Winner of the Grand Prix of the International Folklore Festival in Billingham, UK; Laureate of the folklore festival of the Black Sea countries in Thessaloniki, Greece

Artistic director People's artist Russian Federation, Honored Artist of Ukraine and the Republic of Adygea, Hero of Labor of Kuban, professor

The State Concert Dance and Song Ensemble “Kuban Cossack Freemen” is a group that builds its repertoire on the material of the dance and song wealth of the Cossack culture of the South of Russia, Ukraine and the North Caucasus.

Its history began in 1986 with the group “Cossack Byl”, which presented to the viewer entertainment program with the same name. There were dances, songs, folk festivals, a fair and scenes from Cossack life. With the light hand of the wonderful composer Grigory Ponomarenko, the team became business card Kuban. Grigory Fedorovich wrote eleven songs for this program: funny and sad, patriotic and lyrical, songs about the vastness of Kuban, about native land, about the life of the Cossacks, about love, about eternal values.

The team perceived the collaboration with such a Master as Grigory Ponomarenko not only as a great success, but also as a huge responsibility. Rehearsals, search for material, creation of authentic images, selection of scenery (on stage during the performance there was a spinning wheel, cradle and other attributes of Cossack life), responsibility and complete dedication of the artists bestowed “Cossack Byli” with the respect and love of the audience. Since 1990, this team has continued creative life at the Krasnodar Philharmonic. He significantly improved his skills, expanded his repertoire, changed the geography of tours, acquired a new audience and became the State Concert Dance and Song Ensemble “Kuban Cossack Freemen”.

Taking care of creative achievements past years, the team is constantly working to expand its repertoire. During rehearsals, not only painstaking work is carried out with each member of the team, but also great attention is paid to the coherence of the choreographic number being performed, the transmission national characteristics dance. The performing arts of the ensemble are associated with traditional culture South Russian Cossacks, in the inextricable unity of Russian, Ukrainian and Caucasian principles. This is manifested in the texts, music, costumes, plastic arts - Russian prowess and openness, Ukrainian humor and lyricism, the harsh passion of the highlanders, Cossack enthusiasm and scope coexist not as separate numbers, but in a single element of creativity as a working model for the mutual enrichment of related peoples. Today this is widely famous band, rightly called “a pearl in the world of art,” organically combines folk tradition and modernity in his work.

The ensemble's choreographic troupe studies new dances with interest, masters new choreographic forms and directions, which allows them to constantly update the repertoire with original compositions.

The team is distinguished by its active life position and concert activities. He is a participant in events of international and regional significance: the agro-industrial exhibition “Green Week” in Berlin, international action“Train of Peace and Harmony”, annual seasons of the Ataman ethnographic complex, Cossack festivals in Russia and neighboring countries. The team is a permanent participant festive events Kuban capital, he is well known in the cities and villages of the region. Repeatedly, the artists went on foreign tours, performed at such famous halls as the State Kremlin Palace, the Central concert hall“Russia” and the P.I. Tchaikovsky Concert Hall (Moscow, Russia), the V. Lisinsky Concert Hall (Zagreb, Croatia), the Ibsen House (Skien, Norway), “Grighallen” ( Bergen, Norway), Friedrichstadt Palace and the concert hall of the International Congress Center (Berlin, Germany), Amphitheater (Zielona Gora, Poland). The main activity of the ensemble is concert work, but they also have experience performing at anniversaries and presentations. The ensemble gladly comes to visit military personnel, veterans, disabled people, orphanages, and organizes charity concerts. Everywhere his performances are held with constant success. Purity of performance, training of each artist, high level of professionalism, dedication to traditions folk dance and the songs that distinguish the work of the ensemble put it among the best groups in the Krasnodar region and Russia.

Creative maturity, exactingness, and high artistic taste allowed the ensemble to repeatedly become a laureate and diploma winner of various competitions, shows, and festivals.

Just as the dance and song repertoire of the “Kuban Cossack Freemen” is multinational, so is its friendly artistic team. All artists of the ensemble are professionals who know and are able to show the history of the Cossacks in music, songs and dances. Bright temperament, magnificent costumes, incredibly high tempo of performance, spectacular stunts make the audience rejoice.

The tuning fork of the spiritual and psychological sound of the ensemble is its leader - . A wonderful teacher, a man with a broad soul and at the same time demanding, he rightfully enjoys unquestioned authority, respect and love from colleagues and spectators.

