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Press Release

Christmas Remembrance of the Alexandrov Ensemble
and the Victims of 9-11

January 2017

The Tear Drop 9-11 Memorial in Bayonne, New Jersey View full size

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On Saturday, January 7, 2017, at 10:00 a.m., the Schiller Institute NYC Chorus will be singing the Star Spangled banner and the Russian National Anthem at a Wreath Laying Ceremony at the Tear Drop 9-11 Memorial at 51 Port Terminal Blvd in Bayonne. The chorus will be joined by the NYPD Ceremonial Unit Color Guard, as well as FDNY representatives. Ms. Terry Strada, the Chairwoman of 9-11 Families United for Justice Against Terror and others will make brief remarks.

On Christmas Day (December 25th) a plane carrying the entire Alexandrov Ensemble (Red Army Chorus), which is a beautiful gem of Russian culture and good will, crashed into the Black Sea en route to Syria where they were going to give the gift of beauty to people in a nation ravaged by war for five long years. A beloved medical doctor, Dr. Liza Glinka, who is famous for her humanitarian work among the most desperate, was also onboard, with medical supplies for a hospital in Latakia.  All 92 passengers and crew perished in the crash.

The Red Army Chorus and the NYPD

In 2011, the Quebec City International Festival of Military Bands took place on the 10th anniversary of September 11th, 2001. The Red Army Chorus had joined with the NYPD Ceremonial Unit to perform “God Bless America” but the Russian group turned it into a moving 9-11 memorial with baritone, Grigory Osipov beautifully singing the solo, and a young boy presenting the NYPD with a single white rose.  Grigory Osipov was among those who perished on Christmas Day (watch performance here).

 January 7th is Christmas Day in the Eastern Orthodox Calendar, and therefore the day to remember those who would have brightened the holidays with their God-given talents, and who remembered our great loss of September 11, 2001. We remember all of them this day, and want their families and the people of Russia, who have suffered a great loss, to know that America remembers.

Call 646-509-5451 for more information.


For more background on this event, see the following:

The background of the Teardrop Monument, which was constructed as a gift from Russia to the United States after 9/11

The performance by the Schiller Institute New York Community Chorus at the Russian Consulate on December 30th, and the delivery of the message of condolence.

The message of condolence delivered that day, and background

The background of Dr. Liza Glinka

The message of condolence page from the Schiller Institute linked above  includes a link to the Russian Ensemble's performance of "America the  Beautiful" on  the 10th anniversary of 9/11. This performance was referenced by Lieutenant Tony Giorgio, director of the NYPD Ceremonial Unit --  of the New York City Police in his statement of condolence, referenced in this press release, and also here: ‘Tremendous loss’: NYPD mourns Alexandrov Ensemble deaths