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To the surprise of the churchgoers in the St. Peter and St. Paul Cathedral in Gomel, the Alphens Cossacks Choir sings songs from the Byzantine-liturgical repertoire. 

The Alphens Cossacks Choir, celebrating its anniversary, toured Belarus from 23 to 29 April 2017. In Russian Orthodox churches in Gomel and Minsk, the churchgoers did not know what they were experiencing. Suddenly, 27 Dutch singers sang beautiful Byzantine liturgical songs in utter concentration, unannounced. A kind of Cossack flash mob, they had never experienced that in the tightly ruled Belarus. The puppet in the church had to be talked about, but he thought it was beautiful and handed out little icons to the
choir members. The audience even dared to applaud gently. They performed with great success in two sold-out theaters in Gomel and Minsk, where the audience was surprised and enthusiastically heard that the Dutch only heard Russian songs.
There was noisy singing along with the Cossack songs, clapping and shouting bravo. The concerts were given in collaboration with the Belarusian dance and singing ensemble Ritmie Serdtse. A choir remains a choir and it wants to sing everywhere, whether in a castle museum, a restaurant or on the tour boat. Fortunately, there was enough time for the 44-strong group of singers and partners to also make excursions.

The Cossacks Choir looks back with satisfaction on this special experience. Music brings people together, as the temporary chargé d'affaires in Minsk, Paul van Oostveen, also pointed out in a speech.

(For more photos of the trip through Belarus, click on the photos and video icon at the top of
this page)

The concert of the Alphens Cossack Choir on March 26, 2017 in the beautifully renovated
Meerburgkerk (Goede Herderkerk) in Zoeterwoude-Rijndijk has once again filled a hall to capacity.
The spectators were able to enjoy beautiful Byzantine-liturgical music and Cossack songs,
accompanied by bayan player Igor Foersoev. A highlight was the performance of Russian
soprano Viktoria Pankratova, who managed to make full use of the beautiful acoustics in the high church. Nataliya Staravoit was the lady speaker and announced the songs. She had little trouble with the Russian titles .....
The choir is now preparing for a concert tour through Belarus. That will take place in April and has everything to do with the choir’s tenth anniversary. Concerts are given in Gomel and Minsk. It will be a special journey for Arkadi Gankin, because, like Nataliya, he was born in Belarus. He has completed his musical education there and has been the conductor of the Alphens Cossack Choir for ten years.
The choir’s big jubilee concert is on October 8, 2017 in the Castellum Theater in Alphen aan den Rijn, perhaps a date to put in the agenda!

Het Alphens Kozakkenkoor in actie in theater De Spreng

The more than 200 visitors to the concert of the Alphens Cossack Choir on February 19, 2017 have enjoyed a beautiful concert. The atmospheric “De Spreng” theater in Oude Wetering, a beautifully renovated former church, is ideally suited for a voluminous choir like the Cossacks from Alphen. Even when the volume decreases, such as in the beautiful Orthodox song “Iezje Cheruwiemie” and the romantic serenade “Nakinoev Plasjtsj”, every chord forms harmoniously in the generous acoustics of the theater.

The Russian singer Irina Podzniakova, who proved herself a worthy replacement for the sick Viktoria Pankratova, fully came into her own with her warm soprano voice, accompanied by the conductor himself, Arkadi Gankin. Igor Foersov, also a player of the bajan, the Russian button accordion, has found his way in the accompaniment of the choir. With powerful sounds he manages to keep the Cossacks on the right path.

Lady speaker Nataliya Staravoit made the announcements for the first time and she did so very charmingly. The pronunciation of the Russian titles holds no secrets for her.

Via Drachten and Moscow to “De Spreng” in Oude Wetering .....
How crazy it can go. A Russian family living in Drachten called family members in Moscow to exchange New Year’s wishes. They said that there was just a broadcast on the Moscow TV with a performance by the Alphens Cossack Choir. This was due to the air disaster, which killed 60 members of the Alexandrov Ensemble (better known as The Red Army Choir). In memory the choir sang some songs in that program. The people in Drachten, lovers of Cossack songs, quickly looked up the website of the Alphens Cossack Choir, ordered tickets for the concert in “De Spreng” and were present on Sunday 19 February. The concert was good, our expectations were met the commentary said. Nice is it not?

Concert Zoeterwoude
The choir will be giving a series of concerts this year to mark its tenth anniversary. The next concert is on Sunday 26 March at 2 pm in the Goede Herderkerk, which is located along the Hoge Rijndijk in Zoeterwoude-Rijndijk. Highly recommended for those who missed the concert in De Spreng!

In 2017, the Alphens Cossack Choir celebrates its tenth anniversary. With many concerts of
course. Singing for ten years, but never in the cozy theater De Spreng in Oude Wetering !! That must be corrected quickly. The choir will be at full strength on Sunday afternoon, February 19, 2017 at 2 p.m. for a performance led by conductor Arkadi Gankin.
Special guests are the Russian singer Viktoria Pankratova and Igor Foersov, who plays on bajan, the Russian button accordion. Viktoria puts down an irrepressible Russian passion in her performances, which leaves no one untouched. The choir was able to book her at the last
minute.

The Alphens Cossack Choir, recently seen on Russian television, sings Russian Orthodox songs and cheerful, melancholy and romantic Cossack songs.

Entrance tickets
Tickets can be ordered through this website, see the link “Order tickets” on the left side of this
page. The price is 12.50 euros. Once the money has been transferred, the treasurer will send the tickets by post to the address you provided ( from Wednesday 15 February, the ordered and paid tickets will no longer be sent, but will be prepared by name at the ticket office at the entrance of the hall).
Tickets are also for sale at Veenerick Book and Office at the Noordplein in Roelofarendsveen and at Primera Domien Koek at the Meerkreuk in Oude Wetering.

From 1:30 pm, when the theatre opens, you can still buy tickets to the hall, while supplies last. We count on a full house!

After studying hard, ending with a study weekend in Erwitzen (Dtsl), the Alphens Cossack
Choir is ready for a new performance in the Alphense region. The concert will be given on
Saturday 26 November 2016 at 8 pm in the beautiful St. Adrianus Church on the
Langeraarseweg in Langeraar.  

Ensemble Samovar
For a splendid accompaniment, the Ensemble Samovar was recruited for this special concert.
They play on the authentic instruments such as bajan, domra and basbalalaika.

Viktoria Pankratova She has previously performed with the choir. Whoever heard her then will welcome a repeat performance. Anyone who has not yet heard her will not forget her performance with the Cossacks, Saturday 26 November: Russian mezzo-soprano Viktoria Pankratova. Her beautiful voice enchants listeners and singers. The overall musical direction (next year already 10 years!) Is in the hands of Arkadi Gankin. The tickets cost € 13, including coffee or tea during the break, and are still available before the concert starts at the venue. The hall opens at 7.30 pm.

Zangeres Viktoria Pankratova