Vladimir Mulyavin is the founder, ideological inspirer and soloist of the legendary Pesnyary ensemble, whose records were sold in millions of copies throughout the Union. Originally from the Urals, he himself fell in love with the Belarusian folk song and made its motives recognizable all over the world.
Childhood and youth
Vladimir Georgievich Mulyavin was born on January 12, 1941 in Sverdlovsk (now Yekaterinburg). Grandfather and grandmother owned grocery stores and were considered successful merchants by the standards of their time. After the revolution, they were dispossessed, and already the father of the future musician worked as a simple worker at a construction site. He played guitar masterly. This ability was passed on to Vladimir.
Mulyavin had a sister and brother - Natalya and Valery. Their mother raised them alone, since their father left for another woman. The Mulyavin family lived in a tiny barrack. The mother worked as a seamstress and received a modest salary. To make ends meet, she constantly disappeared on part-time jobs. The three children rarely saw her at home and became independent early on.
Already in childhood, Vladimir woke up an interest in music. When he was 12 years old, he independently mastered playing the guitar and balalaika. Since lessons at a music school were then paid, Mulyavin decided to go to the House of Culture, where children were recruited to a string orchestra on a free basis. Vladimir ran there after school.
After school, Mulyavin entered the local music school at the string department. In 1960 he was drafted into the army. Vladimir served near Minsk. In the military unit, he immediately organized a musical quartet, and then he was asked to take part in the creation of the ensemble of the Belarusian Military District, which he successfully did.
Carier start
After the service, Mulyavin got to Yuri Antonov with the assistance of the Belarusian Philharmonic. Soon he, together with his brother Valery and four other musicians, created the Lyavony group. Initially, the guys acted as accompanists. For about a year they worked with Nelly Boguslavskaya, and then they got the right to be called VIA.
In 1970, the collective went to the All-Union Contest of Pop Artists, but under a different name. The censors advised them to change it. This is how the famous Pesnyary appeared. The collective thundered throughout the Union. Mulyavin, as an artistic director, focused on the choice of a repertoire based on Belarusian folklore. Thanks to this, "Pesnyary" was unique then, and they remain so to this day. The most popular songs of the ensemble are "Vologda" and "Belovezhskaya Pushcha".
Accident
In May 2002, Mulyavin got into an accident, in which he injured his spine. The musician could not walk. For eight months, he went through a difficult rehabilitation to return to the stage. In January 2003, Mulyavin died.
Personal life
Vladimir Mulyavin was married three times. He first got married at the age of 18. His wife was the artist Lydia Karmalskaya, performing in a rare genre - artistic whistle. A daughter and a son were born in the marriage. Soon after the appearance of the latter, the couple broke up due to Vladimir's new hobby.
The second wife of the musician was the actress Svetlana Slizskaya. After the birth of her daughter, the marriage broke up.
Soon Vladimir married again to the actress - Svetlana Penkina. In this marriage, a son was born.
