* Sirin is a mythological creature of Russian legends, with the head and chest of a beautiful woman and the body of a bird (usually an owl)
** Veretentse means a little spindle

The Rostov Suite was written to commemorate the 130th Anniversary of the Rostov Kremlin.
Excerpts from the suite were first performed on August 30, 2014 at the closing of the Rostov Show 3rd International Festival of Cloistral Culture.

The suite’s music is a unique combination of spiritual and folk traditions, symphony classics and modern jazz and fusion styles. Its fabric is interlaced with musical themes soloist authors, genuine folk songs and spiritual poems. Composer Andrey Doinikov has brought together these pieces in a symphonic form.

The Rostov Suite’s authors and performers include one of the world’s best horn players, Arkady Shilkloper, brilliant guitarist Vitaly Kis, Russian ethnic movement maître, multi-instrumentalist and singer Sergey Starostin, ethnic wind instrument player Sergey Klevensky, piano and keyboard player Sergey Filatov, singer choirmaster and folklorist Andrey Kotov, who leads the Sirin ensemble of Old Russian spiritual music.