Christmas 2016 would be remembered tragically for the loss of members the choir group Alexandrov Ensemble or the 'Red Army Choir'. A Russian defence force Tu-154 aircraft carrying 92 people, including the Ensemble crashed into the Black Sea early on December 25 while it was en route Syria.
Alexandrov Ensemble is an official army choir of the Russian armed forces. Founded during the Soviet era, the ensemble consists of a male choir, an orchestra, and a dance ensemble.
This choir group has entertained audiences both in Russia and throughout the world, performing a range of music including folk tunes, hymns, operatic arias, and popular music. According to reports, the group's repertoire has included the famous Volga Boatmen's Song, Katyusha, Kalinka, and Ave Maria.
Alexandrov military choir were to perform at a New Year concert for troops in Syria, but went missing soon after taking off from Sochi on Sunday. The military plane dropped off the radar shortly after take-off at 5:40 am local time. There were no reports of any survivors.
Here's a 2009 concert performance by the Alexandrov Ensemble.