HallOfFame-SashaPolinoff

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" height=62 BGCOLOR="#BBBBBB" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000066" FACE="Times New Roman" ><B>The Balalaika and Domra Association of America</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000066" FACE="Times New Roman" ><B> </B></FONT><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFFFCC" FACE="Times New Roman" ><B>  </B></FONT><B>  |    </B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#003333" FACE="Arial" ><B> </B></FONT><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Balalaika and Domra Association of A"><FONT COLOR="#003333"><B>Home</B></FONT></A></div> <div> <B>RETURN TO   </B><A HREF="hall_of_fame.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="THE BDAA HALL OF FAME "><FONT COLOR="#000066"><B>BDAA Hall of Fame</B></FONT></A><A HREF="hall_of_fame.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="THE BDAA HALL OF FAME "><FONT COLOR="#000066"><B>  </B></FONT></A><B> </B></div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=418 BGCOLOR="#EEEEEE" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <I><B>The BDAA Hall of Fame ~ Sasha Polinoff</B></I></div> <div> <I><B> <TABLE BORDER="11" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="688" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#0000BF > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 1247 ><NOBR><div> <B> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="8" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="651" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#EEEEEE > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 1216 WIDTH="633"><div> <B>SASHA POLINOFF - 1979</B></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="5d31b9c0.png" border=0 width="283" height="412" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="10" VSPACE="0"><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >     Sasha Polinoff was born in Harbin, Manchuria in 1906 and was brought to the US by his Aunt.  When he was 13 he had a job as "coffee server" and happened to learn a song on the balalaika.  Fate stepped in when a musician from a troupe passing through heard him playing and asked him to go on the road with them.  Sasha, against his mother's wishes, did join the troupe, leaving her a note saying he just had to take this opportunity and to please understand.  His aunt refused to speak to him for years.  As for Sasha, that decision launched him into a lifetime of music, concerts and shows.</FONT></div> <bR> <div>      It was while Sasha was on the road with the troupe that Alexander Dmitrievich Dobrohotov came to this country with an orchestra.  Things didn't pan out as expected and Dobrohotov, famous "balalaika player to the Tsars",  joined the show Sasha was in, as their soloist.  He saw promise in the young Sasha and told him to practice, practice - play the balalaika "so the sparkles should come out."  He also told Sasha that when he went to play in the heavens, his balalaika would go to Sasha.  The years passed and everyone went his separate way with no communication.  Years later, a package arrived on Sasha's doorstep - Dobrohotov's balalaika.  Sasha says, "To this day I would still like to find out who sent it!"</div> <bR> <div>      Sasha was working at the "Samovar" in Montreal and two ballerinas came to work there.  They stayed eight weeks, went to New York and came back again.  One thing led to another, and finally the management told Sasha and Edna Veralle (Sasha always called her 'Nadia') to "stop monkeying around!  Go to New York and get married!  Come back immediately!  Sasha and Nadia spent $2 for a license and were married in New York in front of two witnesses, then went back to Montreal by train to perform.</div> <bR> <div>      They traveled to the Catskills, Canada, New York and eventually "Balalaika", "Casino Russe" and "Two Guitars" in New York City became their home.</div> <bR> <div>      In 1943, Sasha was about to leave for a three-month engagement in Rio de Janeiro, performing with the famous guitarist Vincent Gomez.  All arrangements were made and the "Casino Russe" was agreeable, but just then, with impeccable timing, Uncle Sam changed everything - Sasha was to report to the induction center instead, and he became a member of the U.S. Army.</div> <bR> <div>      After 17 weeks of basic training, everyone had a destination - either Europe or Japan.  Because a captain was impressed with his playing, he was detained to remain at the camp.  The captain then picked eight of the soldiers to join a 14 member performing troupe called "The Funtastics", who sang, danced and each played an instrument.  For years they traveled 38 states, form hospital to hospital, entertaining the men.</div> <bR> <div>      Theodore Bikel, famous character actor and singer, was recording for Elektra Records and he approached Sasha about making a record together.  When they heard of this collaborative effort.  Elektra was so enthusiastic that they financed the album, "Balalaika - Sasha Polinoff and his Russian Gypsy Orchestra."  It did so well that it was followed soon by more of Sasha at his best, "Fastest Balalaika in the West," another album reflecting Sasha's fire and distinctive style.</div> <bR> <div>      Sasha performed for people of all walks of life.  Rachmaninoff came in after his concerts for relaxations; Jackie and Ari Onassis came after hours with requests, and it was at the "Troika" in Washington the Jascha Heifetz called Sasha over to his table requesting that he show him his variations on "The Moon shines Bright".  People have said that what Victor Borge is to the piano, so Sasha is to the balalaika.  Sasha said, "I sit down and I think.  So why aren't I famous?  Why aren't I rich?  You know that Borge plays one song and gets a thousand dollars; I play a thousand songs and get one dollar!'</div> <bR> <div>       Remember Sasha's aunt who never spoke to him after he joined his first musical troupe?  Well, 35 years later, on her way back from Europe, she stopped at the "Casino Russe" for dinner.  Sasha was at the peak of his career and Prince Ivan Obolenskii stood up and toasted Aunt Martha for bringing Sasha Polinoff to this country.  Champagne flowed and Aunt Martha received the "Red Carpet treatment" - just another of many special nights in an era of Russian performing artist, that echo through the years into the music we play today.  </div> <bR> <div>      Sasha was the first person inducted in the BDAA Hall of Fame and he appeared on the program at some of the early BDAA Conventions.  His last convention appearance was in 1996 at Lake George, where he presented a popular workshop filled with his old memories and tall tales as well as a brief performance onstage at the convention concert.  </div> <bR> <div>      Two and a half years later in January 1999, Sasha passed away peacefully, surrounded by his closest friends, playing their instruments for him around his bed.  </div> <bR> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></B></div> <div> .</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></B></I></div> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>