The IV Lenten Choral Festival of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District took place in Almaty

April 14, 2024. Alma-Ata. With the blessing of Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, the first stage of the IV Lenten choral festival of children's, youth and adult singing groups of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District took place in the Ascension Cathedral.

The musical forum is timed to coincide with a significant date for the Metropolitan District - the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Astana and Alma-Ata diocese on the territory of the Republic.
Organizers of the festival: Department of Culture of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District, headed by Honored Worker of Culture of Russia L.E. Goricheva; clergyman of the main church of Almaty, head of the public relations department of the Metropolitan District, Archpriest Alexander Suvorov; Archpriest Alexander Ievlev, head of the youth outreach and educational project “Upper Room of Masters”.
The concert program was attended by parishioners of churches in the southern capital.
More than 200 students from 10 parish schools and churches in the city of Almaty and the region took part in the musical competition.
The jury of the song competition is chaired by the Secretary of the Metropolitan District, Honored Artist of the Russian Federation, member of the Church and Public Council under the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' for the development of Russian church singing O.N. Ovchinnikova included: well-known performer of folk and pop songs in Kazakhstan and abroad, opera singer and teacher B.A. Tulegenova; Honored Artist of Russia Protodeacon Mikhail Spelnik; Honored Worker of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Chief Conductor of the Kazakh National Opera and Ballet Theater named after Abai E.K. Akhmediarov; Honored Artist of the Republic of Kazakhstan, director of the children's music choir school "Elim Ay", art director of International music festivals in Almaty, art forums in Europe L.I. Romanovskaya; Honored Worker of Culture of the Republic of Kazakhstan T.N. Burmistrova; Honored Worker of Culture of the Russian Federation, Head of the Culture Department of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District L.E. Goricheva; choirmaster of the Kazakh National Academic Opera and Ballet Theater named after. Abai, teacher of the conducting department of the Kazakh National Conservatory named after. Kurmangazy A.M. Tubazhanova; choirmaster of the choir of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District V.V. Dudareva; choirmaster of the State Choir Chapel named after. B. Baikadamova, “Excellence in Culture” of the Republic of Kazakhstan A.B. Akhmetov; Honorary cultural worker of the Republic of Kazakhstan, teacher of the Almaty Music College named after P.I. Tchaikovsky, regent of the St. Nicholas Cathedral of the southern capital O.N. Berekesheva.
The guest of honor at the event was the wife of the Consul General of the Russian Federation in Almaty A.V. Turaeva.
Before the start of the musical forum, the vicar of the Astana diocese, Bishop Claudian of Taldykorgan, read out the welcoming words of Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan to the participants of the event. “Holding Lenten concerts of sacred music is an old pious tradition of the Orthodox Church, dating back more than one century. In those distant times, during the days of the Holy Pentecost, choral groups performed the best works of sacred music in concert halls and famous composers presented their new works to the public. The fathers and teachers of the Church of Christ call the time of Great Lent “spiritual spring.” Strict Lenten services, with touching and touching chants, especially contribute to spiritual awakening and renewal. Orthodox singing helps people immerse themselves in prayer and learn true communion with God. According to the words of St. Gregory of Nyssa, the music sounding under the arches of churches, “like sweet honey, delights us with the teaching of virtues, which is contained in church hymns.” It is especially gratifying that today young people are keenly interested in Orthodox musical culture - church singing is studied in parish Sunday schools, children's and youth choirs are created, which participate in liturgical life on an equal basis with adults. God grant that this aspect of spiritual enlightenment will continue to actively develop in the future. I wish the teachers and young choristers further creative success, and all of us to deeply and sincerely love the Church of God,” says, in particular, the address of the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan.
During the festival, the musical program was performed by: the children's choir "Verbochki" of the Sunday school of the church in honor of the Great Martyr Paraskeva-Friday in Almaty (director - E.N. Shamstudinova), the children's choir "Merry Notes" of the Sunday school of the church in honor of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary microdistrict of Alatau (director G.V. Guliyeva), senior choir of the Sunday school in the name of the holy martyrs Adrian and Natalia of the village of Otegen Batyr, Alma-Ata region (director - S.A. Redkin), children's and youth choir named after the 40 Martyrs of Sebaste Sunday school Church of the Exaltation of the Cross in Alma-Ata (director - I.A. Belitskaya), children's choir "Lik" of the Sunday school church in the name of the Great Martyr Paraskeva-Friday of the Southern capital (director - E.N. Shamstudinova), senior choir of the Sunday school of the Peter and Paul Church of the city Alma-Ata (director - S.S. Ivanyuta), the choir of the Central Sunday School at the St. Nicholas Cathedral of the southern capital (director - V.A. Alferov), the choir of the church singing school "Tsevnitsa" at the Ascension Cathedral of Alma-Ata (director – N.O. Golovin), the choir “Eleos” of the Sunday school of the church in the name of the Great Martyr Paraskeva-Friday of the city of Alma-Ata (director – E.N. Shamstudinova), the senior choir of the Sunday school of the church in the name of the Apostle John the Theologian of the Southern capital (director – K.G. Uperenko).
The following representatives of adult singing groups of the Alma-Ata diocese also performed a musical program: the ensemble “Canto Angelico” - the choir of the St. Sophia Cathedral of the Iversko-Seraphim convent of the Southern capital (director - O.B. Usoltseva), the male choir of the Alma-Ata diocese (director - Deacon Alexander Piven), choir of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Almaty (director – E.V. Skorova).
Children's, youth and adult singing groups performed church hymns and spiritual poems.
At the end of the festival, the male choir of the Ascension Cathedral in Almaty, under the direction of Abbot Philip (Moiseev), performed the works “Embrace of the Father” and “I Believe” in the harmonization of the regent.
The second stage of the festival takes place online. It involves groups that, due to various circumstances, were unable to arrive in Alma-Ata.
The announcement of the results, awarding of the winners and a round table following the festival will take place during the Easter period.