Disaster: Russian army ensemble vanishes in Black Sea air crash

Disaster: Russian army ensemble vanishes in Black Sea air crash

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norman lebrecht

December 25, 2016

The Russian Defense Ministry has announced the disappearance of Tu-154 aircraft with 92 people on board.

The aircraft vanished over the Black Sea. A search effort has begun.

The state news agency Tass reports that the passengers included the Russian army choir, the celebrated Alexandrov Ensemble, as well as orchestral musicians and nine Russian media representatives. The musicians were heading to Syria to perform for Russian air crew at the Hmeymim airbase.

The Alexandrov Ensemble, founded in 1939, was formerly known as the Red Army Choir.

UPDATE: It is reported that 62 of the missing are members of the ensemble.

Our thoughts are with the families.

2nd UPDATE: This is a musical catastrophe without parallel. A tremendous ensemble has been destroyed in an instant. 

3rd UPDATE: Putin sent the ensemble to play in Aleppo

The Ensemble featured on the Eurovision Song Contest in 2009.

4th UPDATE: A Moscow music school mourns its sons

Comments

  • Elizabeth Owen says:

    How awful and terrible for their family. Send Thoughts are with them.

  • Julius P. Williams says:

    I recently appeared as a guest conductor of the orchestra. I am so upset and saddened by this terrible accident. The ensemble was a joy to work with

  • IHK says:

    Very sad for the families involved. But let us remember the vast number of innocents who have been killed or maimed by Putin’s bombs.

    • Jason says:

      This has nothing to do with whether Putin is a dick or not. It’s just plain sad that these people died on the way to a diplomatic performance.

  • koko skitnik says:

    is so sad, this is a hollidays seson and should be all fun and joy but this is hurtbraking …rest in peace… you will always live in those beatifull videos or the memories of the people who had the chance to see you in concert…

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