Basses

Nikolay Mazaev

In the choir since 2020

Born in Ulan-Ude (the Republic of Buryatia), he graduated from the Glinka Choral College in 2016 (the class of Conducting with professors A.D. Nyagi and A.A. Maksimov). Currently he studies Choral Conducting (the class of B.I. Nesterov) at the Rimsky-Korsakov St. Petersburg State Conservatory. He is the laureate of All-Russian competitions, including the All-Russian Music Competition in the discipline of Choral Conducting (2019).

He is the head of the Art Sonus Vocal and Choral School Academic Choir, which won the Slavic Spring International Choral Festival-Competition in the category “Mixed Choirs” (St. Petersburg, 2019).

HOW DID YOU COME TO BE A MUSICIAN?

There are no musicians in my family. My parents and my sister are lawyers, whereas I have been attracted to music since childhood. At the Choir College, this love only strengthened. Now I am studying at the Faculty of Symphony Conducting and I am happy that I can observe the work of such masters as Teodor Currentzis. I'm learning a lot from him.

WHAT DO YOU DO IN YOUR FREE TIME?

I believe that free time can always be found. Although there is a lot of work in musicAeterna, it does not depress, but on the contrary, it inspires. When I have time, I try to go to the gym or read. At the Diaghilev Festival, I purchased Haruki Murakami's book Absolutely on Music: Conversations with Seiji Ozawa. In this book there is a contemplation of the Japanese phenomenon of "ma" – silence. The mastery of silence is very important for a musician. I also have an interest in poetry, since most of the masterpieces of vocal music are based on works of poets. I especially value the work of Alexander Blok, the great symbolist. For a while I was interested in anime and Japanese culture. Among my favourite authors in this genre, I would mention the work of the dreamer Satoshi Kon, the visionary Mamoru Oshii, and the chronicler Kentaro Miura.

WHO IS THE AUTHORITY IN MUSIC FOR YOU?

As a composer, Stravinsky. He was an innovator who influenced the evolution of music throughout the 20th century. In my opinion, from the point of view of reformation in music, he can only be compared with Johann Sebastian Bach. Just like Stravinsky, Grigory Sokolov is an adept of pure art, but in terms of performance. I happened to hear him play once in Salzburg, and I will never forget this concert. Another authority is Avenir Mikhailov, a Soviet choirmaster, one of the founders of the choral conducting department of the St. Petersburg Conservatory whom I consider my 'pedagogical grandfather' as he was my teacher's teacher. There is little information about him left in the public domain, but his personality can be judged by the words of students and eyewitnesses. He was a brilliant choirmaster and teacher who brought up a whole constellation of outstanding musicians.

WHICH COMPOSITION WOULD YOU LIKE TO PERFORM?

I would like to sing Sviridov's vocal poem Petersburg based on poems by Alexander Blok, to conduct Dvořák's Symphony No. 9 and perform something of my own, but not in the near future.

musicAeterna choir events

April 26, 20:00

St. Petersburg | Nevsky, 62

Ο ῎Αγγελος ἐβόα: musicAeterna byzantina and musicAeterna Concert

Choral concert

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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