The whole history of the choir Logos (from Greek λόγος - word, idea, teaching) could not have been made without the inspiration of a great personality, a talented musician, a conductor, the priest Ioanne Shenrock. His long nurtured idea of gathering experienced singers together to perform orthodox church music for the first time became a realty during the first years of the independence of Latvia when many people experienced a genuine interest in the traditions of sacred choir music. Leading the Latvian Culture Fund’s Choir during the 90-ties in the previous century, Ioanne Shenrock gave many performances in Latvia, Russia, Germany, and elsewhere in Europe, receiving recognition at international festivals and competitions. In those days the most impressive achievment of the choir was definitely Apocalipsis, a monumental piece by contemporary Russian composer Vladimir Martinov and staged by the legendary founder and producer of Taganka Theatre in Moscow, Yury Lubimov (CD recorded in 1995), as well as the primacy at the International Festival of Orthodox Church Music in Hajnówka, 1997.
In November, 2013 blessed by His Eminence Alexander, the Metropolitan of Riga and all Latvia, after some period of silence, the choir reemerged as the new strong male chamber choir Logos consisting of 12 experienced, accomplished and highly dedicated choir singers. The choir's first public appearance - participation in liturgical festive services at the Riga Nativity of Christ Orthodox Cathedral was immediately appreciated. However, the choir gained the attention of the public precisely through its concert activities. As a result of its further activities, the choir developed into an independent concert unit without any connection with the structures of the church.
The basis of the choir's repertoire consists of music of different regions and cultural traditions with sacral texts, from ancient church singing to contemporary composers' writings. In addition, in its extensive work, the choir has also prepared programmes of European sacred music, Latvian and world classics. Cooperation with many domestic and foreign soloists, singers, instrumentalists and even music groups allows you to change the composition of the choir depending on the program. Cooperation with contemporary composers from the Baltic States, Finland and Russia also helps to diversify the programmes. However, the choir's most striking business card is the emotional, dramatist-saturated singing of the Great Fast, as well as the classical concerts of the Orthodox music choir created by professional composers.
The Choir’s name logos is deeply symbolic as its mission is to retranslate to the audience an essence of lyrics which is vital to create a special bound between the public and the musicians.
Geography of choir's concert activities – Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Finland, Georgia, Poland, Russia, Belarus, Ireland, Switzerland, France, Cyprus, USA.
Artistic Director and Chief Conductor (XI'2013 - II'2022)
the Priest Ioanne Shenrock (b. 1958)
The Priest Ioanne Shenrock is well-known as an erudite professional in the realm of orthodox chants. In his family were generations of clergymen. Ioanne Shenrock began his musical education in the Jūrmala Music School as a violinist and continued his studies later at the Jāzeps Mediņš Music School playing the alto. The conductor of the choir Logos Shenrock’s vibrant personality’s further development continued in Moscow Theological Seminary, The Faculty of Theology of the University of Latvia, and Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music in the class of choir conducting. The Master of Theology Ioanne Shenrock has also collaborated with the Choral Academy of Moscow, Sveshnikov Boys Choir of the Moscow Choral School and was the leading conductor of the Riga Metropolitan Choir. Besides Ioanne was one of the co-founders of Riga Orthodox Music Choir along with presenting a lecture course on church chants at the Faculty of Theology of the University of Latvia and Latvian Academy of Culture. For the last 30 years Ioanne Shenrock has been serving the church of Tukums orthodox parish. Currently lives in Cyprus and serves in the Cypriot Orthodox Church.