HistoryIn 1958, the first end-of-year concert of the Leningrad Electro-Technical Institute (LETI) Choir took place under the conductorship of A.I. Kryilov. These concerts, which demonstrated the activities of the choir through the year, became a tradition. The LETI choir counts its years since 1957, and each concert was like a birthday celebration with a banquet and exchanges about choir life. Modern choir traditions take their beginning from the city (then known as Leningrad) student choir club, which since 1960 has been known as Gaudeamus. The first president of the club was Anatolii Martyinov of the LETI choir (from 1957), and after the resurrection of the club in 1977, Evgenii Petrov (from the Leningrad Politechnical Institute (LPI) choir) was elected president.
In 1975, the following were members of Gaudeamus:Singing in a joint choir, joint concerts and trips out of town, a choir school (an interesting and beneficial activity for a time when things were less than exciting for the spirit) were all integral parts of the work of the club. Many choir members from the end of the 70s remember the New Year Carnival, which was held on the premises of the LSPI choir. It was in the Gaudeamus club that the traditions of May Day gatherings for tourists, performances of the joint choir on the steps of the Labour Exchange on Victory Day (9th May), celebrations of Maslenitsa (Shrovetide) in March, celebrations of White Nights at the end of June, the autumnal comic fairs in the woods of the Leningrad region, trips to Pushkin or Pavlovsk at the beginning of October to welcome the Golden Autumn, to sing, to stroll in the parks, to rustle the leaves, all arose. Each choir celebrated the New Year, Day of Defenders of the Fatherland and International Womens Day, but each in their own way. After the May Day gathering, choir travelling season opened: at the weekends (and not only), with ones choir (and not only), on boats or on foot to one of the many lakes in the Leningrad region. And so it was until the beginning of the new academic year and the new choir season. In winter, many choir groups rented dachas to go skiing. Within the LETI choir a tradition of travelling to perform concerts in villages began. Tatyanas Day is a traditional celebration for Russian students. In the evening, choir members and those who wished to join a choir would gather in the Gaudeamus cafe. Generations of choir members went by and some of the traditions were forgotten. But for their resurrection all one needs is a huge desire to live interestingly and to do something not just for you, but for others too. Information taken from the site: hor-leti.narod.ru To return |