The Sokolovsky gypsy choir (Russian "Соколовский хор") was founded by Count Orlov-Chesmensky in the 1770s who called on Ivan Sokolov, leader of the Roma among his serfs, to perform at his estate outside

Moscow Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...

. The enslaved Roma people were granted their freedom in 1807, and Sokolov became the first in a dynasty of Roma choir leaders. The choir performed at the prestigious

Yar restaurant The Yar (russian: Яр, from French ''"yard"'') was a restaurant and theatre in 19th Century Moscow frequented by Pushkin, Tolstoy, Chekhov and Maxim Gorky. It was famous for its Sokolovsky gypsy choir. The Yar ran from 1826 to 1925 on the street ...

in Moscow ("Соколовский хор у Яра"). When his descendant Grigory Sokolov died leadership passed to

Nikolai Shishkin Nikolai Shishkin (Kursk, 1845-1911) was a Ruska Roma guitarist and singer in the Sokolovsky gypsy choir, Sokolovsky Gypsy choir (Соколовский хор). After the death of choir leader Grigory Sokolov Shishkin he led the choir and inherite ...

.ЛЕГЕНДА О СОКОЛОВСКОЙ ГИТАРЕ (старинная цыганская легенда)
(По книге "Сказки и песни, рожденные в дороге: цыганский фольклор", составители: Е. Друц и А. Гесслер) Главная редакция восточной литературы изд-ва «Наука», г.Москва 1985г. Many staples of the Russian traditional ''romans'' song have Roma origins.

Leaders of the choir

* Ivan Trofimovich Sokolov (Иван Трофимович Соколов 1740s-1807) patriarch and founder of the choir. * Ilya Sokolov (Илья Соколов) * Grigory Sokolov *

References

Russian choirs Romani musical groups Romani in Russia 1770s establishments in the Russian Empire {{Europe-band-stub