Sopranos

Кaterina Imsokva

In the choir since 2022

Кaterina Imsokva graduated from the Tchaikovsky South Ural State Institute of Music majoring in choral conducting (O. Safronova’s class) in 2012. She has been working in the musicAeterna choir since 2022.

From 2012 to 2013 she worked as an artist of the Alias choir. Since 2015 she has been an artist of the Festino Chamber Choir. From 2015 to 2018 she worked as an artist of the Music Hall Theatre and a teacher of jazz vocals in the theatre’s children studio. Since 2017 she has been the artist of the ensemble in the Tovstonogov BDT production of “What is to be done?” (directed by Andrey Moguchy).

She has collaborated with such ensembles and orchestras as The Pocket Symphony, The One Orchestra, the St. Petersburg MolOt Ensemble, the Orchestra 1703, as well as with conductors Georg Grün and Peter Phillips.

WHAT MAKES MUSICAETERNA DIFFER FROM OTHER ENSEMBLES?

About ten years ago, I heard about Teodor for the first time, and in a while I got acquainted with the recordings of musicAeterna. It was a true revelation: some kind of new breathing, a new way of hearing music. Since childhood, we have been taught the 'only proper' interpretations of works: you can sing one way and not another. At musicAeterna, the first thing that struck me was courage. When I joined the choir myself last year, I learned by experience how much freedom there is — both spiritual and physical. I opened up vocally, my voice began to sound in a new way — wider and stronger. It turned out that there are open and friendly people around who accept you as a rightful part of the team.

DO YOU PREFER CHORAL OR SOLO PROJECTS?

Of course, it is more comfortable for us, 'choir people', to perform as part of a large ensemble. When you go on stage solo, as part of a duo or trio, it's always a challenge. At the same time, the more often chamber concerts take place, the more stress-resistant you become, the more you grow above yourself. In addition, in these cases, you do not depend on anyone in your reading of music, you manifest yourself as you wish.

DO YOU LIKE EXPERIMENTING ON STAGE?

I really like all kinds of artistic experiments — in music and beyond. For example, in Andrey Moguchy's staging of What Is to Be Done? at BDT, I sing the music by Nastasia Khrushcheva as part of a chamber ensemble. I once had a chance to sing in a ballet Intuition to the music by Artur Zobnin, and this was also a kind of experiment: I was placed in the orchestra pit, and the voice acted as a separate instrument. Some stage practices have been a real challenge for me personally — for example, going on stage practically naked in De temporum fine comoedia at the Diaghilev Festival or in Don Giovanni staged by Castellucci at the Salzburg Festival. It is difficult and at the same time interesting.

WHAT DO YOU FIND INTERESTING ABOUT THE MUSIC BY MODERN COMPOSERS?

I really love cutting-edge music, I like to try different vocal techniques and approaches. The opportunity to personally communicate with the authors in this sense is extremely important: you can clarify some details and even suggest rewriting the impracticable fragments. Of course, as musicians, we first of all try to accept and live through the author's idea, their artistic vision. But if the composer is able to listen to the performer, change something for him, this is especially valuable.

WHO ARE YOUR FAVOURITES IN MODERN MUSIC?

Among the latest vivid impressions in the aspect of listening experience have been the Cries of London by Luciano Berio performed by the Festino choir, and IM ÄTHER and Lullabies by Andreas Moustoukis, the works we performed at the Hermitage. Among the revelations that I have experienced as a performer, there are Vladimir Martynov's The Lament of Jeremiah, very sincere and tender works by Vangelino Currentzis, works by Nastasia Khrushcheva (working with her music is always a special pleasure for me).

WHAT DO YOU LISTEN TO IN YOUR FREE TIME?

I love jazz and everything related to it. Still as a child, I listened to all the recordings of Ella Fitzgerald, and later taught jazz vocals to children for a while. It was jazz that I brought me to the interest in Baroque music. I also love rock music, ranging from System of a Down to Rammstein. I also listen to Soviet pop music, my favourite singer is Lyudmila Senchina, especially her album of 1983 recorded together with Igor Talkov.

musicAeterna choir events

April 26, 20:00

St. Petersburg | Nevsky, 62

Ο ῎Αγγελος ἐβόα: musicAeterna byzantina and musicAeterna Concert

Choral concert

Sold out

April 27, 20:00

St. Petersburg | Nevsky, 62

Ο ῎Αγγελος ἐβόα: musicAeterna byzantina and musicAeterna Concert

Choral concert

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May 7, 20:00

St. Petersburg | Nevsky, 62

Concert of the musicAeterna Choir. The sacred music of Poulenc and Britten

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An event of Diaghilev Festival

June 13, 20:00

Perm | House of Music (Shpagin plant)

Hændel. A Dedication Ceremony to George Frideric Handel. Opening concert of the festival

George Frideric Handel (1685–1759)

Augelletti, ruscelletti, aria of Mary Cleophas from the oratorio La Resurrezione, HWV 47 (1708)

Zadok the Priest, Coronation Anthem No. 1, HWV 258 (1727)

E pur così in un giorno – Piangerò la sorte mia, recitative and aria of Cleopatra from the opera Giulio Cesare in Egitto, HWV 17 (1724)

Welcome as the Dawn of Day, duet from the oratorio Solomon, HWV 67 (1749)

Disserratevi, o porte d’Averno, aria of the Angel from the oratorio The Resurrection (La Resurrezione), HWV 47 (1708)

Ah! Crudel nel pianto mio, aria of Armida from the opera Rinaldo, HWV 78 (1711)

Overture to the opera Agrippina, HWV 6 (1709–1710)

Sarabande from the Partita in G major for solo harpsichord, HWV 450 (1700–1705)

De torrente in via bibet, duet with chorus from the psalm Dixit Dominus, HWV 232 (1707)

Oh, Let the Merry Bells Ring Round, aria with chorus from the oratorio L’Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato, HWV 55 (1740)

Piangete sì, piangete, aria of Mary Cleophas from the oratorio La Resurrezione, HWV 47 (1708)

As With Rosy Steps the Morn, recitative and aria of Irene from the oratorio Theodora, HWV 68 (1750)

Alla Hornpipe, No. 2 from Water Music Suite No. 2 in D major, HWV 349 (1716–1717)

Pena tiranna, aria of Dardano from the opera Amadigi di Gaula, HWV 11 (1715)

Amarti sì vorrei, aria of Agilea from the opera Teseo, HWV 9 (1713)

Fermati! / No, crudel!, duet of Armida and Rinaldo from the opera Rinaldo, HWV 78 (1711)

He Saw the Lovely Youth, chorus from the oratorio Theodora, HWV 68 (1750)

Ah! Stigie larve — Vaghe pupille, recitative and aria of Orlando from the opera Orlando, HWV 31 (1733)

Oh Love Divine, Thou Source of Fame, chorus from the oratorio Theodora, HWV 68 (1750)

Performers:
musicAeterna orchestra and choir
musicAeterna Dance company
artists from the Anton Rubinstein Academy

Conductor – Teodor Currentzis

An event of Diaghilev Festival

June 14, 20:00