The ELCIR Cantors’ Choir directed by Marina Väisä debuted at Tyrö Lutheran Church in Lomonosov, St. Petersburg urban area, on June 18, 2022 as part of the festival “The Music of St. Petersburg’s Temples.” At the moment, the choir has 7 members: Irina Sorokina (Kingisepp), Darya Shkurlyatyeva (Vyborg), Anna Sokolova-Kalinina (St. Mary’s Cathedral, St. Petersburg), Maria Skipper (Koltushi), Yana Trombinskaya (Toksovo), Anna Vakher (Lembolovo), and Marina Väisä (St. Mary’s Cathedral, St. Petersburg).For the concert, the choir selected several hymns well-known to Church of Ingria congregants in settings composed or found by Marina Väisä and Yana Trombinskaya. Additionally, they performed “Rukous” (“Prayer”) by Mooses Putro and the 15th-century song “Alta Trinità Beata” in the wake of the Trinity Sunday celebrated shortly before. It wasn’t an easy task for the 2nd and 3rd voices to sing their scores cleanly, but everyone worked hard and practiced a lot at home and at St. Mary’s Cathedral in St. Petersburg. And they did it!
In his introductory comments, the congregation’s experienced cantor Sergei Andreyev spoke about the role of music ministry. Sergei performed the voice solo compositions and participated in the concert as an organist. The other organ scores were performed by Marina Väisä. Darya Shkurlyatyeva and Maria Skipper introduced the audience to antique music for a viola da gamba and clavier.
Many thanks to Tyrö Lutheran Church for their hospitality! Many thanks to all the people who attended the concert! There was such a big turnout that there weren’t enough program handouts for everyone. Thanks be to God for this project! Hopefully, the Cantors’ Guild will once bring together all active congregational musicians in The Church of Ingria!
Information courtesy of Darya Shkurlyatyeva, cantor, Vyborg Lutheran Church
Photo credit: Yevgeni Tereshkin