The Russian Folk Instruments Orchestra “ONEGO” was created in 1974, under the affiliate of Onego tractor factory community center by Gennady Mironov, that time – a conservatoire professor. At first, the orchestra was composed of mainly amateur musicians, but with time, more and more professionals joined in and the performance level eventually grew.
In 1993, the Orchestra was awarded the status of a professional one and joined the Karelian State Philharmonic.
Throughout its existence, the Orchestra was under the baton of chief conductor and artistic director – Gennady Mironov. In 2011 Mikhail Totskii became the second conductor of the orchestra.
The concert presenter is the constant companion of the “Onego” orchestra, Nina Doroshina, Honoured Cultural Worker of the republic of Karelia.
The Orchestra includes 45 musicians – mainly the alumni of Petrozavodsk state conservatoire.
Lately, the Orchestra toured to Belorussia, where it took part in the XXXV International Art Festival “Belorussian musical autumn”. In 2009 the Orchestra visited Germany (the concerts were devoted to the celebration of the 20th anniversary of the twin-city relations of Tubingen and Petrozavodsk).