On May 12, 2018, the famous Choir of Valaam Monastery will give a spiritual music concert at the State Kremlin Palace. The program "Faith and Victory" praising the victory over fascism will be a godsend to all spiritual people and seekers of peace and unity. Fascinating singing by the traditional Russian male-voice choir immerses listeners in a special atmosphere, free from vanity, hustle and bustle of everyday life and endows with a much-needed uplift.
The Choir of the Valaam Monastery
Ten centuries ago, the Transfiguration Monastery of the Russian Orthodox Church was founded on the Valaam Island in Karelia. Life was changing as decades and epochs were passing by, but the brethren kept observing the charter and conducting services in their churches. The monastic choir singing was always an integral part of it all.
Today, the Choir of the Valaam Monastery is widely known and enjoys popularity among the lovers of sacred music. The Choir’s performances bring rejoicing to the audience. Mastery in heart-felt singing and a broad-spectrum repertoire unmistakably invoke stormy ovations. Alexei Zhukov leads the choir. A graduate of the St. Petersburg Choral College and the Culture Academy, he has been a church choir conductor since 1989.
Since its foundation, the Festive Choir of the Valaam Monastery has been engaged in concert touring, performing in various parts of Russia and taking part in sacred music festivals.
Repertoire of the Valaam Monastery Choir
The Choir of the Valaam Monastery enjoys wide popularity among the connoisseurs of choral music. Its repertoire mainly consists of the sacred music of different countries, including ancient church chants of Greece, Serbia, Georgia, Bulgaria, Old Russia, and of course the Valaam Monastery itself, as well as pieces by famous Russian composers: Bortniansky, Alyabyev, Sviridov, and Rachmaninov. In addition, the choir performs lots of Russian folk songs and famous romances, as well as patriotic and military songs of the Soviet period. In short, the repertoire of the Choir of the Valaam Monastery is quite versatile.
The concert program "Faith and Victory" will present traditional Easter chants, including works by famous Russian classics, along with Soviet songs on the themes of war and peace.
When: 6 pm on Saturday, May 12, 2018
Where: The State Kremlin Palace inside the Kremlin area, in the heart of Moscow, next to the Alexander Garden and the Lenin Library metro stations.
Listen to samples of Russian Sacred Music for free