The State Concert Ensemble “Kuban Cossack Freemen” is a strong, bright, energetic group that is in good shape and is working on new programs.

The State Academic Kuban Cossack Choir is the oldest and largest national Cossack group in Russia. The only professional folk art group in Russia, which has a continuous, successive history with early XIX century. It is interesting to note that the next oldest folk group in chronology - the Pyatnitsky Academic Russian Folk Choir - performed its first concert in the centenary year of the Kuban Cossack Choir.
The level of excellence of KKH is recognized throughout the world, which is confirmed by numerous invitations to foreign and Russian tours, crowded halls and press reviews.

The Kuban Cossack Choir in a certain aspect is a historical monument, in the forms of culture and art capturing the military and cultural development of Kuban, the history of the Kuban Cossack army, the history of the classical secular and spiritual culture of Yekaterinodar, tragic events Civil War and the 30s, the history of Soviet aesthetics " big style» national art. The chorus represents history individuals and everyday life of singing and musical culture Kuban, and historical heroics and big drama Cossacks as a whole, integral to the history of Russia.

Story:

On October 14, 1811, the foundation of a professional musical activity in Kuban, the glorious beginning creative path Black Sea Military Singing Choir. At its origins were the spiritual educator of Kuban, Archpriest Kirill Rossinsky and regent Grigory Grechinsky.
In 1861, the choir was renamed from the Black Sea to the Kuban Military Singing Choir and from that time, in addition to participating in church services, it gives secular concerts in the region, performing classical works and folk songs along with spiritual ones.

In 1911, celebrations were held to mark the 100th anniversary of the Kuban Military Singing Choir.

In the summer of 1921, by decision of the authorities, the activities of the group were stopped, and only in 1936, by a resolution of the Presidium of the Azov-Black Sea Regional Executive Committee, the Kuban Cossack Choir was created, headed by Grigory Kontsevich and Yakov Taranenko, for a long time former regents of the Kuban Military Singing Choir. However, in 1937 G. Kontsevich was unreasonably repressed and shot.

In 1939, in connection with the inclusion in the choir dance group, the group was renamed the Song and Dance Ensemble of the Kuban Cossacks, which in 1961, on the initiative of N. S. Khrushchev, was disbanded along with other state folk choirs and ensembles of the USSR.

The re-creation of the Kuban Cossack Choir in the genre and structure of the State Russian Folk Choirs took place in 1968 under the leadership of Sergei Chernobay. In 1971, the Kuban Cossack Choir for the first time became a diploma winner at the international folklore festival in Bulgaria, which marked the beginning of numerous honorary titles later won at various international and all-Russian festivals and competitions.

In 1974, composer Viktor Gavrilovich Zakharchenko became the artistic director of the State Kuban Cossack Choir, who, for more than 30 years of his creative activity in Kuban they managed to fully realize their artistic, scientific and educational aspirations. In 1975, the choir became a laureate of the 1st All-Russian review-competition of state folk choirs in Moscow, repeating this success in 1984 at the second similar competition. Under his leadership, the choir brought to the stage the authentic song folklore of the Kuban Cossacks; individual songs, rituals, and pictures of Cossack life appeared in folk songs folk characters, looseness and improvisation appeared, and a truthful folk choral theater arose.

In October 1988, by Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, the choir was awarded the Order of Friendship of Peoples; in 1990, it became a laureate of the State Prize of Ukraine. T. G. Shevchenko, and in 1993 the team was awarded the honorary title “academic”.

In August 1995, Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Rus', while staying in Krasnodar, blessed the Kuban Cossack Choir to sing at festive services in churches.

In October 1996, the Decree of the head of the administration of the Krasnodar region "On recognition of the succession of the (historical) State Academic Kuban Cossack Choir from the Military Choir of the Kuban Cossack Army" was issued.

Currently, in addition to active touring and concert activities, the Kuban Cossack Choir is carrying out systematic work on recording, scientific study and stage development of the traditional song and dance folklore of the Kuban Cossacks.

Zakharchenko the folklorist collected scattered and almost disappeared from view music science And artistic creativity 14 collections of songs of the Kuban Cossacks A.D. Bigdaya, republished by him in his creative edition, from the standpoint of modern folkloristics. Essentially, the first, but most difficult and important steps towards creating an anthology have been taken song folklore Kuban.

