THE ORTHODOX GROUP "SIRIN" (MOSCOW)

“Sirin” was founded in 1989 by a group of young music professionals, who were joined together by the idea of bringing the traditional orthodox ways of singing back to life. The name comes from the paradise bird Sirin, who sings "the unheard songs about the souls of the saved". Basing on research and achievements of other specialists in linguistics and musicology, who studied the Middle Ages in Russia, the musicians aim at livening up the orthodox church songs. The group's repertoire is extremely varied; includes symptomatic and pilgrimage chants, old  Russian liturgical singing (łac. domesticus), Kiev,  Bulgarian, Greek, as well as cloister chants, early forms of the Russian polyphony and Early Russian parteses. Ensemble sound is distinguished by a specific  manner, combining the methods of authentic singing masters, distinct, redolent with high tones sound as well as sophisticated, subtle and melodious aesthetics. "Singing without vibration, rich in alikvots, reminding singing of seraphs" – such was the characteristic of the band written by a German music critic, and the performance was called "a sound sign of God"s wisdom that gives evidence of existence to the performed hymns." The unique performance values of the group were noticed by the modern composers. Especially for Sirina, the composer W. Martynov wrote an oratory entitled Prophet’s Jermiah Laments, which premiere and the first performance directed by Anatolij Vasiliev, took place in Moscow in January 1991.
The group took part in all prestigious festivals of medieval and religious music in Russia and abroad. Additionally, he recorded copious CD’s: Religious Russian orthodox songs (France), Old Russian Orthodox Music (England), Christ is born (Russia). Within only a few years, ‘Sirin’ gave concerts in Estonia, Czech Republic, Portugal, France, England, China (In Beijing he was a special guest of 8 Congress of Asian Countries Choirs), India, Brazil, United States and Poland. He was a participant of 1. European Symposium of Choir Music in Lubljana, Word Syposium of Choir Music In Rotterdam, Festival in Old Lyon (Vieux Lyon), Festival of Sacral Music in Marktoberdorf and Maastricht. ‘Sirin’ participated in the festivals such as: ‘Ile de France’, ‘Lufthansa Baroque Musik Festival’ (Great Britain),  International Festival of Choir Music in Cork (Irland), Festival of Religious Music in Fryburg (Switzerland) and in Fezie (Maroko), Christmas Festival in  Bangkok, Europalia Festival (Belgium) and many others.

ANDRIEJ KOTOW

A director of the ensemble, conductor and folklorist. Since 1980 he has been studying the problems of the traditional singing culture, therefore he was in position to acquaint with the remains of the unique Middle Ages traditions of the orthodox singing in Russia of XII-XVII century. Gradually, gathering the theoretical and practical knowledge about the traditions in question, he decided to establish a group in order to understand and revitalize the music of orthodox Russia;  trying to bring the music back to contemporary practice of God's service and religious practice.