Kaliningrad Choir Capella

Choir of Kaliningrad region was established like a chamber choir in 1991 by graduate of Gnesin’s State musikal colledge Sergei Makeev, who was a director of group during 10 years. Graduates of high and secondary musical educational institutions of our country came to work here.

Leader teacher of Kaliningrad musical college and excellent musician Tamara Maksimova was invited as a creative director of choir. The first public performance of group was on 19th of May 1991 on the scene of Koncert-Hall in Kaliningrad. If was symphony-action “Perezvony” by V. Gavrilin. Presentation of choir did not stay without attention. Already in September 1991 the choir was invited to take part in first playing of “Reguiem” by Motsart in with state chamber orchestra of Lithuanian Republic under direction of C. Sandetskis in Kaliningrad and Vilnius. And in 1892 Beethoven’s symphony № IX was performed by choir with Stuttgart’s orchestra (Germany) and choir of Olsten’s philharmonic (Poland).

It January 1993 graduate of Rimsky-Korsakov’s Leningrad conservatori, the main regent of Kaliningrad eparchy Gallina Makeeva was invited as creative director. Her talent and abilities for managing assisted to further creative growing of group, raising of it’s professional and performing mastery.


	Since 1998 Konstantin Belonogov is creative director of choir, he is graduate of Nijegorod Conservatory. He is famous not only as a gifted conductor, but also as a composer and author of many remakes of folk songs.

The geography of concerts of choir is very wide. During years of it’s existence choir took part in international competitions and festivals, and as a representative of Russian choral art collective showed it’s mastery in Poland and Lithuania, in France and Germany, in Hungary and Austria, in Ireland and Sweden. The group was invited to many different cities of Europe many times. On audience opinion the choir from Kaliningrad was a decoration of many International festivals of choir music.

In 1995 collective got Golden diploma on the 5^th International competition of choral collectives in Budapest, and it’s creative director Galina Makeeva wan declared the best conductor of “Budapest -95” competition.

1996. Bronze medal in International contest of professional choirs “Haynuvka-95” in Poland.

2000. Silver prize-winner of the 1st International Choir Olympics in Linze (Austria).
2000. Participation in world-wide exhibition “Expo-2000” in Hanover (Germany).
2002. Collective of choir was conferred on professional prize of Kaliningrad region administration “Priznanie”.

2004. Silver medal and diploma of the 3rd International Choir Olympics in Bremen (Germany).

In 1996 was released the first CD of the collective. It was recorded in Paris (France). Repertoire of the choir covers all styles and all periods – from strict high style of old artists to Russian folklore. The choir performed: “Requiem” by Mozart, “Glory” by Vivaldy, “Requiem” by Fore, operas “Didona and Aney” by Percel and “Alkid” by Bortnyanskiy. In choir’s programs there are sacred choir music of russian and foreign composers; russian folk music by Rahmaninov, Tchaikovsky, Bortnyansky, Chesnokov, Sviridov, Shedrin and others; works of modern European composers; Russian folk songs including remakes by Belonogov.

Irina Vasilievna Makeeva is from 2002 a director of Kaliningrad regional Choral Capella. As a leader, she is distinguished by very valid attitude toward artists and employees of choir. Solved by even temper of leader allows a collective to work without conflicts, with the enthusiasm and to provide effective activity of organization on the whole. Due to her initiative and aspiration Choral Capella was able to drive out on World Choir Olympics in Bremen (Germany) in July, 2004.

In October 2003 in spite of the fact that average age of participants of the collective is about 30, new program “As we were young” with songs of 30s and 80s was presented to the audience.

At the last time creative work of the collective is tightly connected with Musical Theater of Kaliningrad region. As a result of this cooperation new choirs from operettas “Bat” by Johan Straus, “Carmen” by George Baize and “Traviata” by Jusepe Verdi appeared in repertoire of the choir. These plays were put on stage together with Moscow theater “Gelikon opera” by Dmitry Bertman a well known director, Golden mask Price laureate and Honored artist of Russian Federation.

In 2004 the theatrical season of musical theater was opened with the new version of musical «My Fair Lady» by Loewe, in which the artists of choir took active part. The theatrical season of 2005 was opened with the opera-jazz show "Gershwin-gala", in which choir took leading part.
The collective of Choral Capella actively co-operates with a symphonic orchestra leaded by A.Feldmann. In August, 2005 with the symphonic orchestra and choirs from Germany «Carmina Burana» by C.Orff and «Requiem» by W.A.Mozart were performed.
To 60-th Anniversary of the Victory the new solo program «By the Front roads», consisting of songs of years of 2-nd World War, was prepared.
Annually before the collective of Choral Capella the more responsible, intricate tasks are set. Works of modern composers are included in a repertoire, for execution of which large skill and qualification is required. A lot of attention is spared for works in foreign languages - German, Italian, French, Latin. The collective of Choral Capella is able to perform works of large musical form. Variability of repertoire policy allows a collective to work mobile and very effectively, as it allows to account interests of any public, any event which the collective of is invited on. Large work is conducted on creation of the new programs and projects. Every project must be characterized with an uniqueness, novelty of maintenance or place of realization. Certainly the aims of project are always limited with resources, period of time, scopes of budget, but without new ideas, programs, projects a collective can not exist, it must be necessary to the spectators.