They were in the vanguard of Mari art Pavel Stepanovich Toydemar (Stekolschikov) 1899 - 1958

Childhood & youth Pavel was born in the village Kozhlayer (Morki region now) on the 14 of July 1899 in a peasant family. As a boy he helped his father who was a glazier. Pavel was keen on music because of his father who played the pipe, the psaltery, the reed pipe and the accordion very well.

In the days of his youth In 1919 he was called up to the army In 1922 Pavel came back to his native village. In 1924 he met the actors of the Travelling Theatre and its leader Nikolay Smirnov.

The career of a professional actor In 1927 a Mari studio of music-drama art was founded in Krasnokokshaysk . Pavel was one of its 18 members At the end of the 20s Pavel Stepanovich took a pseudonym of Toydemar

At the theatre… After the studio he became an actor of the Mari State Theatre. In 1928 he took part in shooting of the film “Mari Kuzher” (director Boris Shelontzev)

The fame of a talented actor In 1930 he left the theatre as he decided to study at Moscow musical school and to be a professional musician of folk instruments At that time he was the leader of the Mari students’ choir in Moscow.

Concert activity during the Great Patriotic war In 1943-1945 Toydemar organized a group of Mari actors, musicians and singers who gave more than 1000 concerts for soviet soldiers, officers and men during the Great Patriotic war.

A famous countryman In 1940-1958 Toydemar was a leader of Psaltery Group and propagated Mari music in our country. People of Mari El & Morki region are proud of their countryman - Pavel Stepanovich Toydemar – one of the first professional actors of Mari culture.