Choirs and Choral Societies
The Rossica Choir
Structure Concerts & Tours Repertoire Recordings Conductor What the critics say List of Acknowledgees |
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The "ROSSICA" choir was formed in 1978. During the first years of its activity the choir worked in partnership with St.Petersburg State TV channel which resulted in a series of 20 short films named "Musical novellas".
From 1980 till 1994 the "ROSSICA" choir was performing Russian spiritual music of unknown periods of its history (XVI-XVIII cc.) mainly in the Hlinka Small Hall of St. Petersburg State Philharmonic. For several years (1980-1986) "ROSSICA" was the only regular performer of old Russian music and Choral Baroque in Russia.
In 1988 on the basis of the choir the Ancient Music Centre "ROSSICA" was created to search for and decipher old Russian music manuscripts. Several prominent Russian and Ukrainian musicologists such as Prof. N. Gerasimova-Persidskaya (Kiev), Prof. V. Protopopov (Moscow) as well as experts in deciphering old Russian music notation including A. Ratkova, N.Seregina and others are collaborating with the Centre. Valentina Kopylova - founder, permanent artistic director and conductor of the "ROSSICA" choir - leads all these scholars in their work.
Since 1994 the "ROSSICA" choir has worked under the aegis of State Philharmonic Organisation "St.Petersburg Concert".
Since 1996 the "ROSSICA" choir has participated in a cycle of broadcasts "Russian history and culture" by academician A.M.Panchenko on the Radio-Freedom (Radio Liberty).
a) whole choir (25 singers);
b) enlarged choir (36 singers);
c) octet of soloists Russian Baroque - prize-winner at the 37th International Competition of Choral Singing C.A.Seghizzi, Italy;
d) male choir (14 singers);
e) female choir (8 singers);
f) soloists - soprano, alto, tenor, bass, baritone, basso profound.
In recent years "ROSSICA" has made a large number of tours: Japan (1986, 1990, 1991), the UK (1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1998), Germany (nearly every year since 1988), Sweden (1990), Italy (1989), Spain (1992, 1997), France (1995).
The ROSSICA choir has participated as a guest professional choir in following world festivals: "EXPO-90", Japan (1990); Boddington Manchester Festival, England (1992); Warwick Music Festival, England (1993); Ziortzato Kolegiata, Spain (1993); Canterbury Music Festival, England (1994, 1998); 3rd International Choir Festival by Philharmonischer Chor Lippe, Detmold, Germany, 1994; Alcester Festival, England (1994 and 1995); "CREDO-95", Festival of Sacred Music, Estonia (1995); Festival International de Piano et Music de Chambre "Arts et Music en Montagne", France (1995); Concurso Coral de Ejea de Los Caballeros, Spain (1997); Norfolk & Norwich Festival, England (1998) and in various festivals in Russia and Ukraine.
Art of singing in medieval Russia (Liturgy, Vespers, Hymns to Russian Saints);
Russian and East-Slavonic choral baroque of the late XVII-early XVIII cc. (N. Diletsky, V. Titov, Sheverovsky, Pekalitsky, Kalashnikov);
Russian music of the XVIII c. (D.Bortniansky, M. Berezovsky, S. Degtiarev, A. Vedel); S. Rachmaninov - "Vespers", "Liturgy";
P. Tchaikovsky - "Vespers", "Liturgy";
P. Chesnokov - sacred concerts for soloists and choir;
A. Strumsky - "Bulgarian Liturgy";
G. Sviridov - The Cycle of liturgical concerts;
S. Taneev - the cycle of choirs, op. 27;
V. Gavrilin - "The Chimes";
D.Shostakovich - 10 choral poems on verses of revolutionary poets;
I. Stravinsky - "A little wedding" (for orchestra, choir and ballet);
A. Rimsky-Korsakov - "Mlada" (an opera-ballet);
J.S. Bach - Motets, "Magnificat";
V. A. Mozart - Motets, "Requiem";
Mendelssohn - oratorio "Paulus";
Saint-Sans - "Oratorio de Noel";
H. Schuts - psalms and motets;
Gluck - "Orpheus";
Handel - "Alcydus and Galatea";
Vivaldi - Gloria N 1, 2;
J. Haydn - "The creation of the universe";
M. Bronner - "Juische Requiem".
Russian Choral Music of the XVII c. - Melodia, Leningrad, 1979 (record, C 10158413);
Anthology of Russian Music: Vassilij Titov, Choral Works. - Melodia, Leningrad, 1984 (record, C 10198440);
Leningrad Composers: L.Prigozyn. A Symphony in Rites - Melodia, Leningrad (record, C 10166771A);
Compositions for a voice and a horn - Melodia, Leningrad (record, C 101696970);
Concert in York Minster. Russian Liturgical Music - Dog Rose Sound, UK (CD, JAIS CD26);
Russian Sacred Music. - Dog Rose Sound, UK (tape, JAIS 993);
Holy Love - Olympia, UK (CD, OCD 646).
From 1980 till 1988 Valentina Kopylova was a lecturer in St.Petersburg Conservatoire at the conductors' faculty, since 1987 - director of both the choir and the Ancient Music Centre "ROSSICA". Teaching in Conservatoire she worked out a course named "The history of Russian choral music of XI-XVIII cc.".
In 1981 she created the concept of the "Choral Assemblies on Neva" festival.
V. Kopylova has published the following works:
Selected Russian Chants of the XVIII c. - Muzyka Publishing, Leningrad, 1983;
Musical Factor in the Development of Russian Versification in the XVIII c. - "The XVIII century". The bulletin of XVIII c. group in the Institute of Russian Literature. Leningrad (together with Prof. A.M. Panchenko);
Rimsky-Korsakov. Choral Passages from Operas. Issues 1-3. - Muzyka Publishing, Leningrad, 1985-1987;
Russian Liturgical Music from the XVI to XX cc. Repertoire of the ROSSICA choir. - Gryphon Publishing, St.Petersburg, 1995.
Mr. Richard Phillips Warwick Festival (tel. +44 1926 410747);
Mr. Mark Deller Canterbury Festival (fax +44 1227 781830);
Mrs. Jean Shearman tel./fax +44 1564 776376
Mr. Sieghart Lerche 3d Internationales Chorfestival Detmold (fax +49 5231 464160);
Mr. Holger Kruppe Nordwetsdeutche Philharmony (fax +49 5221 938821);
Ms. Court Arts et Musique en Montagne festival (fax +33 92454302),
Mr. Christoph Oghawa-Muller (tel./fax +49 5224 4148
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