Cimbalom/Violin duo to perform music from around the globe in free concert Monday

REXBURG — Musicians Igor Iamchimciuc and Valeri Glava each have a fondness for and a special connection to eastern Idaho. The cimbalom/violin duo will visit Rexburg Monday, August 14 at 7 p.m. for a free concert at Porter Park, playing a mix of genres inspired by cultures across the globe. 

Glava first came to Rexburg in 1991 to perform at the Idaho International Folk Dance Festival, which was a tradition in Rexburg for many years, drawing dancers and musicians from all around the world for a week-long festival of classes and performances. Glava now lives in Las Vegas, where he performs at the Venetian Hotel and teaches high school orchestra and also travels around the U.S. to perform with his violin. 

Iamchimciuc has made a name for himself in Rexburg as an expert piano tuner. Two or three times per year, he travels to the area from his home in Utah where he is an adjunct composition professor at the University of Utah. A quick look at the popular “I <3 Life in Rexburg” Facebook page shows a very enthusiastic response every time he comes to town, with many people asking for a spot on his list. 

“I hope all of my piano tuning clients will show up,” he says. 

Iamchimciuc’s instrument, the cimbalom, is lesser known in the United States but is common in eastern Europe, where both musicians grew up. They are from the Republic of Moldova, which was part of the Soviet Union at the time. The cimbalom is part of the dulcimer family, but differs from other dulcimers because it has a sustaining/dampening pedal, like a piano. 

“It’s very popular in eastern Europe. It’s part of the orchestra,” Iamchimcuic says. 

Iamchimciuc began playing music at the age of 10, being enrolled in his home country’s system of music schools. 

“This is where children usually get their musical education,” he says. “My choice (to play the cimbalom) was accidental because my mom wanted me to play accordion, but the accordion fee was about five times higher than the fee for cimbalom, so to make it less expensive we decided to go with cimbalom and I didn’t look back. I thought that was a nice, lucky coincidence because I fell in love with this instrument.”

Iamchimciuc and Glava each worked their way through their country’s music education system. They became acquainted with one another while playing in orchestras together and eventually playing in a restaurant together for four or more hours per day. 

Now, after nearly 40 years of friendship and performing, the duo is bringing their show to Rexburg for a free concert. They play a variety of styles together, including classical, country, bluegrass, jazz and Gypsy-style (Romani) music. 

“We discovered people actually like what we’re doing because it’s something unique,” Iamchimciuc says. 

For more information about Arts in the Park and other Rexburg Arts programs, visit rexburgarts.org.

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