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KHORISTORIA: The Story of the Yale Russian Chorus Italic textis the lively, music-filled story of the Yale Russian Chorus and its founder Denis Mickiewicz, told against the backdrop of the Cold War and the Civil Rights Movement. The film follows Mickiewicz as he whips nearly 200 returning singers from five decades, most of whom he has never met, into a cohesive unit for their 50th anniversary concert. Behind-the-scenes footage of the intensive preparations for a major performance is interspersed with stories and footage from the Chorus' early years, when members engaged in some of the first private-initiative, person-to-person cultural exchanges of the Cold War. Along the way, the audience is introduced to the Chorus' soul-stirring style and songs, the inspired leader who brought them to America, and the men of Yale who drew sellout audiences across the United States and Europe and brought the music back to the street corners of Russia. By showing the power of music to transcend time, space, politics, and connecting people who do not seem to have much in common, KHORISTORIAItalic text offers a timeless message of tolerance, cross-cultural understanding, and hope.

KHORISTORIAItalic textA is a 73 minute DVD written, directed, and producted by Catherine Mattingly (now Catherine Mattingly Richardson). 2007. Color. NTSC.

2007 Official Selection Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival Bluegrass Independent Film Festival Globians Film Festival Woods Hole Film Festival

Licensed by YLE Finland

Quotes from Viewers

An excellent film, presents a moving story both of an unusual refugee musician and the outstanding choral group he created, and compelling visual images of the Cold War era history in which it emerged and played a part.

Deeply moving and powerful. The impact of bringing the passion of powerful music, social engagement and a deeply charismatic and brilliant conductor to the energies of adolescent idealism is staggering.

This movie was compelling and engaging.

Magnificent storytelling, stirring music, and stimulating history lesson.

A stunning story, well told, of how the world can be changed one note at a time.

Thrilling music, inspired leadership, and gripping Cold War politics!

About Denis Mickiewicz

Denis Mickiewicz co-founded the Yale Russian Chorus in 1953 and continues to conduct the Alumni when they gather for concerts. He is professor emeritus at Duke University, and his specialities include Russian poetry, modernism, comparative poetics, and music. He arranged or transcribed much of the Yale Russian Chorus repertoire and is author of Toward a Definition of Acmeism; Russian Vocal Music; Semantic Functions in Zaum; and Petersburgian Poetics of Viacheslav Ivanov: Apollini (forthcoming). In 2003 he was recognized by the Yale School of Music for extraordinary service to Yale and the international music community. In 2004 the Ambassador of Russia Yuri Ushakov, on behalf of President Vladimir Putin and the Mayor of St. Petersburg. presented him a medal "In Commemoration of St. Petersburg's 300th Anniversary" for his contribution in the field of American-Russian cultural relations.

Quotes From the Film

“I think the Yale Russian Chorus was an extraordinarily important cultural bridge to the Soviet Union.” John Shattuck, CEO Kennedy Library Foundation, Former Ambassador, Czech Republic

“We were bringing some of our culture to Russians, but we were also bringing Russian culture to Americans.” Harald Hille, Retired Linguist, United Nations

“They asked many, many penetrating questions, and I never thought so hard about life in America as I did there on the streets of Moscow and then Leningrad.” James Sloan, Retired Engineer

Some Distinguished Alumni of the Yale Russian Chorus

Sir John Boyd Chairman, The British Museum; former UK Ambassador to Japan; master of Churchill College, Cambridge

Rev. Wm. Sloane Coffin ( deceased) Former Chaplain, Yale University; Senior Minister of Riverside Church, New York; President of Sane/Freeze

Professor of Law, Yale Law School; Former United States Solicitor General for Civil Rights
 * Drew Days

Alex Garvin Deputy Commissioner for Planning, New York City, Lower Manhattan Development Corp. (responsible for replacement of The World Trade Center)

Peter Gleick Recipient of 2003 John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation $500,000 Fellowship for work as co-founder and president of the Pacific Institute

Curtis W. Kamman Former US Ambassador to Colombia, Bolivia, and Chile; previously Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs (responsible for reestablishment of US diplomatic relations with the Baltic States)

Harlan P. K l eiman Investment banker, founder of Shoreline Pacific, LLC, San Francisco; founder and former executive director of New Haven Long Wharf Theater; faculty member of School of the Arts at NYU; member board of trustees of National Public Radio

Sir Hayden Phillips, GCB Permanent Secretary for the Lord Chancellor’s Department; formerly permanent secretary, Department for Culture, Media, and Sport

Professor of History and Modern Languages, Northeastern University; author Serge Prokofiev: A Biography and other books; lecturer for the Boston Symphony, New York Philharmonic, Lincoln Center, Metropolitan Opera and others
 * Harlow Robinson

Chief Executive Officer of the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation; formerly Vice President of Harvard University; former US Ambassador to the Czech Republic; former Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor; author of Freedom on Fire: Human Rights Wars and Roots of Terrorism
 * John Shattuck

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