Kyiv Symphonic Choir/Orchestra begins six-week tour of U.S. (08/25/96)

Kyiv Symphonic Choir/Orchestra begins six-week tour of U.S.

JERSEY CITY, N.J. - The Kyiv Symphonic Choir and Orchestra, under the direction of Roger McMurrin, will present concerts of Christian music and Ukrainian classics during its six-week tour of the United States beginning on August 26.

Formed in the summer of 1993 by Roger and Diane McMurrin, the Kyiv Symphonic Choir and Orchestra performs Christian classics of the West, and boasts a choir of 110 Ukrainian singers and an orchestra of 60 musicians from various Kyiv orchestras, including the National Opera Theater.

In May 1995 the symphonic choir and orchestra performed for U.S. President Bill Clinton during his visit to Kyiv. In November of the same year, it recorded three compact discs. In May, the Kyiv Symphonic performed Handel's "Messiah" at the National Opera Theater, and in June, Berlioz's "Requiem."

The McMurrins have worked in church music for 25 years. Roger McMurrin has served as music director of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Highland Park Presbyterian Church in Dallas and First Presbyterian Church in Orlando, Fla. He was the co-conductor of the Sinfonia Virtuosi, a professional chamber orchestra in Fort Lauderdale, and conducted Handel's "Messiah" in Tokyo with the New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra.

The McMurrins moved to Kyiv in 1993. In September 1994 members of the Kyiv Symphonic Choir and Orchestra established an interdenominational church called the Church of the Holy Trinity, where Mr. McMurrin serves as the American pastor. Sasha Sikorsky, 26, is the Ukrainian pastor. The church offers Sunday School classes and worship services, and has established an outreach ministry to elderly widows. In August 1995, the McMurrins established Music Mission Kiev Inc., a tax-exempt charity registered in Florida.

The Kyiv Symphony Orchestra and Chorus will tour the United States on August 26-October 3. The ensemble's repertoire includes works by Tchaikovsky, Bach, Rachmaninoff, Bortniansky and Lewandowski.

Performances are scheduled in Elizabeth, N.J.; Richmond, Va.; Jefferson and Montreat, N.C.; Atlanta and Macon, Ga.; Orlando, Lakeland, St. Petersburg, Palm City, Fort Lauderdale, Vero Beach, Jacksonville and Pensacola, Fla.; Shreveport, La.; Dallas; Fayetteville, Ark.; Memphis, Tenn.; Chicago, Belleville and Kankakee, Ill.; Cleveland, Xenia and Mount Vernon, Ohio; Washington; Wayne, Pa.; and New York City. Check local newspapers for dates and locations.