Kyiv Boys Choir to tour U.S. (03/08/98)

Kyiv Boys Choir to tour U.S.

KYIV - The Kyiv Boys Choir will return to the United States on March 12 for a series of concerts featuring the music of Ukrainian and European classical composers.

The choir is conducted by Aida Zaitseva and consists of 43 boys age 9 to 27.

This is the second United States tour for the young choirists. In March-April 1997, they appeared in Dallas at benefits for the Ukrainian American Multi-Cultural Connection.

In 1996 the group toured Germany and France, and took part in the 50th Llangollen Choir Festival in England. It has toured Poland, Italy and Bulgaria as well.

Formed in 1988, the choir is part of Kyiv's Revutsky Specialized School of Music and performs under the auspices of the Revutsky Men's Kapelle.

The choir's current repertoire consists of folk music, cantatas, choir miniatures and modern compositions, and includes works by Bach, Handel, Lysenko, Leontovych, Tchaikovsky and Bortniansky.

Ms. Zaitseva, the boys choir director, studied at the St. Petersburg Conservatory, where she completed her Ph.D in choral conducting. The 49-year-old conductor has been with the group since its inception. In 1994 she was awarded the honor of "best conductor" at the International Children's Festival in Hungary.

The Kyiv Boys Choir has already scheduled appearances in 16 major U.S. cities, beginning in Miami on March 13 and including Dallas and Phoenix, Ariz.

For more information on the tour of the Kyiv Boys Choir, call the Ukrainian American Multi-Cultural Connection, (214) 526-2979.