- Serge Jaroff was born on March 20, 1896 in Makaryev, Kostroma Governorate, Russian Empire [now Kostroma Oblast, Russia]. He was an actor and composer, known for Der Weg nach Shanghai (1936), Music for You (1951) and Es wird alles wieder gut (1957). He died on October 5, 1985 in Lakewood, New Jersey, USA.
- In January 1921, Jaroff put together a choir from Russian refugees in the Turkish internment camp. Most of the singers who later performed in the Don Cossacks Choir had been members of the Don divisions since the war in 1914.
- He served as a Don Cossack lieutenant in the Russian Civil War. In 1920, the Don Army were driven into the Crimea by the Red Army. From there they evacuated to a Turkish internment camp near Constantinople, (now Istanbul).
- He was the founder, conductor and composer of the Don Cossack Choir.
- He trained at the Moscow Synod School for Choral Singing.
- Jaroff's last tour was in the 1978-1979 season of the company, but Jaroff continued as the choir leader until 1981.
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