Viktor Zakharchenko developed and implemented the concept of the Center created in 1990 folk culture Kuban, later renamed the State Scientific and Creative Institution (SSTU) "Kuban Cossack Choir", which currently employs 506 people, including 120 people in the State Kuban Cossack Choir. This is the only cultural institution in the country that is so systematically, comprehensively and promisingly engaged in the revival of traditional folk culture. Since 1998, on the basis of State National Technical University, the holding of numerous festivals, international scientific conferences and readings, the publication of studies on the history and culture of the Cossacks, the release of CDs, audio and video cassettes has been significantly intensified, and intensive concert and musical educational activities are carried out in Russia and abroad.

An assessment of the multifaceted activities of the artistic director of the Kuban Cossack Choir was the assignment of high titles to him: Honored Artist of Russia (1977), People's Artist Russia (1984) and Ukraine (1994), Honored Artist of the Republic of Adygea (1993), laureate of the State Prize of Russia (1991) and the International Prize of the Foundation of the Holy All-Praised Apostle Andrew the First-Called (1999), academician of the Russian Humanitarian Academy and the Petrine Academy (St. Petersburg ), full member (academician), of the International Academy of Informatization, which is an associated member of the UN (1993). V. G. Zakharchenko was also awarded the Order of the Badge of Honor (1981), the Red Banner of Labor (1987), Friendship of Peoples (1998) and “For Services to the Fatherland, IV degree” (2004).

With all its activities, the State Academic Kuban Cossack Choir contributes to the revival and development of the rich cultural heritage our ancestors, spiritual and patriotic education of the population.

Compound:

The total composition of the team is 157 people; administrative staff - 16, technical staff - 24, choir - 62, ballet - 37, orchestra -18.
Founders
Department of Culture of the Krasnodar Territory.

Achievements
The art of the Kuban Cossack Choir has been awarded numerous high awards and brilliant victories in Russia and abroad. The choir is twice a laureate of the All-Russian competitions of state Russian folk choirs, a laureate of the State Prize of Ukraine named after. Shevchenko, laureate of many international folklore festivals. The merits of the choir were awarded the Order of Friendship of Peoples in 1988, and in 1993 they were awarded the title “academic”.

Representing Russian culture in the world, the choir, according to the foreign press, performs on a par with such groups as the State symphony orchestra St. Petersburg Philharmonic and Bolshoi Theater.

Management
The artistic director and chief conductor of the Kuban Cossack Choir is People's Artist of Russia and Ukraine, laureate of the State Prize of Russia, laureate of the International Prize of the Foundation of the Holy All-Praised Apostle Andrew the First-Called, Doctor of Art History, professor, composer Viktor Zakharchenko.

Director of the choir - Arefiev Anatoly Evgenievich
Chief - choirmaster Ivan Albanov
Chief - choreographer Valentin Zakharov
Choreographer: Elena Nikolaevna Arefieva
Ballet tutor - Leonid Igorevich Tereshchenko
The director of the orchestra is Honored Artist of Ukraine Boris Kachur

Prospects
In 2011, the team is preparing to celebrate its bicentenary with an all-Russian tour with a new program.

Main dates:

October 14, 1811 - the beginning of the creative activity of the Black Sea Military Singing Choir. The origins of the organization of the choir were: the spiritual educator of Kuban, Archpriest Kirill of Russia, and regent Grigory Grechinsky. The foundation of professional musical activity in Kuban was laid.

Since 1861, the Black Sea Choir has been renamed the Kuban Military Singing Choir. Since that time, in addition to participating in church services, the choir constantly gives secular concerts in the region, in which, in addition to spiritual works, Kuban folk songs and classical works were performed.

In September 1911, celebrations were held to mark the 100th anniversary of the Kuban Military Singing and Musician (wind and then symphony) choir, i.e., orchestra.

Summer of 1921 - the cessation of the activities of the Kuban Military Singing and Musical Choirs.

1925-1932 - the time of active touring activity of the Kuban Men's Vocal Quartet - the only professional group in Kuban, the basis of whose repertoire was folk songs from the repertoire of the Kuban Military Singing Choir. The leader of the men's quartet was Alexander Afanasyevich Avdeev.

1929 - the first singer of the anthem of the Kuban Cossacks “You are Kuban, you are our Motherland” and the leader of the Kuban men's quartet, Alexander Afanasyevich Avdeev, was repressed and shot.

