Ekaterina Smirnova

Scholar of music, instructor, laureate of the All-Russian Pedagogical Mastery Competition, head of the Department of Old Russian Singing Art of the Rimsky-Korsakov State Conservatory in Saint Petersburg.

In 2001 graduated from the Saint Petersburg Conservatory with a degree in Music Studies (specialization in Old Russian Singing Art), class of Associate Professor N. B. Zakharyina. From 1999 to 2001 was employed in the Sheremetev Palace, Museum of Music of Saint Petersburg State Museum of Theatre and Music Art, in the capacity of staff researcher. Has been on staff of the Department of Old Russian Singing Art since 2001. Serves as Chairwoman of the Department of Old Russian Singing Art since 2017. Since 2011 has served on staff of the Department of History and theory of Music, Church Conductor Division, Faculty of Church Arts, Saint Petersburg Spiritual Academy of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Has co-authored the curriculum in major "Music Studies and Applied Music Arts (Old Russian Singing Art)," and developed programs for history and theory of Russian spiritual music: singing styles in Ancient Russia; early Russian polyphony; Russian part polyphony; decoding of early Russian polyphony; reading of choral scores of the 17th–18th centuries; preparation of concerts and lectures. Authored a work program on the history of church singing (Section: Russian Church Singing of 10th–17th Centuries) for Church Conductor Division of the Saint Petersburg Spiritual Academy.

Has done research, written extensively on, and designed instructional and methodological brochures in the field of Old Russian Singing Art. Her research mostly focuses on the story of sources, transcribing, history and theory of early Russian polyphony. She has published collections of her interpretation of old Russian chants: "Singing Traditions of the Russian North of the 17th–19th centuries" (with support of the Council for Grants in the Administration of the President of the Russian Federation) / compiled by A. V. Mishin, E. A. Smirnova. Vologda: Poligrafist, 2010; "Great Culture" compiled by B. G. Abalyan, E. A. Smirnova. Saint Petersburg: Kompozitor, 2019. Her transcriptions of old Russian monophonies and polyphonies were published in anthologies: "Ancient Russian Ceremonies in Manuscript Music Scores of the 17th–19th Centuries: Washing the Feet. Burial Rites. Wassail Cup." An Anthology on History and Theory of Russian Spiritual Music/ Compiled by E. V. Pletneva, T. V. Shvets, with her commentary. Saint Petersburg: Scythia Print, 2015; "From Monophony to Polyphony: From the Repertoire of the Znamenie Ensemble of Old Russian Music: An Anthology, compiled by T. V. Shvets, with her commentary. Saint Petersburg: Scythia Print, 2018.

Cooperates with different choirs of Saint Petersburg and other Russian cities as a specialist in the history of ancient church chants. The transcriptions of the songs have been compiled on six CDs. They are included in the repertoire of Optina Pustyn Men's Choir, the Holiday Choir of the Valaam Monastery, the Men's Choir of the Vologda Philharmonic, the Choir Capella of the Tyumen Philharmonic, Lege Artis Chamber Choir and other Russian collectives.

From 2009 to 2015 she served as the scientific consultant of the Academy of Orthodox Music International Festival, which seeks to protect and develop Orthodox singing traditions in different countries of the world. The festival, initiated by the Administration of the President of the Russian Federation, was held with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation and with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia. Since 2014 she has also served as the scientific consultant of the Foundation for the Support of Russian Art and Orthodox Culture "Society for the Renaissance of Russian Art 1915". As part of the activities of the Festival and the Fund, develops conceptual programs of festivals, concert and educational programs, and takes part in organizing events, including: Educational and Concert Programs of the Academy of Orthodox Music Summer School session (Saint Petersburg, Veliky Novgorod, Valaam Island, 2009–2015), "Lenten Concerts — Revival of Historical Traditions" (Saint Petersburg, Shostakovich Grand Hall of the Philharmonic of Saint Petersburg 2010–2015), Easter concerts (Shostakovich Philharmonic Hall, Saint Petersburg 2018–2019), (International Sacred Music Composers Competition "Roman the Sweet Singer" (Saint Petersburg, Grand and Lesser Philharmonic Halls, 2011–2016), "Epiphany Evenings" (Sait Petersburg, Oktyabrsky Grand Concert Hall, 2013–2019), Gala Concert "Day of Slavic Writing and Culture" (May 24, 2011–2012, Moscow, the State Kremlin Palace, organized by the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, and the Russian Orthodox Church), Educational Concert and Tour Program "Saint Sergius of Radonezh: A Great Spiritual Path" (Moscow, Sergiev Posad, Rostov Veliky, Pereslavl-Zalessky, June 2014), Scientific and Creative Symposium "Days of Saint Sergius of Radonezh" (Moscow, Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, June 23, 2014), First St. Prince Vladimir Orthodox Festival "The Enlightener" (Valaam Island, July 26–28, 2015), musicals and epic performances "On the Wisdom and Miracles of Saint Fevronia" (Saint Petersburg, Hermitage Theatre, July 8, 2016, New Stage of the Alexandrinsky Theatre, July 7, 2019).

Has authored a number of projects under the auspices of the Saint Petersburg Conservatory: "Three Centuries of Tradition of Russian Spiritual Music in Saint Petersburg" Festival (April 8–18, 2003, at XII Easter Festival), "Music of the Moscow State — Music of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania" (Belarus, May 2003, at XII Easter Festival); "Star of Bethlehem" International Christmas Festival (2006–2009, with support of the Committee for Culture of the Government of Saint Petersburg). Member of the Organizing Committee, Annual International Science and Creative Symposium "Brazhnikov Readings".

She actively teaches, lectures and tours with concerts. She can be regularly seen giving presentations as a music scholar and hosting concert events in Saint Petersburg: In the Grand and Smaller Halls of the Philharmonic Society, Oktyabrsky Grand Concert Hall, the Academic Capella, St. Isaac's Cathedral, the Hermitage Theatre, the Smaller Hall of the Glazunov Academy. She has also taken part in concerts in many Russian cities, including: Moscow, Yekaterinburg, Nizhny Novgorod, Perm, Omsk, Tyumen, Tobolsk, Archangelsk, Kirov, Syktyvkar, Kostroma, Vologda, Veliky Novgorod, Pskov, and Rostov Veliky. She has held lectures and workshops on history of Russian church singing art in cities of Russia and abroad.

Received a commendation of the Culture Council of Saint Petersburg Diocese for her achievements in developing the spiritual culture of Saint Petersburg (2014). In 2017 she was elected member of the Church and Public Council for Development of Russian Church Singing under the auspices of Moscow Patriarchate. Laureate of the 2nd All-Russian Pedagogical Mastery Competition (2018) in the nomination "Music Art".