Kuban Cossack Choir
Encyclopedia
Kuban Cossack Chorus is one of the leading Folkloric
ensembles in Russia
. Its repertoire and performances reflect the songs, dances and folklore of the Kuban Cossacks
.
in Slavonic, the choir regularly gave public concerts throughout the Krasnodar Krai
. These concerts would include classical works as well as folk songs in addition to sacred works.
programme of the Bolshevik
authorities, the Cossack Host was dissolved, being revived only in 1936. The choir was then headed by Grigory Kontsevich and Yakov Taranko, formally regents of the old Kuban Chorus.
A year later, during the Purges, Kontsevich was arrested and then executed. The choir however continued to grow, and in 1939 with the addition of a dance group it was renamed the Ensemble of Kuban Cossack Dance (Ансамбль песни и пляски кубанских казаков). Such was the professionalisation of this and other such 'folk ensembles' under Stalin's regime that the group in effect consisted of professional musicians and dancers, graduates of Soviet music an dance schools and not necessarily of Cossack descent. During the Second World War, the group toured several fronts and performed for Red Army
soldiers and particularly the Kuban Cossack regiments that served in the ranks.
In 1961, under the initiative of Nikita Khrushchev
the ensemble was dissolved once again. In this year many similar folkloric groups were dissolved in the USSR.
In 1968, under the leadership of Sergey Chernobay the ensemble was once again re-established as part of the State Russian folk choirs. Three years later the re-established chorus debuted at the Bulgaria
n international Festival of Folklore, where it earned the first of many titles it would receive in numerous festivals and competitions.
of the USSR, the choir was awarded the Order of Friendship of Peoples
, and in 1990 became a laureate of the Taras Shevchenko
State Ukrainian Prize in Ukraine. Its highest award was received in 1993 when the choir was awarded the title of "Academic".
allowed the Host to sing church liturgy
once again, and from October 1996, by decree of Krasnodar Kray governor Alexander Tkachev, the choir has been recognised as a direct successor to the old Host choir of 1811.
Despite its turbulent past, the Chorus has grown to become one of the leading concert ensembles in Russia. It regularly tours abroad and has appeared in Japan, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Norway, China, Vietnam, Poland, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Serbia and Australia.
. It also performs famous non-Cossack songs such as Katyusha
.
Ethnic Russian music
Ethnic Russian music specifically deals with the folk music traditions of the ethnic Russian people. It does not include the various forms of art music, which in Russia often contains folk melodies and folk elements or music of aother ethnic groups living in Russia.-History:The roots of Russian...
ensembles in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. Its repertoire and performances reflect the songs, dances and folklore of the Kuban Cossacks
Kuban Cossacks
Kuban Cossacks or Kubanians are Cossacks who live in the Kuban region of Russia. Most of the Kuban Cossacks are of descendants of two major groups who were re-settled in the Western Northern Caucasus during the Caucasus War in the late 18th century...
.
Early years
The modern Kuban Cossack Chorus sets the date of its creation as 14 October 1811, when its predecessor, the Black Sea Host Singing Chorus (Черноморский Войсковый певческий хор), was formed. The founders of this choir were Kirill Rossinsky and regent Grigory Grechinsky. Over the next hundred years in addition to singing the Russian Orthodox LiturgyLiturgy
Liturgy is either the customary public worship done by a specific religious group, according to its particular traditions or a more precise term that distinguishes between those religious groups who believe their ritual requires the "people" to do the "work" of responding to the priest, and those...
in Slavonic, the choir regularly gave public concerts throughout the Krasnodar Krai
Krasnodar Krai
-External links:* **...
. These concerts would include classical works as well as folk songs in addition to sacred works.
Soviet Union
In summer of 1921, under the DecossackizationDecossackization
Decossackization is a term used to describe the Bolsheviks' policy of the systematic elimination of the Cossacks of the Don and the Kuban as a social and ethnic group...
programme of the Bolshevik
Bolshevik
The Bolsheviks, originally also Bolshevists , derived from bol'shinstvo, "majority") were a faction of the Marxist Russian Social Democratic Labour Party which split apart from the Menshevik faction at the Second Party Congress in 1903....
authorities, the Cossack Host was dissolved, being revived only in 1936. The choir was then headed by Grigory Kontsevich and Yakov Taranko, formally regents of the old Kuban Chorus.
