"Always on Guard" is a concert dedicated to the 10th anniversary of the Russian National Guard

For the military personnel, veterans and civilian personnel of the National Guard Troops of the Russian Federation, 2026 is marked by two important events – this year marks the 10th anniversary of the foundation of the National Guard (by the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin No. 158 dated April 5, 2016) and 215 years since the formation of law enforcement troops in our country (on March 27, 1811, Emperor Alexander I signed a decree on the formation of military battalions of internal guards).

"Always on Guard" was the name of the gala concert of the Academic Order of Merit in Culture and Arts of the Ensemble of Song and Dance of the National Guard Troops of the Russian Federation, led by the Artistic Director and Chief Conductor, People's Artist of Russia, Major General, Hero of Labor of Russia Viktor Eliseev, held on April 3, 2026, at the Moscow International House of Music.

The concert opened with the vocal and choreographic composition "Count Komarovsky. Valor and Honor" (soloist - Honored Artist of Russia Alexey Dmitriev). The song "Komarovsky-General" (music and lyrics by A. Shmelev), which formed the basis of the composition, was chosen for a reason – Yevgraf Fedotovich Komarovsky, General of Infantry, was the first commander of the internal guard troops. The troops led by him participated, among other things, in the Patriotic War of 1812.

The concert program dedicated to two anniversary dates of the National Guard was based on military-patriotic works: "Song of Russian Glory" (music by S. Babloeva, music by A. Fedotov, soloists-Honored Artist of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania Evgeny Yakhin, Honored Artist of the Republic of Ingushetia Grigory Yakovlev, Dmitry Dolgiy, Daniil Marakhin)," Song of Gunners " (music by T. Khrennikov, music by V. Gusev) performed by choir and orchestra of the Ensemble, medley on themes of soldiers ' songs (composition by A. Kukharenko, soloists-Honored Artist of the Kabardino-Balkar Republic Alexander Kochov, Honored Artist of the Republic of Ingushetia Igor Safonov, Honored Artists of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania Mikhail Zaraev and Evgeny Yakhin, Honored Artist of the Republic of Tatarstan Ruslan Abdrafikov, Dmitry Dolgiy, Alexey Bosykh, Konstantin Kuzmin), the legendary "Smuglyanka" (music by A. Novikova, sl. Ya. Shvedova) from the movie "Only old Men go to battle" (soloist – Grigory Yakovlev), "I was Born in the Soviet Union" (music by O. Gazmanova, soloist-Alexey Dmitriev), "Dal Velikaya" (music by E. Ptichkin, music by R. Rozhdestvensky) from the movie " Fate "(soloist-People's Artist of RussiaNatalia Eliseeva), vocal and choreographic composition "When We Were at War" (music by V. Stolyarov, lyrics by D. Samoilov, soloist - Igor Safonov).

The audience was greatly impressed by the fiery dance "Home with Victory" performed by the dance group of the Ensemble. The famous front-line song "Let's Smoke" (M. Tabachnikov - I. Frenkel), which tells about the best human qualities - friendship, mutual assistance, and unconditional faith in Victory, was soulfully performed by Natalia Eliseeva, giving a bright emotional coloring to the entire composition.

Fans of the Rosgvardia Song and Dance Ensemble are well aware that the ensemble has a wide repertoire. Each concert program is designed to resonate with the audience, featuring a mix of war-themed songs, classical music, folk songs, and humorous compositions. Today, the stage of the Svetlanov Hall of the Moscow International House of Music performed the Russian folk song "Down on the Mother, along the Volga" arranged by V. Belyaev (soloist-Alexander Starodubrovsky), a medley on the themes of Belarusian songs (soloists-Alexander Kochov, Grigory Yakovlev, Viktor Lezhnin, Konstantin Kuzmin, Alexey Bosykh), the Russian romance " Odnosuchno the bell is rattling" (A. Gurilev – I. Makarov, soloist – Alexander Kochov), lyrical song "What were you Like" (I. Dunaevsky – M. Isakovsky, M. Volpin) from the movie "Kuban Cossacks", soulfully performed by the soloist of the Ensemble-People's Artist of Russia Natalia Eliseeva, a vocal and choreographic composition beloved by several generations of Russians "Kalinka" (muz. and sl. ILarionova, soloist – Alexander Kokhov) and medley on themes of songs from the repertoire of Leonid Utesov in the treatment of Honored Artist of Russia Alexey Mazanov (soloists – Natalia Eliseeva, Grigory Yakovlev, Alexey Dmitriev, Daniil Marakhin et al.).

The audience warmly received the choreographic sketch "On the Bridge" and the sparkling "Dance with Swords" from A. Khachaturian's ballet "Gayane" performed by the Ensemble's ballet group (soloist - Evgeniya Smolnikova).

The 19th-century German composer Heinrich Pfeil's song "The Lake Is Sleeping," which was performed a cappella, is so popular in Russia that many consider it to be a Russian folk song.

A short piece "Parade of Trumpeters" by the American composer Leroy Anderson, written in 1949, was performed today by the soloists of the Ensemble – Honored Artist of the Republic of Ingushetia Dmitry Bogdanov, Vladimir Avilov, and Anton Androsov.

"Fantasy on the themes of love songs" was masterfully performed by the winner of international competitions, the Balalaika quartet consisting of: Kirill Lavrushkin, Ivan Pivovarov, Rifat Akchurin and Ivana Stepanov(quartet leader).

"Where are you running, dear path?

Where are you calling, where are you leading?...

Who did I wait for, who did I love,

You can't catch up with it, you can't bring it back..."

– this song by E. Rodygin and A. Prishlets tells about unrequited love, about infidelity, about the first disappointments. However, Natalia Eliseeva managed to perform (accompanied by a quartet of balalaika players) this sad, in general, song so that everyone had a bright feeling of joy and faith in the triumph of true love in their soul.

The audience was given a lot of positive emotions by the artists of the Vocal Octet of the Ensemble and the soloist, Honored Artist of Russia Sergey Bazylko, who performed the song "I'll Go Out into the Field with a Horse at Night" (I. Matvienko - A. Shaganov) and the composition "Argo" from the musical "Argonauts" (A. Basilaya - D. Bagashvili).

The audience applauded for a long time after the "ethnic" numbers – the temperamental vocal and choreographic composition " Gypsy Fantasy "(composed and arranged by I. Golubev and I. Kadomtsev, choreography by Artur Bogdanov, soloists-Natalia Eliseeva, Alexey Dmitriev and Grigory Yakovlev) and the fervent pop song " I'll take you to Moscow tundra" (soloists-Honored Artists of the Republic of Buryatia Ruslan Samozhapov and Norpol Tsydenov).

The concert ended with the patriotic song "Glorify" from the final scene of Mikhail Glinka's opera "Ivan Susanin," performed by the choir and orchestra of the Rosgvardia Song and Dance Ensemble.

The concert was hosted by the Honored Worker of Culture of the Russian Federation, Honored Artist of Russia, Honored Officer of the National Guard, Colonel Igor Shustikov.

At the end of the concert, the head of the Ensemble, its artistic director and chief conductor, People's Artist of Russia, Hero of Labor of Russia, Major General, Viktor Eliseev thanked everyone in the audience for their interest in the Ensemble's work and noted that every meeting with the audience brings great joy to the artists.

Separate words of gratitude Victor Eliseev said in the address of the Commander-in-Chief of the National Guard Troops of the Russian Federation, Hero of Russia Victor Zolotov. He noted the highest professionalism of Victor Vasilyevich and inherent best personal qualities – nobility, loyalty to his civic duty, decency and purposefulness.