What is Gypsy Metal??? Vira Burmenko

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Vira Bumenko- Pure Gypsy metal

Interview conducted on March 15, 2020

Vira Burmenko is an award winning performing artist from the Ukraine, Kiev – a gypsy punk violinist, and a passionate instructor. Vira sets hearts on fire with her bold energy; and fans describe her as the “Female Doctor Draw” and her musical style as “Yngwie Masmsteen meets Lindsey Stirling, exploded with Gypsy fire.”In the ocean of modern violin Vira stands out with her pristine instrumental technique and the theatrical twist of dance in live performance.

What is your upbringing?

I think I have always been good at audio memory. When I was 2 years old my mother would read me stories and fairy-tales, Russian poems. I would memorize them and perform them for our guests. They were impressed. When I was seven my mom took me to audition into a music school for piano, but I met my violin teacher and she played for me. I fell in love with the violin, knowing it would be the instrument that would challenge me and keep my interest for a long time.
Music education back home is far more serious than it is in North America. We had something equivalent of university training for beginners. We went to a music school almost every day of the week, studied piano, our main instrument, theory, history, musicianship, sang in choirs, played in the ensemble, and had academic concerts.
I also loved painting and had an exhibit at the age of 16, as one of the youngest artists in Ukraine. My teacher helped me organize it back then.
I also loved martial arts and watched all Jackie Chan movies, Chuck Norris, Steven Seagal… When I was twelve, I was introduced to mixed martial arts, thai-chi, u-shu, and many other practices by a coach. My sister and I took classes at a community center with a lovely young coach. She ignited our passion for self-care and helped me find my inner strength. I practice all of the above since.
I was an A+ student; and spent most my days practicing my violin, composing music, painting, and exercising – doing everything I loved. In the summer we would spend our times outdoors, mushroom picking and growing our own vegetables and fruit. My grandma had the best strawberries! We also squeezed our own apple juice.
I think I have had a pretty good childhood. I am grateful to my parents for cultivating discipline in me, kindness and respect for others – it comes in handy when you grow up.

How did you immigrate to Toronto, Canada in 2003 from Kiev, Ukraine?

How? We packed our things, got on the plane, and flew… Perhaps you mean why did we decide to come here?
My parents brought us here in search of new opportunities, to build our careers as artists, to gain a new perspective in life, and to open our horizons to possibilities of a different life. I believe we are doing that.

How did you discover music?

My mother went to live organ concerts while she was pregnant with me. I was nurtured through keyboard partitas of J. S. Bach. I believe it had its influence on me then, before I was born.

How did you start to write music?

With a pen and paper, haha! I remember writing my first violin concerto on the beach when I was 10, I think. I later orchestrated it on my then-new 1999 KR-3 Roland.
I would just write out the melodies that came to my head… At the time they were very similar to the music I was learning at the music school, sounded Mozart-y and Early Beethovenian.

Do you remember how you got your first violin? And do you still have it?

I got it when I entered the music school at the age of seven. Why would I have it? It’s too small, 1/8 size… I was seven – no, I don’t have it – it moved on to its next student, as every instrument does when you grow up.
But I will tell you a story of my relative who was a violin maker. He made a ton of violins and he also redesigned them somehow, adding extra features. They sounded pretty cool!

You hold a BFA in Violin Performance and an MA in Music Composition from York University. How was your training during your time in school? And how long did it take you to get your degree?

The standard time in North America – 6 years total: 4 for bachelor and 2 for Masters.
I loved my school! I got to study with amazing composers, creators and worked with David Mott, Matt Brubeck (youngest son of Dave Brubeck, they both played with Yo-yo Ma), David Lidov, Casey Sokol. University was a perfect environment for me to thrive and develop my creativity. I also performed with not only the school symphony, but Mississauga Symphony Orchestra. My teacher at the time was Peggy Hills – the head of the Chamber Music Society of Mississauga. We had regular concerts throughout the year. Post my studies I continued my violin lessons with Ian Grant.
My MA Thesis, a violin suite: Descension and Ascension can be found at York University Library, for those wishing to listen and have a read.
I feel that all my coaches and professors have helped and inspired me greatly. I am lucky to have studied with them before many of them retired.
But furthermore, I have been lucky to have worked with professional musicians in my Gypsy Band at the time. I began performing the same year my studies began. We covered restaurants, parties, weddings – anything that had the need for music. I also busked as a TTC musician for three years.

How did you get discovered by the media?

I run social ads myself for my pages. I don’t think I’ve been “discovered”. In the modern world of an independent artist, you would be a fool to try and become “famous”. Sure, going viral at some point helps, but you can not rely on a chance to build your career. I recommend treating your music as a business and building it that way.
If you are referring to my recent feature on Being Frank – that was really fun to do! Frank D’Angelo and I have followed each other on social media for a while. It was so nice of him and everyone to have me perform Horsemen.

