70th Anniversary Concert
Saturday, September 9, 8p.m.
Woolsey Hall, Yale University
YRCAA completes Cultural Vistas grant
This fall the YRCAA received a grant from Cultural Vistas, a nonprofit cultural exchange organization, to pursue online musical collaboration with like-minded musical groups in Russia. The grant supported joint online concerts and workshops, which were streamed to audiences around the world. The grant is part of Cultural Vistas’ Rebuilding a Russian-American Conversation.
About the YRCAA
The Yale Russian Chorus was founded in 1953 by Denis Mickiewicz, a student at the Yale Music School, and George Litton, president of the Yale Russian Club, at the height of the Cold War. With its unique repertoire of religious and secular music from Russia and neighboring lands, the Chorus quickly established a prominent place in the pantheon of Yale singing groups. It thrives to this day, transcending dramatic changes in the political climate.
Throughout its 60 year history, the Chorus has fostered international understanding. It pioneered the first person-to-person cultural exchanges, singing informal concerts on Moscow street corners in 1958. The Chorus has won prizes at international choral competitions, serenaded government leaders at international functions and recorded extensively. Chorus alumni feel a strong bond of loyalty and comradeship. Through their own organization, the YRC Alumni Association, Chorus alumni present concerts throughout United States and in November 2013 sang their 60th Anniversary concert at Yale's Woolsey Hall.
A Statement from the YRCAA: March 2022
The mission of the Yale Russian Chorus Alumni Association is to promote intercultural understanding through the music we sing, music from Russia, Central and Eastern Europe (including Ukraine), and elsewhere from Eurasia, as well as from America. Devoted to intercultural understanding and peace, we have always sung and will continue to sing music of these regions, including the music of Russia and Ukraine, to promote peace throughout the world and foster global understanding.
Місія Асоціації випускників російського хору Єльського університету – сприяти міжкультурному взаєморозумінню через музику, яку ми співаємо, музику з Росії, Центральної та Східної Європи (включаючи Україну), а також інших країн Євразії та Америки. Ми віддані міжкультурному взаєморозумінню та миру, і ми завжди співали і продовжуватимемо співати музику цих регіонів, щоб підтримувати мир у всьому світі та сприяти міжнародному взаєморозумінню.
Миссия Ассоциации выпускников Йельского Русского Хора заключается в развитии межкультурного взаимопонимания благодаря песням, которые мы исполняем, через песнопения Центральной и Восточной Европы, включая и украинскую и русскую музыку, а также музыку Евразии и Америки. Мы преданы межкультурному взаимопониманию и миру, и мы всегда пели и будем продолжать петь музыку этих регионов, с тем чтобы поддерживать мир во всем мире и способствовать международному взаимопониманию.
The YRC Alumni Association continues its long-standing dedication to preserving and presenting the Russian choral tradition to American and world audiences, in particular through the arrangements made by our founding conductor, Denis Mickiewicz. The YRC Alumni Association is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Contributions are tax-deductible and assist us in our mission of cultural diplomacy, needed now as much as ever. We thank all our generous supporters.
“My enthusiasm for the truly heroic work that the Yale Russian Chorus is doing is unbounded. The only tragedy is that we don’t have ten or fifty or one hundred choruses such as yours.”
- Sen. Hubert H. Humphrey
“For 50 years you have linked Russia and the United States, during which time you made 16 tours to the USSR. Thank you for this remarkable achievement, for your work in propagating the wonderful choral music of Russia and for your idea of achieving understanding between our peoples through music.”
- Mstislav Rostropovich