Biography

The Vitebsk Youth Choir was established in 1991, out of a wide selection of graduates from the Culture Institute “School of Arts Nº1” choral department in Vitebsk city (Belarus). At present, young graduates from other music schools are also joining this Chorale. This ensemble, distinguished by its highly accomplished musical and stage skills, regularly take part in national and international festivals and contests.

This Youth Choir is guided by the expert conducting hand of Vitaly Rauzo, who was awarded in the First Festival of Traditional Musical Creation entitled “Belarus – my song”. Likewise, he received an honorary award in the Gregory Shirma National Festival of academic choral ensembles. He was once again awarded in the Second Festival of Traditional Musical Creation entitled “Belarus – my song”. In 1998, his choir represented Vitebsk city and all of Belarus in the “Slavyansky Bazar” (Slavic Internacional Festival) Choir Ensemble Assembly, which, every year, takes place in the famous Vitebsk city.

Among this chorale´s numerous achievements in musical performance, we find an impressive interpretation of J.S. Bach’s “Christmas Oratorio”, in conjunction with the German ensemble “Kantorei”, and accompanied by a chamber orchestra under the direction of Yuri Tsiryuka. Other great performances are W.A. Mozart’s “Mess” in Cdur, accompanied by a chamber orchestra under the direction of Vyacheslav Bortnovsky, as well as P.I. Chaikovsky’s cantata “Moscow”, and G. Sviridov’s cantatas “Kurskian chants”and “Spring cantata” accompanied by V.D. Dubrovsky’s orchestra from Smolensk, under the direction of Yuri Nikonenko.

Over the last 18 years the Vitebsk Youth Choir has performed around 20 large compositions (oratorios, cantatas, liturgies, concerts, vocal series), foreign and Russian compositions, as well as pieces of contemporary composers and a wide range of popular songs. The choir has regularly participated in concert halls of several cities of Germany and other countries such as Belgium, Russia and Latvia. They have performed in the Republic of Belarus State Concert Hall, in Polotsk Cathedral of Holy Wisdom, and in Vitebsk city. In 2005, Vitaly Rauzo presented, along with his Choir, P.I.Chaikovsky’s “Liturgy” to the public of Meintse and Vetslare (Germany) and later on, in 2008, in conjunction with the German choir “Kantorei”, they interpreted J. Brahms’s “German Requiem”.

–