The Turetsky Choir is a Russian men's a cappella ensemble and musical collective under the direction of Mikhail Turetsky. Their voices range from tenore contraltino to basso profundo.

History

The Turetsky Men's Choir was established in 1989. With financial support from the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, the choir made its debut in 1990 at the Moscow Choral Synagogue with Jewish liturgical and folk music in the philharmonic halls of Tallinn, Kaliningrad, Moscow and other cities.

Performances

From 1991–1992, they performed in Washington, D.C., for Congress at the Chanukah celebration, the Park East Synagogue in New York, and at Carnegie and Merkin Halls. They were invited to sing in Spain at the Por Me Espiritu international festival, commemorating the 500th year since the Spanish expulsion of the Jews. They also toured England, Israel and Poland. In 1993, the American Cantor Association awarded Mikhail Turetsky the Golden Crown of the Cantors of the World Award. In 1995, the choir split into two segments. One part stayed in Moscow; the other went to Miami to work at Temple Emmanu-El Synagogue. The choir performed together alongside Julio Iglesias. In 1997, the group took part in over 100 concerts in Iosif Kobzon's Russian farewell tour. Next year, the choir toured the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). In 2000–2001, they joint tour with Iosif Kobzon on the Moscow State Variety Theatre. In 2002, Mikhail Turetsky received the title "Honored Artist of the Russian Federation" for his achievements in the arts. Their first performance under the name Turetsky Choir Art Group took place in January 2004. Later, the choir presented the program "When Men Are Singing" in the State Kremlin Palace with the participation of Emma Shapplin and Gloria Gaynor. In January 2005, they performed in concert halls of the United States in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Atlantic City, Boston and Chicago. Their 2005–2006 anniversary tour "Born to Sing" visited cities in Russia and the CIS. In 2007, the choir received the Russian Music Award "Record 2007" for the best classical album of the year. In 2007, "Hallelujah to Love" was toured around Russia and the CIS. The choir performed four times at the Kremlin and had another concert at State Concert Hall "Rossiya" in Luzhniki. In 2008–2009, they toured Russia, the CIS and the US with the program "And the Show Goes On...". Their anniversary tour, titled "20 years: 10 voices", took place across 2010–2011.

Soloists

Discography

High Holidays (Jewish religious songs)

Bravissimo

Jewish songs

Star Duets (Russian: Звёздные дуэты)

Une vie d’amour (Russian: Такая великая любовь)

When the Men Sing (Russian: Когда поют мужчины)

A concert in Haifa, DVD, in 2004. It was performed without Gloria Gaynor and Emma Shapplin.

Born to Sing (Russian: Рожденные петь)

First part

Second part

Great Music (2 CD + DVD) (Russian: Великая музыка)

Moscow – Jerusalem (Russian: Москва-Иерусалим) (2 CD + DVD)

Moscow – Jerusalem CD 1

Moscow – Jerusalem CD 2

Moscow – Jerusalem DVD

Music of all times (Russian: Музыка всех времен) (CD + 2 DVD)

CD: Music of all time

DVD 1: Music of all times (The Kremlin, 2006, live)

DVD 2: Hallelujah to Love (Russian: Аллилуйя любви) Kremlin, live DVD, 2008