Serge Jaroff, born Serge Alexis Jaroff on April 1, 1896, in Makaryev, Kostroma Governorate, Russian Empire, was a conductor and composer. He trained at the Moscow Synod School for Choral Singing and served as a Don Cossack lieutenant during the Russian Civil War. In 1921, Jaroff formed the Don Cossack Choir from Russian refugees in a Turkish internment camp near Constantinople. The choir made its formal concert debut in Vienna on July 4, 1923, and subsequently toured internationally, gaining popularity with their repertoire of a cappella Russian sacred music, operatic pieces, army songs, and folk songs. Notable albums include Russian Fair (1945), Lieder Vom Don (1967), and Dark Eyes (1972). Jaroff's last tour was in the 1978–1979 season, but he continued as choir leader until 1981. He married Neonila and had one son, Aljosha. They lived in Lakewood Township, New Jersey, where Jaroff died on October 5, 1985.
