The Salutaris chorus

The Salutaris amateur chamber chorus was founded in 2007 in Minsk. The name may be translated as “salutary”, “curative”, “saving” and “perfect”. The founder of the chorus and its Artistic Director is Olga Yanum.
The ensemble has been a prize-winner at various competitions and festivals. These include the Festival of Orthodox Song in Minsk (2009, Grand Prix), the International Festival of Church Music Hajnówka (Poland, 2010), the International Festival of Choral Song in Cork (Ireland, 2013, Dorothy Mayer Memorial Prize) and the City of Derry International Choral Festival (Northern Ireland, 2015, 3rd prize).
In 2011 the chorus won the Days of Mokranjac competition and festival in Negotin (Serbia), and Olga Yanum, as director of the ensemble, won the Golden Statuette of composer Stevan Mokranjac. In 2015 at the International Forum of Student Choruses Paparats-Kvetka in Minsk the chorus was voted best ensemble and received diplomas in the categories “Best soloists” and “Best work at the forum” (for chorus artist Anastasia Benderskaya’s opus Oi, dabranach).
The ensemble frequently tours throughout Belarus and abroad. In 2009 it took part in the international choral festival La Fabbrica del Canto in Italy. That same year under the direction of Olga Yanum it staged a production of Purcell’s opera Dido and Aeneas. In 2014 the Salutaris chorus performed at the Virgo Lauretana festival of religious music in Loreto (Italy) and at the Voix du Monde festival in Nancy (France), while in 2015 it appeared at the Credo international festival of Orthodox spiritual music in Tallinn.
The chorus regularly runs Christmas concerts, funds from which are donated to charitable causes.
For more detailed information about the ensemble please go to: salutaris.by.

Olga Yanum
Conductor
Olga Yanum graduated from the Minsk State Glinka School of Music and from the Belarus State Academy of Music in 1994. Since 1995 she has taught vocal and choral disciplines at the Minsk Ecclesiastical School and since 2007 she has been a teacher at the department of choral conducting of the Belarus Academy of Music.
Since 1993 she has been the precentor of the grand chorus of the Minsk Cathedral of the Icon of the Mother of God, Joy to All Who Grieve. In 2007 she founded the Salutaris chorus. From 2008-2010 she was Principal Conductor and Artistic Director of the Academic Chorus of the National State TV and Radio Company of the Republic of Belarus. Ensembles conducted by Olga Yanum have been prize-winners at international competitions on numerous occasions.
Olga Yanum has been awarded with the Holy Apostolic Order of Princess Olga (3^rd class), the Medal of Yevfrosinia Polotskaya and several diplomas from the patriarchal exarch.