Alexander Ledkovsky

See also: Alexander Ledkovsky's user page

Life

Born: June 3, 1944 - Teupitz, Germany

Died: December 24, 2004 - Shirley, NY

Biography

Alexander Borisovitch Ledkovsky was born in war-time Germany to parents Marina Viktorovna (nee Fasolt, the daughter of Viktor Fasolt and Sophia Dimitrievna Nabokova) and Boris Mikhailovitch Ledkovsky, a prominent choral director and composer/arranger of Russian Orthodox Church Music.

Having emigrated to the United States in 1952, A. Ledkovsky was educated at Trinity School and Columbia University, where he earned a B.A. in Music. Although he developed a successful career as a computer expert and software developer, his life's love was his work as a musician of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Having studied choir direction both at university and under his father's tutelage, he took on responsibilities as assistant choirmaster at the Russian Orthodox Synod Cathedral "Our Lady of the Sign" located on Park Avenue at 93rd Street in New York. He also ran a secondary choir for the cathedral's English-speaking parish in the late 1960s.

When his father's health declined, Alexander Ledkovsky assumed full responsibility for the Russian Orthodox Church outside Russia (ROCOR)'s flagship choir, on Forgiveness Sunday in 1975. He held this post until his own declining health forced him to relegate responsibilities to assistants in 2002.

During his tenure, which lasted more tha a quarter-century, A. Ledkovsky led a number of unique projects, including concerts at Lincoln Center, performances at Carnegie Hall (in cooperation with the Russian Choral Society and the Opera Orchestra of NY), and a number of grand occasions at the cathedral, such as the canonization of the New Martyrs of Russia in 1981, the funeral of Metropolitan Philaret and the memorial services and funerals of many renowned members of the Russian emigrate community, such as choreographer George Balanchine.

Under A. Ledkovsky's direction, the choir produced two compact disc recordings in 1994: "All-Night Vigil for 700 Years of the Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God" and "Celebrating the Composer's Centennial: Divine Liturgy of Boris. M. Ledkovsky"

In 1999, A. Ledkovsky launched one of the first websites devoted to online publication of music scores of Russian Orthodox Church Muisic: www.rocm.org Although he fell ill with cancer that same year, and succumbed to the disease within five years, A. Ledkovsky was astonishingly productive in his work to create and publish numerous liturgical scores, including music for the full services of each of the services of the complete cycle of Orthodox Feasts.

After a courageous and protracted struggle with head and neck cancer, A. Ledovsky died in his home on Christmas Eve, 2004. His funeral was served by three bishops (ROCOR Metropolitan Laurus, Bishop Gabriel of Manhattan and Bishop Peter of Cleveland) more than one dozen priests, several deacons, and a chorus of more than 100 singers, who travelled from near and far to pay homage to the great conductor, composer, and editor who struggled to the end to serve God, Church, and fellow church musician.

View the Wikipedia article on Alexander Ledkovsky.