Role

:

Composer Conductor  

Birth

:

1902

Death

:

1991

Genre

:

Choral

 

 

Orchestral

 

 

Vocal

 

Serge Jaroff was a renowned conductor and founder of the Don Cossack Choir, which became one of the most famous choirs in the world. He was born on April 1, 1896, in Makariv, Ukraine, which was then part of the Russian Empire. His father was a Russian Orthodox priest, and his mother was a pianist. Jaroff showed an early interest in music and began playing the piano at a young age. In 1914, Jaroff was studying engineering in St. Petersburg when World War I broke out. He was drafted into the Russian army and served as a telegraph operator. After the war, he returned to St. Petersburg and resumed his studies. However, he soon realized that his true passion was music, and he began studying conducting with Nikolai Malko. In 1921, Jaroff was asked to form a choir to perform at a charity concert. He recruited a group of Cossack soldiers who had been prisoners of war in Germany and Austria during World War I. The choir was an instant success, and Jaroff decided to continue working with the group. He named them the Don Cossack Choir and began touring throughout Europe. The Don Cossack Choir quickly gained a reputation for their powerful and emotional performances. They sang traditional Russian folk songs as well as classical choral works. Jaroff was a demanding conductor who pushed his singers to their limits, but he also had a deep respect for the music and the traditions of his homeland. In 1928, the Don Cossack Choir made their first tour of the United States. They were an instant sensation, and their performances were praised by critics and audiences alike. Jaroff became a celebrity conductor, and the choir continued to tour the world, performing in Europe, Asia, and South America. During World War II, Jaroff and the Don Cossack Choir were forced to flee Europe due to the Nazi occupation. They eventually settled in the United States, where they continued to perform and record. Jaroff also became a US citizen in 1943. In 1951, Jaroff and the Don Cossack Choir won a Grammy Award for Best Classical Performance - Choral or Instrumental. They continued to tour and record throughout the 1950s and 1960s, but Jaroff began to suffer from health problems. He retired from conducting in 1979 and passed away on February 5, 1985, in New York City. Serge Jaroff was a visionary conductor who brought the music of his homeland to audiences around the world. His Don Cossack Choir was a testament to the power of music to transcend borders and bring people together. Jaroff's legacy continues to inspire musicians and audiences today.

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