9 7 8 , ▁he ▁settled ▁perman ently ▁in ▁Zw ol le , ▁a ▁city ▁in ▁the ▁east ▁of ▁the ▁Netherlands . ▁ ▁Netherlands ▁On ▁ 7 ▁January ▁ 1 9 8 0 , ▁Min sky ▁set ▁up ▁a ▁mixed ▁amateur ▁cho ir ▁in ▁Zw ol le , ▁within ▁a ▁few ▁months ▁it ▁made ▁its ▁concert ▁and ▁television ▁deb uts . ▁This ▁success ▁brought ▁Min sky ▁an ▁inv itation ▁to ▁become ▁conduct or ▁of ▁the ▁U ral ▁C oss acks ▁amateur ▁cho ir ▁in ▁The ▁H ague , ▁and ▁event u ated ▁in ▁him ▁conduct ing ▁from ▁ 1 9 8 4 ▁until ▁ 1 9 8 8 , ▁the ▁professional ▁U ral ▁C oss ack ▁Ch oir ▁in ▁Germany . ▁After wards , ▁in ▁the ▁aut umn ▁ 1 9 8 4 , ▁he ▁took ▁up ▁and ▁led ▁an ▁amateur ▁C oss ack ▁Ch oir ▁in ▁R ij sw ijk . ▁Of ▁these ▁two ▁undert ak ings , ▁in ▁his ▁aut obi ography ▁he ▁would ▁later ▁write ▁with ▁a ▁sense ▁of ▁diss atisf action . ▁ ▁When ▁Otto ▁Hof ner ▁( J ar off ' s ▁friend ▁and ▁manager ) ▁asked ▁him ▁to ▁renew ▁conduct ing ▁the ▁Original ▁Don ▁C oss ack ▁Ch oir , ▁with ▁Nicol ai ▁Ged da ▁as ▁solo ist — as ▁Jar off ▁had ▁wished — Min sky ▁did ▁not ▁hes itate . ▁But , ▁although ▁he ▁did ▁conduct ▁a ▁tour ▁of ▁major ▁Germany ▁h alls , ▁when ▁Ged da ▁refused ▁to ▁perform ▁on ▁a ▁daily ▁basis ,