The Choir directed by of one of the few masters and experts of ancient Russian “pre-Schismal” singing was established by Anatoli Grindenko in 1983 in the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius.last two centuries, while a huge cultural layer, no less significant for the world culture than ancie In 1985, with the blessing of Metropolitan Pitirim of Volokolamsk and Kolomna, it was reorganized into the Choir of the Publishing Department of the Moscow Patriarchate, composed of the singers of Moscow churches. The Chamber Choir “Drevnerussky Raspev” is a kind of creative laboratory where scientists and performers work together. According to the world media, the Choir has totally changed the way people think of ​​Russian music. Before, it was only based on the achievements of the Russian composers’ school of the nt Russian painting, fell between the cracks.

Anatoli Grindenko, Founder and Art Director of the Male Choir “Drevnerussky Raspev”, graduated from Moscow State Conservatory where he learned ancient Russian znamenny chants. Time and again, Anatoli Grindenko took part in folklore and archeological expeditions in the south and north of Russia, got to know various Old Believer traditions, took part in expeditions to Cappadocia and Egypt, studied canonical iconography, and collected lots of iconographic material. Through the Anatoli Grindenko’s creative experience, talent and deep knowledge of the ancient Russian singing tradition, the Choir “Drevnerussky Raspev” has become on the leading national singing groups in the field of performing Russian church music. 

The group and its Director are primarily aimed at restoring the ‘alphabet’ that would allow to understand the language of the whole ancient Russian art. “Our concerts are similar to missionary work. It is rather meetings, talks and communal praying,” Anatoli Grindenko said.

In its concert programs, the Choir shows a brilliant mastery of various performing styles from pre-Schismal and “Venetian” styles, which existed in the Ancient Rus in the 17^th century, and early “Russian baroque” of the 18^th century, to pieces of Russian classical music of the 19^th and 20^th centuries and Russian folk songs.