CONGRATULATIONS TO COSSACKS FOR LEADING THE KITCHEN SCHOOL.

The Alphense Cossacks have by means of a performance congratulations to the Russian community in Leiden on their new home for their Russian school. Sunday 17 October it was exactly 17 years ago that the Pushkin School was founded in Leiden. In those 17 years, the school has grown into a thriving meeting place for Russians from far and wide. Among other things, lessons are given in the mother tongue, but also Russian culture and customs are transferred to the youth from 5 to 12 years. Since September this year, the school has been housed in the beautiful Bonaventura College on the Burggravenlaan in Leiden. This celebration was organized on this occasion. The party started with a film in which 5-year-olds show in a candid way how they experience school life. Heartwarming was the performance, accompanied by Arkadi on the bayan, of the youngest students with their interpretation in Russian of “The Little Prince”, the world-famous book from 1943 by the French writer Saint-Exupéry. Then the youngest students sang the famous “Katyusha” together with singing teacher Irina Pozdniakova. The young students with their parents spontaneously sang along with “Konj”, a Cossack song, which the Alphens Cossack choir conducted by Arkadi Gankin performed. In addition to being the conductor of the Alphens Cossack Choir, Arkadi is also a music teacher at the Pushkin School. (translated by Google)

THE ALPHENS COSSACK CHOIR AGAIN IN THE ST. BONIFACIUS CHURCH.

On Sunday afternoon, October 17, the Alphens Cossack Choir will give a beautiful concert at 3 p.m. in the beautiful St. Bonifacius Church in Alphen aan den Rijn.

In the St. Boniface Church, in addition to the Cossack songs, the beautiful religious, Russian Orthodox songs are again on the program. Songs in which the beautiful high tenors will sound and the sonorous basses and baritones will vibrate the church hall.                                We wish you a nice concert on this Sunday afternoon.

A NEW START OF THE ALPHENS COSSACK CHOIR

On Sunday afternoon, September 12, the Alphens Kozakkoor started again to continue the concert series after a forced Corona break. In the open-air theater Leidse Hout in Oegstgeest, the Alphense Cossacks shone in a beautiful autumn sun.

After a year and a half of Cossack silence, conductor Arkadi Gankin's men were allowed to show their skills again. All this with the cooperation of violinist Anna Samoilova and bayanist Sheila Moens. Even Arkadi enjoyed himself on the bayan now that only moving, romantic and tough Cossack songs were sung.

The Leidse Hout open-air theater more than met the ideal place to enjoy singing and music with the maximum number of 100 audience on this day. Unfortunately, the organization had to refuse many people access due to the Corona rules. Everyone was satisfied with the atmosphere that the volunteers of the Friends of the Leidse Hout managed to create. Lady speaker Liliane van Gilst managed to entertain the audience and Cossacks with her enthusiasm. In short: an excellent afternoon to look forward to the upcoming concerts with confidence.

THE COSSACKS ARE COMING BACK.

After a forced rest period due to.m. Corona is allowed to show the Alphens Cossack Choir their skills to the public again. This will happen on Sunday afternoon 12 September at 15.00 in the Open Air Theatre Leidse Hout in Leiden.

The performance of the Alphens Cossack Choir is on the final day of the festivities around the 90th anniversary of the Leiden city park "Leidse Hout".

After more than half a year of practice via "Zoom", the Alphens Cossack Choir has been rehearsing at full strength in the familiar Maranatha church since the beginning of July. This year no summer holiday for the choir because on September 12th they have to be there again. In the cozy open-air theatre Leidse Hout, the men of conductor Arkadi Gankin will once again perform the beautiful Russian Orthodox and cheerful Cossack songs.

The final chord of the activities around the 90th anniversary of the Leidse Hout is provided by the Collegium Musicum with an evening full of waltzes by Johann Strauss.

The Alphens Cossacks Choir has now stopped rehearsals in small groups to obey the stricter rules regarding corona control. But they still have a special prize to win during this period. They took part in an international internet competition in Gomel (Belarus). Below the jury report and the accompanying certificate.

Dear Arkadi and participants of the Alphens Cossacks Choir!

We thank you for participating in the 1-st International internet festival.
We are very happy that Alphens Cossacks Choir is once again making a major contribution to international cooperation between Belarus and the Netherlands, to friendship with various (singing) clubs in the city of Gomel, where Lidya Elovaya is the leader. In connection with the situation surrounding the coronavirus, an International internet festival took place for the first time this year in Gomel and in the Republic of Belarus under the motto “Our age is not in our way!” This festival received a lot of interest from both the participants from our country and from abroad. More than 30 companies from the Netherlands, Russia and the Republic of Belarus participated in the festival.
The performance of Alphens Cossacks Choir has made a great impression on all jury members. In particular, they appreciated the high level of the repertoire, the beautiful costumes, as well as the professionalism of the conductor and leader Arkadi Gankin.
The jury led by Anatoly Yarmolenko has decided to award the Alphens Cossacks Choir with the first degree diploma in the nomination “Vocal art”.
Congratulations! We wish Alphens Cossacks Choir great performances in the future and hope for the new encounters!

