having established balalaika societies and groups in Atlanta, Maine, and Pennsylvania, was well known in the balalaika community in the United States and abroad for his simple yet deep arrangements of tunes for small balalaika ensembles. In keeping with the cabaret tradition, Wolownik did not limit himself strictly to Russian music, but also arranged Romanian, Hungarian, Moldavian, Gypsy, and klezmer tunes, some of which had never been played on anything other than the native instruments for which they were composed. Despite his commitment to serious musicianship, some have claimed that Wolownik, who had an irreverent sense of humor, was a living embodiment of the skomorokhi of old Russia, street musicians who actively poked fun at both the Tsars and the Church. The Balalaika and Domra Association of America now numbers several hundred members. It is actively involved in promoting traditional Russian music in the United States. It holds a yearly convention in which luminaries of Russian music participate by teaching and performing. External links The University of Pennsylvania Balalaika Orchestra - Balalaika Sheet Music and Tribute Page The Balalaika and Domra Association of America The Gypsy Balalaikas The Balalaika Russe 1946 births 2000 deaths University of Pennsylvania alumni Ethnomusicologists Balalaika players Drexel University alumni 20th-century musicologists People from Chester, Pennsylvania Burials at Lawn Croft Cemetery