Tsar Nicholas II Men’s Choir

Tsar Nicholas II Men’s Choir perform in the UK

Posted on October 29, 2024 by Paul Gilbert

Photo © Diocese of Sourozh

On 24th October 2024, with the blessing of Bishop Matthew of Sourozh, the Tsar Nicholas II Men’s Choir performed a concert of sacred music at the Cathedral of the Dormition in London, England.

The creative team under the direction of Adrian Fekula unites choir directors and singers from the USA, France and Great Britain. The choral ensemble aims to preserve the heritage and traditions of Russian Orthodox music abroad, focusing on the works of Russian church composers of the 20th century.

During the Divine Liturgy, which was celebrated by the Secretary of the Diocese of Sourozh, Archpriest Dimitry Nedostupenko, assisted by Priest Vasily Gandzyuk, Protodeacon Vadim Santsevitch, Protodeacon Ioan Sîlnic and Deacon Alexander Kapustin, a mixed group of singers sang, which included the choir of the Dormition Cathedral and the singers of the Tsar Nicholas II choir. The choirmaster was Dmitry Tugarinov.

Photo © Diocese of Sourozh

After the divine service, a concert was held in the church. Archpriest Dimitry Nedostupenko, addressing the participants of the performance, warmly greeted the guests on behalf of the Rector of the Dormition Cathedral, His Grace Bishop Matthew of Sourozh, and thanked them for the opportunity to hear the masterpieces of the Russian church singing, reports the diocesan website.

The choir’s program included works by famous Russian church composers B. Ledkovsky, S. Taneyev, M. Ippolitov-Ivanov, A. Nikolsky, N. Cherepnin, N. Golovanov, P. Chesnokov, N. Kedrov, S. Trubachev, N. Rimsky-Korsakov, and A. Kastalsky.

The concert was attended by parishioners of the London Cathedral and parishes of the Diocese of Sourozh, who came from various cities of Great Britain. Among those gathered were a large number of British people interested in Russian sacred music.

Photo © Diocese of Sourozh

Click HERE to read more about the Tsar Nicholas II Men’s Choir

The Tsar Nicholas II Men’s Choir

Posted on September 15, 2024 by Paul Gilbert

The Tsar Nicholas II Choir is a men’s ensemble based in New York City, dedicated to performing Russian liturgical and secular music. The choir was founded in 2017 – the year marking the 100th anniversary of the fateful events of 1917: the Russian Revolution and the abdication of Nicholas II, Russia’s last Emperor. The choir’s name reflects that connection.

The Revolutions of February and October 1917, the abdication of the Tsar, and the subsequent Civil War sent untold numbers of Russians into exile. The ensemble is the direct inheritor of the religious and cultural traditions of these first emigres. Most members of the choir are of Russian, Ukrainian, or Belorussian descent. All members are Russian Orthodox, most speak Russian, and all hold Orthodoxy, and Russian culture and music dear to their hearts. The choir therefore views as its mission the preservation of old Russian traditions, and the maintenance of newer ones developed outside of Russia throughout the 20th and 21st centuries.

This commitment is reflected in the choir’s chosen repertoire; alongside folk songs and compositions of many celebrated Russian composers of the 18th-20th centuries are works written by Russian emigres and their descendants. The choir also works actively among the youth to keep these traditions and this music alive for posterity.

In 2017 the Tsar Nicholas II Men’s Choir made it’s first trip to the Russian Federation. The group toured St. Petersburg, singing the Divine Liturgy in St. Isaac’s Cathedral, and at the Trinity Cathedral of the city’s St. Alexander Nevsky Lavra, and performing several concerts. One of these concerts was held in the hall of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy. On more than one occasion, people who heard the choir perform asked what part of Russia the choir was from, not believing that such a choir could come from the United States.

Also in 2017 the choir had its first experience of the warm hospitality of the Serbian people. In 2019 the choir hosted another Russian men’s choir based in Australia, singing several joint concerts and services with the Russian Orthodox Male Choir of Australia.

The St. Nicholas II Choir is conducted by Adrian Fekula. Like all of the singers, Adrian is an amateur. He works in finance full-time, but studied music in high school and college, having studied conducting under Professor David Harris at the College of the Holy Cross in Massachusetts, where he was also the assistant conductor of the college choir. Adrian currently serves as the assistant conductor of the Metropolitan’s Choir of the Cathedral of the Sign in New York City – the center of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia.

Click HERE to watch and listen to the Tsar Nicholas II Men’s Choir
sing some of their most popular songs.