Yours sincerely,

The festival committee

Translation of Oorkonde

First International festival "our age doesn't get in the way!" The first degree Diploma is awarded to Alphens Kozak Choir, the Netherlands, conducted by A. Gankin in the nomination “Vocal Art”.

Signed by the jury chairman Anatoly Yarmolenko

It is now a few months ago, namely Wednesday 8 March 2020, that the Alphens Cossack Choir have rehearsed together. Now the music is discussed at home, but that requires a lot of discipline because there is still no insight when they can start again and the first concerts can be performed. But there are again small points of light on the horizon. Now it is difficult to arrange the choir safely at 1.5 meters. Because of the ages, the choir has trained voices, but according to the RIVM, age has some disadvantages at this time. And so we want to stay alert to be able to sing together for much longer.
But do not hesitate to contact us if you want to book this choir at the end of the year or next year. Of course everything subject to the then prevailing circumstances.
The Netherlands is ready for a surprising and musical outing. The members of the Alphens Cossack Choir are happy to make their voices heard again and hopefully they can rehearse in an appropriate manner in the foreseeable future. Do you have a spacious stage for an enthusiastic Cossack choir, who in addition to an orthodox repertoire also have many beautiful, authentic, uplifting and romantic Cossack music in their repertoire?
Please contact pr@alphenskozakkenkoor.nl
We are happy to provide you with further information.

The Alphens Cossacks Choir has decided, in connection with the corona virus and the possible consequences, to exclude all risks by postponing the joint concert on Sunday 15 March with the Volendam Vocal Ensemble until the spring of 2021. As soon as the new concert agenda is available. completed, we will inform you in a timely manner via this site and various social media.

Audience members who have already purchased an entrance ticket can hand it in at the presale addresses and receive their money back. Those who have purchased their card via the website will automatically receive their money back via their bank account.

The Alphens Cossacks Choir successfully closed the 2019 concert year on 14 December together with the Mixed Choir Cantiamo from Austerlitz. A varied program with varying music styles. A well-filled Oosterkerk in Zeist with an audience that became more and more enthusiastic and finally went crazy when both choirs performed 3 different songs together. The conductors Arkadi Gankin of the Alphens Cossacks Choir and Arie Perk of Cantiamo conducted and accompanied the singers to a high level.
The Alphens Cossacks Choir with regular accompanist Sheila Moens on bajan looks back on another appreciated performance. The audience always remains the incentive for the choir members to go back to rehearsals enthusiastically and dedicate themselves to the new repertoire.

On Sunday afternoon, February 2, 2020, the Alphens Cossacks Choir will give a concert at 14:30 in the Onze Lieve Vrouwe Hemelvaartkerk in Nieuwkoop. It is an honour to be able to open the 750th anniversary of the NIeuwkoop with a concert.
So you have no idea what kind of Christmas present should be under the tree. Tickets for € 15 can be purchased at all Tersteeg Bread and Pastry Shops in the region, at the Gemakswinkel in Langeraar and also at the church after the services and Tuesday and Thursday mornings at the rectory from 9:30 to 12:00. hour.
It is also very easy from your chair via www.alphenskozakkoor.nl via the button Online Tickets Order. The tickets will then be sent to your home address after receipt of payment.

Conductor Arkadi Gankin, Sheila Moens, board and all Alphen Cossacks wish you a very merry Christmas and a happy and healthy 2020.
We hope to meet many of you again at one of our concerts in 2020.

Very varied concerts are on the program: from private concerts to performances with other respected choirs, such as on December 14 with the Mixed Choir Cantiamo from Austerlitz (see agenda) and on March 15 with the Volendam Vocal Ensemble. Guidance for Advent services is also on the program this year. And in Nieuwkoop we are going to give a pure Alphens Cossacks choir concert on 2 February 2020 with many new songs on the program.
We can look forward to the fact that the voice coverage of the tenors has been rebalanced by two tenors who have signed up. They were immediately enthusiastic after the first meeting and already feel completely at home. We can of course always use more tenors, although there is now more room for basses. The great wish of our conductor Arkadi Gankin remains to keep the voice groups well balanced. So drop in if you feel like you can play a nice bass voice. A voice group that gives a special dimension to the choir through their sonorous, low voices.
You certainly do not have to fear anything about the Russian that we sing because it is all represented phonetically and you can read it like that, as it were. And all the music is on the website, so you can practice the melody line at home. Also nice.
In short, singers in the wide area of ​​Alphen aan den Rijn come along at the rehearsal on Wednesday evening and taste the atmosphere of the choir and perhaps the music will also stir something up in you.
Take a look through this site and see where all members come from. And discover that distance is no objection for many Cossacks.
Let us know in advance when you will come and listen.
Hope to see you soon and perhaps to horns too!