The Chapel Boys Are Straight-A Students Twice Over

In March the Nizhny Novgorod Boys’ Chapel, now the Choir School, will mark its 55th anniversary. The peak of the celebrations on the occasion of this anniversary will come in a month, with the official honouring of the collective. For now a festival dedicated to it has begun, which no major musical figure in the city is staying away from.

And no wonder: the ranks of the chapel boys have produced such masters of their craft as the composer and rector of the Conservatory E. Fertelmeister, the artistic director of the “Zhavoronok” school A. Ezhov, the chief conductor of the philharmonic’s academic orchestra A. Skulsky, his colleague at the Opera Theatre E. Sheiko, and many others.

And, of course, it is the holiday of the constant mentor of our little nightingales and the “uncle” of all Nizhny Novgorod artists, People’s Artist of Russia Lev Sivukhin.

In all, about 400 pupils of the Chapel, having become professionals, serve their beloved art in Nizhny and beyond. Many concerts will take place within the festival, both of a chamber nature and with large oratorio works. And you know: even if only adults sing in the choir, almost all of them have grown out of the “uniforms” of little chapel boys.