You do a thing called Violin Dance. If you look it up on the internet it says, to incorporate dance and movement into one’s violin performance. And the first people you see are violin dancers are Lindsey Stirling and Mairead Nesbitt. Would you recommed anyone else?

I was thinking of putting together movement and violin for a long time, ever since my first Thai-chi days… At some point, it just clicked and I knew I had to do it. During MA, I read the book by Alexandra Pierce, titled: Deepening Musical performance through Movement… It rang so true, so I decided to expand that idea to a full out dance too. Music is movement and without movement, there is no life, so here we go. Violin Dance was born.
You are right – the first violinist I saw do that was Lindsey Stirling, and I discovered her through my student’s recommendation. He showed me “Crystallize” and, of course, I loved it. Funny, that summer my friend from school was putting together a street performance at Dundas Square, Musicircus. It involved a few of my friends and professors, scattered all around the square area, doing our own thing. So I immediately said yes, seeing it as the opportunity to try out my new routine. You can still find it on my youtube: some people called it “Violin Yoga”.
Through truly, the first electric violinist I myself have watched was Vanessa Mae. I was much younger and I knew I wanted to do electric violin shows, like hers.

You released your first album, “Iron Fiddle Saga”, why did you pick that as a title?

My album was greatly inspired by George R R Martin’s book series: A Song of Ice and Fire, especially its first book: Game of Thrones.
I read the books first, then watched the show. You can somewhat see the influence of the show ideals in my last two tracks.
Iron for the sword and fiddle – violin. It is our logo – a fiddle and sword crossed over.
I love heroic stories, and I have always seen myself as a warrior, defender of the weak, fighter for freedom. My favourite childhood show and film was the Highlander; with Queen soundtrack. I believe this show has inspired the idea for my book, My Key to Immortality.

What is Gypsy metal?

It’s a mixed genre I created, that unites all of my influences as the artist. I love symphonic metal of Evanescence, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, LEAH, Nightwish, Yngwie Malmsteen… but I am also a gypsy, and I have grown up playing Russian, Ukrainian, Slovakian, Hungarian and Rumanian music. You can say this genre is somewhat cinematic, metal with the Eastern-European flare. We call our fans Gypsy~Vikings. Just have a listen to my album!
Lately, I am into Eastern transcendental music. I am inspired by Mongolian throat singing, Chinese erhu, Korean haegeum, and various percussions, like the Spirit Drum.

Have you always had the name, The Warrior Queen?

No, it’s a character I created for my album.

Tell me about your book My Key to Immortality?

It is an autobiographic book, which I wrote during my quarter-life crises. I was finding myself as a mature woman, artist and setting healthy boundaries with myself.
The story is based around the health practice from Kazakhstan, which has many similar ideas to Tibetan Buddhism. It is however a practical application of our natural elements and channeling of the universal love to heal and better our lives.
You are welcome to get your ebook or hard copy on my website: www.viraburmenko.com/book
This was also the manifestation of my confusions to where I could take my career after graduating from my MA. Writing it helped me gain clarity.

Your Day in a Life of a Violinist Video Shoot was interesting. How did you get the idea for that series?

I just wanted to share with people a little inside scoop into my daily life, gig life, video production, music recording; and to give them a little perspective on things a violinist does or may do in today’s world. Everything is about providing a fresh perspective to those who might need it.

While we are talking about other projects let’s talk about your short film. L’amour d’un clown. Why did you decide to make it?

This film is actually a Valentine’s part 2 of the original La vie d’un clown – a silly grotesque comedy, silent film in the style of Charlie Chaplin. I made the first part as a statement to how ridiculous some job requirements can be. There is this clown Jacques and he is trying to get hired for a job in Toronto, and ends up getting in various troubles on his way.

La vie won a few awards in international festivals.

I love making films because I love telling stories, same goes for making music. I believe this is our primary function as artists – we tell stories. And we had so much fun making it with my sister and her boyfriend – who are actually filmmakers and producers, writers, directors and actors of their own original award winning web series Marked. Check them out on SandwichFam Youtube channel. I wrote the theme music for the show!

How do you stay healthy while touring?

I have not toured yet; would like to take the album on tour soon. But I keep a healthy routine day-to-day. I exercise for one hour and make my own meals. I also drink a special kind of water, engineered by my father. I could tell you more about it as a separate topic… Essentially, it boosts your immune system.
But most importantly, I am happy – true happiness brings upon your wellbeing. Your true happiness does not rely on outward stimuli; it is within you. I am so happy that I would be doing what I do even if I lived in a cave.

How do you go about creating a piece of music?

