Oleg sings tenor and joined Galakoor in 2022 .
Why do you sing with Galakoor?
‘I love music. Especially, I love classical music. And I find choral music extra charming.
Is it important for you that we are a queer choir?
‘Being part of a queer choir is important to me. I moved to the Netherlands from homophobic Russia where I had to hide my true personality. I always wanted to be part of the queer community and contribute something. I hope I will be a useful choir member.’
Did you have experience with singing before joining the choir?
‘In the past I had some experience as a solo singer. I was studying musical theater but stopped after a year. The repertoire included operettas, opera and classical songs. But being part of a choir is more of a challenge. You need to concentrate, be able to sing your own lines while listening to the other voices. I love this challenge!’
How was your first rehearsal with Galakoor?
‘Oh, I remember my first rehearsal. It was kind of an overwhelming experience. You guys are so skilled. You had all just received some new song sheets and started to sing while I was still trying to understand what piece of music I had gotten. I learnt a lot from you.’
What is your favorite piece from the current repertoire?
‘I adore almost all our pieces. But I think for me personally Debussy’s ‘Dieu! qu’il la fait bon regarder’ is the most stunning.’