictate the cost of your wedding. Typically we see 20 to 35 guests. Some are 120 to 250 guests. Depends on your budget.
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10. Honeymoon. I have seen wedding couples spend so much on their wedding that they cant afford the honeymoon they wanted. This is a shame. The wedding lasts 20 minutes and 4 hours or so – your special day with your family and friends is over. A nice honeymoon goes on for days and can cement the new journey you and your spouse have set upon together.
Weddings are about commitment and memories. Make yours realistic and memorial.
Let Tatiana help make your ceremony special
Holiday Traditions
The holidays are a special time of year!
How we celebrate Christmas and New Year in America, is very different than how we celebrate these holidays in Russia!
Christmas is wonderful here and in Russia too. But in Russia, Christmas is not as big a holiday as it is here. We don't spend so much money buying gifts, like Americans do. Instead we may have a small gift and wonderful food and invite friends and neighbors to join us for food, drink and small gifts for everyone!
For Russians, New Year is our biggest holiday! New Year’s Eve, we give thanks for what we received, and prepare to receive the wishes, hopes and dreams the New Year will bring. We go crazy for New Year as it is the biggest holiday of the year and everyone is happy and celebrating!
