As a child, I loved Jackie Chan movies and constantly imitated the characters—acting out monologues, singing in made-up languages, and copying their movements. My parents noticed my interest in acting but enrolled me in a music school for accordion instead. The instrument didn’t suit me—I was too small, and each lesson felt more like a hard workout than a music class. I finished the program without much enthusiasm, but eventually, I was expelled for skipping lessons. My parents understood and supported me when I switched to another music school, where I studied piano, vocals, and drums at the same time. This time, everything felt easier, and I graduated with three honors diplomas.

I first heard musicAeterna and Teodor Currentzis in Sochi, performing works by Tchaikovsky and Rimsky-Korsakov. But it was their concert in Krasnodar last year, featuring Bruckner’s Ninth Symphony, that left me speechless. When I saw an audition announcement for the Diaghilev Festival Choir, led by Vitaly Polonsky, I didn’t hesitate—I immediately started looking for ways to join. At the festival, I soaked in every word, trying not to miss a single opportunity. Over time, I stopped seeing the idea of performing with such musicians as just a dream—it became a real goal. Being able to work and grow alongside these artists is a gift. Many ensembles call themselves a family, but in musicAeterna, it’s not just words—it’s the truth. Here, I feel at home.

I believe that all music is written around one of three great themes—God, love and humanity. These pillars help us endure suffering and find light in life. I think Johann Sebastian Bach understood this better than any other composer did. His St. Matthew Passion and keyboard partitas hold an immense power and crystal-clear purity. If I had to choose only one composer’s works to preserve from all of music history, it would be Bach’s.

I dream a lot, but I try to treat my dreams as goals. One of them is to perform Mahler’s Songs of a Wayfarer under the baton of Teodor Currentzis. I also want to work more with opera repertoire in musicAeterna. Teodor interprets opera in a way that makes it incredibly relevant while still preserving the essence of the era in which it was written.

I grew up in the Caucasus and practiced various martial arts as a kid—wushu, karate, and kudo—to be able to stand up for myself. Now, I no longer engage in combat sports, but I stay in shape with therapeutic physical training. I work out using only my body weight—no machines or dumbbells. On my days off, I always turn off my alarms and sleep as long as I want. I like starting my mornings with a slow, two-hour warm-up, which sometimes turns into cleaning, walking, or cooking. I try to keep at least half of my day completely free from any plans.