About the RCAS
Mission
The Russian Chamber Art Society (The RCAS) is a non-profit organization dedicated to presenting Russian vocal chamber music to the public and providing educational opportunities for the study of Russian Lyric Diction.
History
Founded in 2005 by pianist Vera Danchenko-Stern, The Russian Chamber Art Society is Washington DC’s premiere presenter of Russian vocal chamber music.
While interest in Russian operas has increased in America over the last several decades, Russian romances (art songs) are largely absent from the concert halls. This repertoire is unique and prolific. It encompasses music by the most famous Russian composers from the 19th century to present day, from Glinka and Tchaikovsky to Prokofiev, Shostakovich, and Gavrilin, also including lyrics by the most beloved Russian poets, from Pushkin to Pasternak. The music is highly expressive, lyrical and passionate, and offers a great variety of genres and emotions, making it deeply appealing to all audiences. This series features emerging and established artists, providing a valuable educational experience, musically and culturally, for performers and audiences alike.
Since its founding in 2005, The RCAS has presented over 75 performances and hundreds of works, some never before heard in the United States.
About Our Founder & Artistic Director
Vera Danchenko-Stern is Russian diction specialist with over 50 years of teaching experience. She graduated with honors from Moscow’s prestigious Gnessin Institute of Music where she mastered piano, solo performance, chamber music, vocal and instrumental accompaniment.
Her expert Russian diction coaching skills are in demand by world renowned institutions such as the Washington National Opera and the Cafritz Young Artist Program, where she has collaborated on highly acclaimed productions (Tsar’s Bride, Boris Godunov, The Queen of Spades, The Maiden of Orleans), The Honolulu Opera (Eugene Onegin, Ivan the Terrible), and the Baltimore Symphony under the baton of Yuri Temirkanov.
Ms. Danchenko-Stern has taught Russian diction on the faculties of Catholic University in Washington, D.C, and the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University. She recently conducted master classes at Princeton University, Michigan State University, and Potomac Vocal Institute in Washington, D.C.
Ms. Danchenko-Stern is a jury member in international competitions and a highly regarded Master Class teacher. Many of Ms. Danchenko-Stern’s former students, Timothy Mix (baritone), Magdalena Wor (mezzo), Natalie Conte (soprano), to name a few, were able to use their Russian repertoire to establish and further their distinguished operatic careers.
Ms. Danchenko-Stern is included in the Centennial Edition of “Who’s Who in American Women” and is a National Associate Artist of Sigma Alpha Iota.
Distinguished Patrons
Maestro Vladimir Ashkenazy
Carmen Balthrop*
Phyllis Bryn-Julson
Susan Carmel
Denyce Graves
Dmitri Hvorostovsky*
Lori Laitman
Sergei Leiferkus
Raisa Scriabine
The Hon. James Symington
*Deceased
Board of Directors
Mary Kruger, President
Vera Danchenko-Stern, Treasurer
Caleb Eick
Mark Herlach
Alexander Mark
Thais Mark
John Hauge, President Emeritus