Григорий Ширма

Grigory Shirma (1892–1978) was a Soviet Belorussian choral conductor, composer, music educator, musicologist-folklorist and ethnographer, People's Artist of the USSR (1955) and Hero of Socialist Labour (1977). At the very end of the thirties, Shirma organized and led Belorussian Song and Dance Ensemble, later known as State Academic Capella. When the Second World War began, the ensemble was touring around the RSFSR. The group travelled through Kavkaz and ended up in Krasnoyarsk, where Grigory Shirma was arrested by People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs (NKVD) and held in prison until March 1942. He was eventually transferred to Lubyanka prison in Moscow, where interrogations continued till August. In 1943, Shirma finally returned to the choir. Under his direction, the State Choir became and outstanding and highly skilled ensemble. They relocated to Minsk in 1952. Almost two decades later, Shirma was forced to resign as the head of the Choir in 1970. Name variations: Grzegorz Szyrma, Рыгор Раманавіч Шырма, Григорий Романович Ширма, Ryhor Ramanawicz Szyrma, Grigorij Romanowicz Szyrma; Pseudonyms: R. Barawy, Wuczyciel, Р. Баравы, Вучыцель; Cryptonyms: W.M., W.–cz, H.Sz., R.Sz., В. М.; В.-ч; Г. Ш.; Р. Ш.