Serge Jaroff
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Serge Alexeyevich Jaroff (April 1 [O.S. March 20] 1896 - 5 October 1985) was the founder, conductor and composer of the Don Cossack Choir Serge Jaroff.
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[edit] Early life
Jaroff was born April 1 [O.S. March 20] 1896 in Makarev, Kostroma Province, Russia. He trained at the Moscow Synod School for Choral Singing.
[edit] Army career
He served as a Cossack lieutenant in the Russian Civil War. In 1920, the Don divisions were driven to the Crimea by the Red Army. They evacuated from there to the Turkish internment camp Çilingir, near Istanbul . In January 1921 Jaroff put together a choir from Russian refugees in the internment camp. Most of the singers who later performed in the Don Cossacks Choir had been members of the Don divisions since the war in 1914. The 3th Don division in March 1921 was interned on the Greek island of Lemnos.
Then the troops, including the singers, were shipped to Burgas, Bulgaria. The Russian representative asked Jaroff and his choir to join the church. On 23 June 1923, they performed in the cathedral of Sofia. The choir consisted of 32 professional singers, and the artistic level was very high. The choir had an offer to sing in France but due to lack of money the choir made their official debut in Vienna.
[edit] Don Cossack Choir Serge Jaroff
The Don Cossack Chorus was a group of former officers of the Russian Imperial Army, discovered singing in Çilingir, near Istanbul, where they had fled after the defeat of their army unit in the Crimea. They made their formal concert debut in Vienna, 4 July, 1923.
They were immensely popular in American and international tours in the 1930s, 40s and 50s. The men, dressed as Cossacks, sang a cappella in a repertory of Russian sacred and operatic music, army songs and folk songs. Cossack dancing was eventually added to their programs.
[edit] Later life
His last tour was in the 1978-1979 season of the company, but Jaroff continued as a choir leader until 1981. On 20 march 1981 Jaroff transferred all rights of his choir to Otto Hofner (Germany), his friend and manager. In 2001 Otto Hofner transferred the rights of the choir to Wanja Hlibka.
[edit] Personal life
Jaroff married Neonila, and had one son. They lived in Lakewood, New Jersey, where Jaroff died in 1985. He became a US citizen after World War II.
