Ekaterina Mochalova was born in Baranovichi (Brest Region, Belarus). In 2012 she graduated from the Gnesin Russian Academy of Music (class of Professor Vyacheslav Kruglov), in 2016 completing an assistant traineeship at the academy. Also trained in Germany and Austria. In 2018 she became a candidate of art history (dissertation theme: Mandolin and Domra Performing Arts: Means of Development and Interaction).
Recipient of the Gold Medal at the 10th Youth Delphic Games of Russia (Tver, 2011) and 1st prizes at the Mandolin Competition of Japan (Tokyo, 2012), the Osaka International Mandolin Festival & Competition (Japan, 2013), the All-Russian Music Competition (Moscow, 2013) and the Pavel Necheporenko International Competition of Balalaika and Domra Players (Moscow, 2016). Since 2012 she has been a soloist of the Ossipov Balalaika Orchestra, becoming a leader in 2019. She has been the first performer of works for domra and mandolin composed by Mikhail Bronner, Kirill Volkov, Yefrem Podgaits, Alexander Tsygankov, Alexander Tchaikovsky, Kuzma Bodrov, Nikita Mndoyants and Natalia Khondo. Has collaborated with the State Academic Symphony Orchestra of Russia (Svetlanov Symphony Orchestra), the Moscow Soloists chamber ensemble, the State Chamber Orchestra Moscow Virtuosi, the Hong Kong Chamber Orchestra and the Orquestra Clássica da Madeira (Funchal, Portugal) among other ensembles. Has appeared in concerts in Finland, Germany, Italy, Spain, France, Portugal, Japan, China and South Africa.
Collaborates with acclaimed musicians including Yuri Bashmet, Denis Matsuev, Alexander Sladkovsky and Ekaterina Mechetina. Has taken part in the Winter International Arts Festival in Sochi, Yuri Bashmet’s International Music Festival in Khabarovsk, the festivals Stars on Baikal, Denis Matsuev and Friends, Crescendo, Sulle vie del Prosecco (Italy), the Tamburica Fest (Noviu Sad, Serbia), the Osaka International Mandolin Festival and the Moscow Easter Festival among others.
Since 2015 she has taught (now working as an associate professor) at the Department of Folk String Instruments at the Gnesin Russian Academy of Music, directing the academy’s project An Anthology of the Domra. She is also an associate professor at the Department of Folk Instruments at the Tambov State Musical and Pedagogical Institute named after S.V. Rachmaninoff. Runs masterclasses at the Tauride All-Russian Youth Education Forum, Yuri Bashmet’s education centres, the arts project A Class from the Maestro and the creative school of the New Names Charity Foundation. Participates in the juries of performing arts competitions. Artistic Director of the Festival of Contemporary Domra Art Prima Domra (Tambov, held since 2020).
Information for March 2023
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