A year later, during the Purges, Kontsevich was arrested and then executed. The choir however continued to grow, and in 1939 with the addition of a dance group it was renamed the Ensemble of Kuban Cossack Dance (Ансамбль песни и пляски кубанских казаков). Such was the professionalisation of this and other such 'folk ensembles' under Stalin's regime that the group in effect consisted of professional musicians and dancers, graduates of Soviet music an dance schools and not necessarily of Cossack descent. During the Second World War, the group toured several fronts and performed for Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
soldiers and particularly the Kuban Cossack regiments that served in the ranks.
In 1961, under the initiative of Nikita Khrushchev
Nikita Khrushchev
Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev led the Soviet Union during part of the Cold War. He served as First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1953 to 1964, and as Chairman of the Council of Ministers, or Premier, from 1958 to 1964...
the ensemble was dissolved once again. In this year many similar folkloric groups were dissolved in the USSR.
In 1968, under the leadership of Sergey Chernobay the ensemble was once again re-established as part of the State Russian folk choirs. Three years later the re-established chorus debuted at the Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
n international Festival of Folklore, where it earned the first of many titles it would receive in numerous festivals and competitions.
Zakharchenko
In 1974, the artistic director of the State Kuban Cossack Chorus became Viktor Gavrilovich Zakharchenko, who continues to lead the choir to this day. Zakharchenko was a local transferred back to Kuban from the Siberian Chorus he previously helped direct. Due to his efforts, in 1975 the choir became laureates of the First All Russian screening competition of state folk choirs in Moscow, and again in 1984. In October 1988, by order of the Presidium of the Supreme SovietPresidium of the Supreme Soviet
The Presidium of the Supreme Soviet was a Soviet governmental institution – a permanent body of the Supreme Soviets . This body was of the all-Union level , as well as in all Soviet republics and autonomous republics...
of the USSR, the choir was awarded the Order of Friendship of Peoples
Order of Friendship of Peoples
The Order of Friendship of Peoples was an order of the Soviet Union, and was awarded to persons , organizations, enterprises, military units, as well as administrative subdivisions of the USSR for accomplishments in strengthening of inter-ethnic and international friendship and cooperation, for...
, and in 1990 became a laureate of the Taras Shevchenko
Taras Shevchenko
Taras Hryhorovych Shevchenko -Life:Born into a serf family of Hryhoriy Ivanovych Shevchenko and Kateryna Yakymivna Shevchenko in the village of Moryntsi, of Kiev Governorate of the Russian Empire Shevchenko was orphaned at the age of eleven...
State Ukrainian Prize in Ukraine. Its highest award was received in 1993 when the choir was awarded the title of "Academic".
Recent times
During the post-USSR years, the Chorus has channeled its energy into the collection and rebirth of the Cossack traditions, demonstrating pride in Russian patriotism and local customs. In August 1995, Patriarch Alexius IIPatriarch Alexius II
Patriarch Alexy II was the 15th Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, the primate of the Russian Orthodox Church....
allowed the Host to sing church liturgy
Liturgy
Liturgy is either the customary public worship done by a specific religious group, according to its particular traditions or a more precise term that distinguishes between those religious groups who believe their ritual requires the "people" to do the "work" of responding to the priest, and those...
once again, and from October 1996, by decree of Krasnodar Kray governor Alexander Tkachev, the choir has been recognised as a direct successor to the old Host choir of 1811.
Despite its turbulent past, the Chorus has grown to become one of the leading concert ensembles in Russia. It regularly tours abroad and has appeared in Japan, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Norway, China, Vietnam, Poland, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Serbia and Australia.
Centre of Cossack Folklore
In 1990 on the basis of the Kuban Cossack Chorus, a centre of folk culture of Kuban was set up. Its mandate is to collect, study and revive cultural traditions of the Kuban Cossacks. The Centre has children's and teenage choirs and folk-instrument ensembles. It also collects traditional clothing and relics of the past from village life.Programme
Cossack songs and dances, in both the Russian and Ukrainian languages, are a standard part of its programmes. . In addition the Chorus transforms poems into songs, such as those of Alexander Pushkin and Taras ShevchenkoTaras Shevchenko
Taras Hryhorovych Shevchenko -Life:Born into a serf family of Hryhoriy Ivanovych Shevchenko and Kateryna Yakymivna Shevchenko in the village of Moryntsi, of Kiev Governorate of the Russian Empire Shevchenko was orphaned at the age of eleven...
. It also performs famous non-Cossack songs such as Katyusha
Katyusha (song)
Katyusha, Katusha or Katjusha is a Soviet wartime song about a girl longing for her beloved, who is away on military service. The music was composed in 1938 by Matvei Blanter and the lyrics were written by Mikhail Isakovsky. It was first performed by Valentina Batishcheva in the Column Hall of...
.