The Moscow chorus “Elegia” was formed in 1992 by Tatiana Dimitriyeva, a graduate of the children’s choral school “Vesna” (Spring). Former pupils of “Vesna” and a few members of the chamber chorus “Vitrazhi” were the founding members of “Elegia”.
Today “Vesna” is the world famous children’s chorus, with the Meritorious Artist of Russia Aleksandr Sergeyevich Ponomaryov as director. The director of “Virtrazhi” was Elena Rastvorova, a student of A.S. Ponamaryov; the chamber chorus, whose name translates as “stained glass windows”, disbanded in 1992. Since September 2008 the chorus “Elegia” sings under the direction of its former assistant choir director Marina Alekseyeva.
The chorus’s repertoire consists of ancient, classical and contemporary music, composed by domestic and foreign composers.
The special attention is given to sacred compositions and arrangements of Russian folk songs. Short compositions are performed along side much larger ones.
The chorus’s first concert took place the year it was founded in the Church of the Sacred Trinity “in Nikitnikakh”. Since then, “Elegia” performs regularly in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yaroslavl, Veliky Novgorod and other Russian cities.
In May 2005, the chorus won the special award at festival «International Days of Church Music» in Hajnówka (Poland). In February 2007, “Elegia” took second place at the Festival of Orthodox Music in Grodno (Belarus). In April 2009, they received the special award at the All-Russia Festival of Students and Academic Choruses “Vesnushka” in Yaroslavl. In March 2011, they received the Diploma of the Winner of the second degree at the All-Russia Choral Festival «Young Classics» in Vologda.
The chorus “Elegia” cultivates creative and cultural contacts with choral groups in different countries, such as the USA, Germany, Poland, Estonia, France, Austria, etc. In October 2011 “Elegia” hosted a chorus from the USA — The Rachmaninoff Russian Festival Chorus of North America. The American chorus took part in the choral festival in Suzdal, sang at the Historical Museum of Moscow and on October 16th, performed together with “Elegia” at Moscow’s children’s musical choral school “VESNA”.
The Moscow chorus “Elegia” is an organization uniting about forty people who love choral music. They come from all walks of life. Anyone can join the choir as long as he or she loves choral singing, has an ear for music and can read music.