Gala concert of the Ensemble with the participation of the popular singer and composer Alexander Kogan, dedicated to Defender's Day Fatherland, held at the Irina Viner-Usmanova Gymnastics Palace

Very soon, on February 23, Russia will celebrate a big holiday – Defender of the Fatherland Day. On this day, we pay tribute to the soldiers who defended our land from foreign invaders, we congratulate those who stand in defense of our Homeland, who served or are serving in the Armed Forces of Russia, in the troops of the National Guard of the Russian Federation.

Gala concert concert dedicated to the Defender of the Fatherland Day, with participation of the Academic Ensemble of Song and Dance of the National Guard Troops of the Russian Federation under the direction of the Artistic Director and Chief Conductor, People's Artist of Russia, Major General Victor Eliseev and popular singer and composer Alexander Kogan took place on February 20, 2022 at the Gymnastics Palace of Irina Viner-Usmanova in Luzhniki.

The concert opened with a performance of the legendary song "Katyusha", which has become one of the musical symbols of the Soviet people's heroic deeds in the Great Patriotic War. Written in 1938 by the composer Matvey Blanter and the poet Mikhail Isakovsky, "Katyusha" is still popular not only in Russia but also abroad. Accompanied by the choir and orchestra of the Academic Ensemble of Songs and Dances of the National Guard Troops of the Russian Federation, the song "Katyusha" was performed with zest by the young performer Gabriel Wiener – the grandson of the legendary Irina Wiener-Usmanova, an outstanding coach in rhythmic gymnastics, Hero of Labor of Russia.

The Russian folk song "Valenki" is another legend of the Soviet and Russian stage, and it has long passed the 100-year mark. This song became very popular during the Great Patriotic War, performed by the outstanding singer Lydia Ruslanova. Today, "Valenki" has a new modern sound, beautifully performed by the Honored Artist of Russia Natalia Eliseeva. The audience also warmly received the ensemble's lead soloist's performance of the song "What You Were Like" (music by Isaac Dunayevsky, lyrics by Mikhail Isakovsky) from the film "The Kuban Cossacks."

The gala concert featured well-known songs from the war years: "Dark Night", "Song of War Correspondents", "Random Waltz", "Song of a Frontline Chauffeur", "Cranes", "Hot Snow", "Our Medical Battalion", "Take Your Overcoat" and many others performed by the popular singer and composer, Honored Artist of the Republics of Kabardino-Balkaria and Dagestan Alexander Kogan, the choir and orchestra of the Academic Ensemble of Song and Dance of the National Guard Troops of the Russian Federation under the direction of the Artistic Director and Chief Conductor, People's Artist of Russia, Major General Viktor Eliseev.

The musical performances were accompanied by performances by athletes from the Irina Viner-Usmanova Rhythmic Gymnastics Center.

The concert ended with the songs "Echo of the Old Parade" (music by Alexandra Pakhmutova, lyrics by Nikolai Dobronravov) from the film "Battle for Moscow" and "Let's Pay Tribute to Those Great Years" (music by Alexandra Pakhmutova, lyrics by Mikhail Lvov) performed by Alexander Kogan.

The gymnastics palace was attended by veterans of the Great Patriotic War, home front workers, sports veterans, and representatives of public organizations.

The audience did not let the artists leave the stage for a long time, giving them a long and loud round of applause.