The Sokolovsky gypsy choir (Russian "Соколовский хор") was founded by Count Orlov-Chesmensky in the 1770s who called on Ivan Sokolov, leader of the Roma among his serfs, to perform at his estate outside Moscow.
[1] The enslaved Roma people were granted their freedom in 1807, and Sokolov became the first in a dynasty of Roma choir leaders.
The choir performed at the prestigious Yar restaurant in Moscow ("Соколовский хор у Яра").
When his descendant Grigory Sokolov died leadership passed to Nikolai Shishkin.
This article about a European band or other musical ensemble is a stub.