July 25, 1936 - By resolution of the Presidium of the Azov-Black Sea Regional Executive Committee, the Kuban Cossack Choir was created, headed by Grigory Mitrofanovich Kontsevich ( artistic director) and Yakov Mikhailovich Taranenko (conductor), both of them were regents of the Kuban Military Singing Choir for a long time.

1937 - the outstanding musical figure Kuban, artistic director of the Kuban Cossack Choir Grigory Mitrofanovich Kontsevich.

1939 - due to the inclusion of a dance group in the choir, the Kuban Cossack Choir was renamed the Song and Dance Ensemble of the Kuban Cossacks.

1961 - together with other ten State ensembles Soviet Union On the initiative of N.S. Khrushchev, the Song and Dance Ensemble of the Kuban Cossacks was disbanded.

1968 - the revival of the Kuban Cossack Choir under the direction of Sergei Alekseevich Chernovaya, the group was created in the genre and structure of the State Russian Folk Choirs.

1971 - The Kuban Cossack Choir for the first time becomes a diploma winner at the international folklore festival in Bulgaria.

October 14, 1974 - Viktor Gavrilovich Zakharchenko became the artistic director of the Kuban Cossack Choir.

December 1975 - The Kuban Cossack Choir took first place and received the title of laureate of the first All-Russian Review - a competition of State Russian Folk Choirs in Moscow.

Summer 1980 - the choir becomes a diploma winner at the International Folklore Festival in France.

December 1984 - the choir again took first place and received the title of second laureate All-Russian competition State Russian folk choirs in Moscow.

October 1988 - By Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, the choir was awarded the Order of Friendship of Peoples.

March 1990 - The Kuban Cossack Choir becomes a laureate of the State Prize of Ukraine named after. T. G. Shevchenko.

1993 - the team was awarded the honorary title "Academic".

August 1995 - Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Alexy II, during his stay in Krasnodar, blessed the Kuban Cossack choir to sing at festive services in the church.

October 1996 - Resolution of the head of the administration of the Krasnodar region "On recognition of the succession (historical) of the State Academic Kuban Cossack Choir from the Military Choir of the Kuban Cossack Army."

2006 - Jubilee year Kuban Cossack Choir - 195 years

Cossack Song Ensemble " Cossack soul»

Artistic director People's Artist Russia, Honored Artist of Ukraine Tatyana Bochtareva

The ensemble "Cossack Soul" was created in 1997 as a creative division of the State National Technical University of Culture and Culture "Kuban Cossack Choir"

The creative path of Tatyana Bochtareva, a singer from the people, a real Kuban Cossack, has been associated with the State Academic Kuban Cossack Choir since 1971, and the song “Oh, my dear Varenychkiv Khoche” in her performance has become the calling card of the famous group.

The ensemble also includes people from the Kuban Cossack Choir: People's Artist of Russia Gennady Cherkasov, Honored Artist of Kuban Lyubov Kinzerskaya, Liliya Gorokhova and other musicians.

The Cossack song ensemble performs accompanied by an instrumental quintet, which includes a button accordion, domra, double bass, keyboards and percussion instruments.

Strong will, sparkling humor, a tenderly loving soul - these are the character traits of the Kuban Cossacks, which the ensemble “Cossack Soul” embodies in its stage images. Folk songs, high professional skills create an unusually warm, sincere atmosphere, unity of artists and spectators. After each concert of the ensemble, a living, tremulous flame of love for native land, to native culture.

The ensemble "Cossack Soul" has found recognition not only in Krasnodar region. The audiences of Moscow, Siberia, Ukraine, Belarus and the Far Abroad greet talented Kuban artists with joy.

The ensemble's repertoire is diverse and consists of several programs.

1. “My Kuban is my native land” (historical, drill songs of the Kuban Cossacks)

2. “May your happiness be with you” (comic and playful Cossack drinking songs)

3. “I am a Kuban Cossack” (songs by Kuban authors)

4. “Apple Tree Evening”

5. “There, by the cherry orchard”

6. “Oh, the dawns are clear in Kuban”

7. “This holiday with tears in our eyes” (songs from the Great Patriotic War)

In addition to folklore, the ensemble’s repertoire includes chamber, classical and contemporary original music.

Contact numbers for tours, special events, presentations, corporate meetings.