The State Academic Symphony Capella of Russia is a unique group of over 200 artists. It unites the choir, orchestra and vocal soloists, who, existing in an organic unity, at the same time retain a certain creative independence.
The State Capella was formed in 1991 by the merger of the State Chamber Choir of the USSR under the direction of Valery Polyansky and the State Symphony Orchestra of the Ministry of Culture of the USSR headed by Gennady Rozhdestvensky.
Both teams have come a long way. The orchestra was founded in 1957 and until 1982 was the orchestra of the All-Union Radio and Television, since 1982 - the State Symphony Orchestra of the USSR Ministry of Culture. At various times it was led by S. Samosud, Yu. Aranovich and M. Shostakovich. The chamber choir was created by V. Polyansky in 1971. Since 1980, the group has received a new status and became known as the State Chamber Choir of the USSR Ministry of Culture.
With the choir, Valery Polyansky traveled all over the republics of the USSR, became the initiator of the festival in Polotsk, in which Irina Arkhipova, Oleg Yanchenko, the Ensemble of Soloists of the Bolshoi Theater of the USSR participated. In 1986, at the invitation of Svyatoslav Richter, Valery Polyansky and his choir presented a program of compositions by P.I. Tchaikovsky at the December Evenings festival, and in 1994, S.V. At the same time, the State Chamber Choir made itself known abroad, triumphantly performing with Valery Polyansky at the festivals "Singing Wroclaw" (Poland), in Merano and Spoleto (Italy), Izmir (Turkey), in Narden (Holland); I remember participation in the famous "Promenade Concerts" in the Albert Hall (Great Britain), performances in the historical cathedrals of France - in Bordeaux, Amiens, Albi. The State Capella's birthday is December 27, 1991:
In 1992, Valery Polyansky became the artistic director and chief conductor of the State Auditorium of Russia. The activities of the choir and orchestra of the Capella are carried out both in joint performances and in parallel. The team and its chief conductor are welcome guests at the best venues in Moscow, regular members of the Moscow Philharmonic, the Moscow Conservatory and the Moscow International House of Music, performed with the finalists of the international Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninov competitions. The chapel toured with triumph in the USA, England, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, and in the countries of Southeast Asia.
The basis of the group's repertoire is cantata-oratorio genres: masses, oratorios, requiems of all eras and styles - Bach, Handel, Haydn, Mozart, Schubert, Berlioz, Liszt, Verdi, Dvorak, Rachmaninov, Reger, Stravinsky, Britten, Shostakovich, Schnittke, Eshpay . Valery Polyansky constantly conducts monographic symphonic cycles dedicated to Beethoven, Brahms, Rachmaninov, Mahler and other great composers.