It depends on what that piece of music is. If it’s a score for a film, then I would sit down and write out each note to give to musicians.
If it’s something like my album, then I try to let my inspiration fly free. I can be inspired by anything: birds chirping outside, train tracks, neighbors walking on the ceiling… anything! There is no limit to your creativity. Try a new instrument, play a cool drum – you’ll get inspired!!!
It could be a melodic idea, rhythm, feeling, thought… It is especially fun to write for someone’s visuals or film. In either case, when I’m working with another artist or filmmaker, we discuss what we see the project becoming, and go from there.

What are your feelings about streaming music?

Not sure what you mean. I don’t have a feeling about it. I think we live in the day and age when people can decide what they want to do with their music, and so can the fans. Why not stream? Technology is amazing at bringing us together, especially at this period of self-isolation to help prevent the spread of covid19.

Digital vs. vinyl?

Why not both?

What song from the past is in your mind right now? And what is the meaning that song to you?

Dust in the Wind by Kansas – Love it! I grew up to this song. We would play it before bedtime and it soothed me to sleep. And it is true – we are all dust in the wind. It reminds me that nothing lasts forever, and everything in our lives is fleeting: our emotions, feelings, places – everything is temporary and to dust it shall all return when the time comes. I find comfort in that thought, as it means there is no need to worry, but to enjoy our lives each moment we get.

How do you feel the Covid-19 virus going to affect the music business in the future?

I know it is a difficult stage of our lives, and the repercussions of many businesses closing will follow us into years to come. Many artists are losing income because we work independently. Our vitality relies on people’s contact, entertainment and face-to-face appearances.
However, I personally see this stage as an opportunity to restructure myself, discover new ways of delivering services to my clients and students, going online, and taking a fresh breath to start a new stage of my life. This period of withdrawing from people will affect you based on your mindset: if you take it as defeat you will suffer; but if you think of it as an opportunity to dig deeper and rearrange your priorities – you will not only survive this, but you will come out stronger. Hoping everyone stays safe and well.

Due to the quarantine situation around the world, many musicians and artists are working on big online projects, to inspire and uplift people’s spirits during this difficult time in our lives. Lots of people are doing nightly concerts over either YouTube, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. Are you planning to do something like that?

I am already doing that. During the first week, I went live each day on all my platforms, and I still run my regular Sunday Lives on Facebook and Youtube. You may join us at 12 pm Toronto time! I do covers, perform my original songs, and take requests. This week was Metallica.
On a larger scale, I and eight other international artists across the globe have come together on our virtual scape to create something amazing for you! We hope this project will help uplift people’s spirits and empower them through this difficult time. Please subscribe to my Youtube and don’t miss it! The Imagine Project has premiere this March!.

Have you discovered any new artists during this time period?

I discover new artists each day on Instagram, Youtube, Facebook. I will soon be interviewing some of them in my Musician Today Podcast. Tune in on Apple Podcasts and see which artists I have discovered!
So far I have had the pleasure of interviewing the legendary Mark Wood, Taylor Davis, Hillary Klug, Sarah Charness, Matt Bell… I am truly lucky to have met these people.

I see that you have started a free online lesson for the violin. Are people taking up your offer?

I am mostly teaching students from my school so far, those I have taught for a couple years. I have one new student who also is switching online. So yes, people do respond. Meanwhile I have not advertised lessons, I am quite busy where I am right now; I teach ten lessons a day; but I would be happy to welcome new students if they are interested. We can learn via Zoom, Skype or any app of your choice.

Tell me about your online music coach sessions?

Years ago I created online courses that will help students keep their musical skills up to speed. So far I have an ear training course and a couple of violin tutorials. The courses are automated, so each student receives their content with exercises and videos on a regulated schedule. I plan to create a more advanced course soon that will help students prepare for exams and performances.
I think going online is a great option to survive in this situation. Many of my students are amazing at them. It provides them with more responsibility for their practicing. It’s not the same experience as being there in the room with them, which is especially helpful for younger kids, – but I think we will manage just fine! We have actually discovered a few Zoom functions that can be very helpful in sharing sheet music and playbacks. It’s been one week and so far we are doing great!

Have you heard of the Grammys Music cares which helps musicians in time like this?

No, I have not.

How do you see yourself in the next five years?

Selling my music to a larger audience, growing my social following and partnering with YouTube to produce music videos. Alongside this, of course touring and sharing my music with the world; writing music for film, shows; collaborating with great artists. Pretty much everything I am doing now, but more of it!

Anything you would like to say in closing?

To all those who feel isolated during this pandemic – you are not alone. Breathe in and out and look within yourself, take up a favorite activity, call a loved one. Most importantly – de-stress from daily hustle. I believe this period of isolation can be a blessing in disguise for those of us who have the tendencies of going non-stop. I am guilty of this myself. Nothing is forever and this too will pass. Soon things will go back to “normal”. I also hope that you will come out of this with a fresh perspective, a ton of creative ideas and a stronger core. Be happy and be well! You can only help the world when you are yourself well.