Pesniary (also spelled Pesnyary, Belarusian: Песняры, [pʲesʲnʲaˈrɨ]) was a popular Soviet Belarusian folk rock VIA. It was founded in 1969 by guitarist Vladimir Mulyavin.^[1] Before 1970, the band was known under the name Liavony (Лявоны).^[2]

Pesniary combined various types of music, but mostly Belarusian folklore though often with various rock elements and later rock as well. Several of Pesniary's songs were composed by Aleksandra Pakhmutova. The surprising influence of early Frank Zappa was also notable.

In 1973, the band participated in Soviet television film "This Merry Planet".

Pesniary was one of the very few Soviet bands (and possibly the first one) to tour in America in 1976. They toured the American South with folk band The New Christy Minstrels.

After Mulyavin's death in a car accident on 26 January 2003, the original Pesniary split. Five different bands claimed to be the official descendants of Pesniary, touring and performing original Pesniary songs.^[3] These are:

• Belarusian State Ensemble Pesniary – a state-produced band under the Ministry of Culture of Belarus, consisting mostly of young musicians.
• Belorusskie Pesniari – led by former Pesniary saxophonist Uladzislau Misevich.
• Pesniari – led by former Pesniary vocalist Leanid Bortkevich.
• Liavony – a band which split from Bortkevich’s Pesniari in 2008, consisted of young musicians, none of whom participated in Pesniary until 1998.
• Until 2006, the Liavony-Pesniary ensemble existed under the direction of the classical line-up drummer Alexander Demeshko. The band broke up in 2006 after his death.

The band also released dozens of singles.

The lineup of the band changed frequently. Among the most notable and long-lived band members were:

• Lyudmila Isupova (vocals, flute,1975–1979)
• Vladimir Mulyavin (guitar, vocals,1968–2003)^[4]
• Valery Mulyavin (guitar, trumpet, 1968–1973)
• Leonid Bortkevich (vocals, 1969–1980)
• Anatoly Kasheparov (vocals, 1970–1990)
• Valery Dayneka (vocals, alto, 1976–1992)
• Igor Penya (vocals, 1980–1998)
• Leonid Tyshko (bass guitar, 1968–1981)
• Vladislav Misevich (saxophone, flute, 1968–1992)
• Alexander Demeshko (drums, 1968–1988)
• Valery Yashkin (keyboards, hurdy-gurdy, 1968–1977)
• Vladimir Nikolayev (keyboards, trombone, 1971–1980)
• Cheslav Poplavsky (violin, guitar, 1972–1979)

• Soviet music
• Belarusian music