Help Preserve Russian Music with Tsar Nicholas Men’s Choir

Dear Friends and Music Lovers,

We reach out to you today on behalf of the Tsar Nicholas II Men’s Choir, a passionate ensemble deeply committed to preserving the rich traditions of Russian church music. Our choir, consisting of talented members from the White Russian community in the United States and France, serves as a living bridge to the musical heritage of pre-revolutionary Russia and her diaspora.

Our group has not only dedicated itself to celebrating and sustaining these age-old melodies but has also succeeded in bringing them to international stages. In 2021, we were honored with popular acclaim at a choral competition in Serbia, a testament to our dedication and the universal appeal of the music we cherish. The joy and connection we witnessed there have only deepened our commitment to sharing our cultural legacy with the world. By scrolling below this text, you will see the videos from our concert in Serbia, as well as short bios of our singers.

We are fundraising now to continue with our important work. We have several projects we would like to undertake, the soonest of which is a trip to London we are planning in October. These projects are our passion and offer us a chance to further our mission on an international scale.

However, to bring these projects to fruition, we face a challenge that we cannot overcome without your help. The food and lodging costs for our choir members during our travels are substantial. Therefore, we are turning to you, our community of supporters, friends, and music lovers, to ask for your assistance raising the necessary funds.

Your support would mean more than just providing for our basic needs while we are abroad. It would signify a belief in the importance of cultural preservation and the power of music to transcend boundaries, bringing people together from all walks of life.

Here’s how your generous donation will be utilized:

•⁠ ⁠Ensuring that each member of our choir has a safe and comfortable place to stay, allowing us to focus entirely on our rehearsals and performances.

•⁠ ⁠Providing meals for our choir members throughout our trip, keeping us nourished and energized for our concerts and rehearsals.

We believe in the power of community and the strength of shared heritage. This is a truly corporate endeavor. Our choir members are investing not only their time, but their money, paying for the flights out of their own pockets. By supporting the Tsar Nicholas II Men’s Choir, you are not just aiding us in our practical needs; you are playing a pivotal role in the global celebration and preservation of a timeless musical tradition.

We are immensely grateful for any contribution you can make. Your generosity will directly impact the success of our future tours and help us continue to spread the beauty of Russian church music far and wide. If you have any ideas for future trips, would like us to visit your parish, or perform a concert in your hometown, please let us know. We are open to new and exciting ideas!

Thank you for considering our appeal. With your support, we can truly expand our reach and open a new chapter in the ongoing story of the Tsar Nicholas II Men’s Choir.

Warmest regards,

Adrian Fekula

Director

Tsar Nicholas II Men’s Choir

Enjoy some of our recordings from our concert in Serbia in 2021. Scroll further to get to know our choir members.

The Tsar Nicholas II Men’s Choir is conducted by Adrian Fekula. Like all of the singers, Adrian is an amateur. He works in finance full-time, but studied music in high school and college, having studied conducting under Professor David Harris at the College of the Holy Cross in Massachusetts, where he was also the assistant conductor of the college choir. Adrian currently serves as the assistant conductor of the Metropolitan’s Choir of the Cathedral of the Sign in New York City – the center of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia.

Deacon Nikolai is a cleric at the Novo-Diveevo convent in New York and sings 1st tenor in the Tsar Nicholas Men’s Choir. His goal is the constant pursuit of prayer by means of beautiful singing and chanting in divine services of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR). With particular attention to Znamenniy and Kievan chant, he arranges music based on square notation melodies in 4 part harmony, particularly for men's choir. His favorite choral composers are Pavel Grigorievich Chesnokov and Dn. Sergei Trubachev.

John Arlievsky is a baritone, and our youngest member. He began his music studies at Westminster Choir College, where he studied piano, voice, composition, and conducting. While continuing to work with many of his teachers from Westminster, John now studies voice under Randall Scarlata at Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University. He has been a member of several historic and Grammy-nominated choirs, and is the founder and conductor of Osanna Chamber Ensemble.

John has a passion for Russian choral music, and is overjoyed to be singing in the Tsar Nicholas II Men’s Choir.

Deacon Stefan Stoyanov is a cleric of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad and graduate of Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary (‘16). In 2017, he toured with the choir to St. Petersburg, accompanying the relics of Grand Duchess Elizabeth. That summer he acted as guest conductor for the London Cathedral in Chiswick, UK and returned with the choir the following year for the Great Consecration of the same cathedral. In addition to being a member of the Tsar Nicholas II Men’s Choir, he is a bass in the Grammy-Nominated PaTRAM Institute Men’s Choir which will soon be releasing their upcoming album, “More Honourable Than The Cherubim”. In addition to his theological education, Dcn. Stefan is a graduate student at the University of Rochester, earning a Masters of Science in Mental Health Counseling and working as a psychotherapist in the areas of addiction and complex trauma. Currently, Dcn. Stefan lives in his hometown of Denver, CO and works as Sales Director for Delphos, a tech startup that produces Orarion - the world’s first music writing software designed specifically for Orthodox musicians.

Vladimir Rodzianko sings bass in the Tsar Nicholas II Men’s Choir and is an ordained reader in the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad. A descendent of white emigres that fled the Bolshevik Revolution, Vladimir was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio and is the great, great grandson of Mikhail V. Rodzianko, the last chairman of the Tsarist Duma under Nicholas II and the great nephew of Bishop Basil (Rodzianko). Vladimir grew up in a musical family, playing cello from a young age, as well as singing and conducting in his home parish of St. Sergius of Radonezh in Parma, Ohio. He has sung in some of the most renowned choirs from the United States, Australia, and Russia, and has participated in distinguished recording projects with a focus on Russian liturgical music, including the album “As Far as the East is From the West” combining compositions from prolific composers Kurt Sander and Gennady Lapaev. Vladimir graduated with degrees in both international business and marketing from Cleveland State University. As an entrepreneur, he founded Orthodox Depot, one of the largest online Orthodox marketplaces in the world.

Grégoire Machtalère-Kedrov was born on July 5, 1990 in Paris, France and sings bass in the Tsar Nicholas II Men’s Choir. His mother is the granddaughter of the famous Russian composer and singer Nikolai Nikolaevich Kedrov Sr., as well as the daughter of the famous Russian composer Nikolai Nikolaevich Kedrov, Jr. Grégoire’s father was ordained to the priesthood after twenty years of directing the choir. Since the age of 13, Grégoire has been singing in Russian church choirs all around Paris; the Church of the Resurrection of Christ in Meudon, the St. Sergius representation church, and the Cathedral of St. Alexander Nevsky. He sings in the choir of St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral under the direction of his uncle, Protodeacon Alexander Nikolaevich Kedrov, having performed in concerts in France and Russia. Grégoire was the choir director for 10 years at the church of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Constantine and Elena - the first church that was built by Russian emigres following the Bolshevik Revolution and Russian Civil War. Grégoire is also an experience guitarist, thanks in no small part to the importance and influence of Russian music in Paris. He lives in Paris to this day.