Metropolitan Alexander Meets with the Moscow Children’s and Youth Choral Studio “Tsarevich” and Choirs of Sunday Schools of Almaty and the Almaty Region

21 February 2026 – Almaty. A meeting took place in the parish house of the Ascension Cathedral between Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan and the participants in the children’s Divine Liturgy – the Moscow Orthodox choral studio “Tsarevich” (artistic director – E.S. Tugarinov) and the combined choir of pupils from the children’s Sunday schools of the churches of the city of Almaty and the Almaty Region (choirmaster – N.O. Golovina).

On the eve of the meeting, representatives of the Moscow Orthodox choral studio “Tsarevich” – the senior choir and the vocal ensemble “Sofia” – performed in the Grand Concert Hall named after E. Rakhmadiev together with the mixed choir of the Kurmangazy Kazakh National Conservatory. On 19 February, at the principal church of the Southern capital, E.S. Tugarinov conducted a master class for directors of children’s church choirs and teachers of Sunday schools in Almaty.

Present at the meeting of the young singers with the Head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan were the initiators and organizers of the children’s Liturgy: O.N. Ovchinnikov, Secretary of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan, Honored Worker of Arts of the Russian Federation, choirmaster of the choir of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District, member of the Patriarchal Council for the Development of Russian Church Singing, and V.M. Kapsamun, president of the public foundation “ELEOS-MEIRIM”; also Priest Georgy Sidorov, head of the Administrative Secretariat of the Head of the Metropolitan District, and Protodeacon Roman Golovin, head of the Metropolitan’s protocol service.

Greeting the young singers, the hierarch noted in particular: “Orthodox singing helps people immerse themselves in prayer and learn true communion with God. In the words of St. Gregory of Nyssa, the music resounding beneath the vaults of churches ‘like sweet honey delights us with the teaching of virtues contained in the church hymns.’ It is especially heartening that today young people show a lively interest in Orthodox musical culture – church singing is studied in parish Sunday schools, children’s and youth choirs are being formed, and they participate alongside adults in liturgical life. May God grant that this aspect of spiritual enlightenment continue to develop actively.”

“Singing in a church choir is a joyful yet demanding labor. To stand for an hour, two, or sometimes longer, attentively follow the course of the service, the text, the notes, and the gestures of the choirmaster, to sing while entering into the meaning of every word – this is not always easy even for adults. Therefore, your labor and the labor of your mentors and leaders deserve special attention and gratitude. I wish you all strong health, a joyful spirit, and creative success,” emphasized the Head of the Metropolitan District.

During the conversation, the archpastor gave examples of various spiritual and educational projects being carried out in the dioceses of Kazakhstan. According to the metropolitan, a special place among them is occupied by the annual congress of choirmasters and singers – laborers in the field of church musical art. “The organization of such events contributes to the development of musical art in Kazakhstan, the popularization of our people’s cultural and historical heritage, and the revival of unjustly forgotten traditions of sacred singing,” said the archpastor.

E.S. Tugarinov, artistic director of the “Tsarevich” ensemble, thanked the hierarch for the opportunity to participate in the Divine Liturgy at the Ascension Cathedral – a historical and cultural jewel of Semirechye – and shared positive impressions of the studio’s acquaintance with the spiritual and cultural life of the Southern capital.

The Head of the Metropolitan District presented commemorative gifts to the singers.

At the conclusion of the event, a group photograph was taken.