Monastic ensemble come from Russia with love
 NOV 07A celebrated quintet of male singers from a Russian monastery will be performing for free at St Peter Mancroft Church, in Norwich city centre, on Saturday November 17 from 1pm.
The Valaam Ensemble’s free performance will feature both traditional folk songs, liturgical hymns and chants from the musical traditions of Northern Russia. The event is part of their tour of the UK.
The Ensemble spends summers at the ancient Valaam Monastery, a spiritual centre for Russian Orthodoxy, located on a group of islands in Lake Ladoga. They perform for the thousands of pilgrims and tourists who visit the islands.
Although members of the ensemble are not monks, they are dedicated to assisting in the restoration of the Valaam Monastery, which suffered considerable destruction during the Soviet regime and was consigned to oblivion for some 50 years. They are also devoted to bringing Russia’s spiritual heritage back to life, and are helping to re-discover the ancient music of the Russian Orthodox Church.
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