Ekaterina Kofanova

Ekaterina Kofanova Ekaterina Kofanova was born in 1973 in Minsk (Belarus) in a family of musicians. In 1991 she graduated from Minsk Music Lyceum. From 1991 to 1996 E. Kofanova studied organ with A. Parshin and musicology with I. Barsova in Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatoire where in 1996 she obtained the Diploma of Concert Artist and Organ Teacher and the Diploma of Musicologist.
E. Kofanova took a postgraduate course in musicology and in 2000 joined Belarusian State Academy of Music as a lecturer on history of Western music. She is also leading a recently opened organ class there.
Organist
Musicologist
Qualifications
Area of activities
Contact information

Organist

E. Kofanova made her debut as organist in the Great Hall of Belarusian State Philharmonia in 1990. She gives recitals in concert halls of Moscow Conservatoire, Moscow State Museum of Musical Culture, Belarusian State Philharmonia, in Polotsk, Kirov and other towns. She took part in music festivals: Moscow Autumn, First Christmas Festival of Organ Music (Moscow) and others. Her recordings were broadcasted by Radio "Orpheo" and "Mayak" (Moscow).
E. Kofanova is active not only as a soloist but as an ensemblist also. She collaborated with International competition's laureate Svetlana Mitriaikina (flute), "Amadeus" Chamber orchestra conducted by F. Kadena. Her repertoire includes wide range of works of different styles with emphasis on Baroque music.
Master – classes: J. Christie, J. Guillou, M. Haselboeck, A. Marcon, L. Rogg, B. Strangis, C. Terry, Attersee Barock Akademie (Austria), Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival (Lubeck).
Competitions: X International Bach Competition (Leipzig, 1996). Finalist of the 49th International ARD Competition (Munich, 1999).
Repertoire list

Musicologist

Ekaterina Kofanova’s activity as a musicologist is concentrated on English Renaissance music. The attempt is made to fill a certain lacuna in Russian musicology which, whilst drawing attention to the central importance of the Italian and Flemish music, has largely disregarded the English musical culture of the sixteenth century. The main aim is bringing to light the creative work of Thomas Morley, one of the most important musicians of the Elizabethan England.
In Ph. D. thesis "Thomas Morley’s treatise 'A Plain and Easy Introduction to Practical Music': questions of theory and practice" the source is examined in connection with the traditions of written musical theory, unwritten practice of teaching, composing and performing music. It also involves larger group of problems and first of all the place of the English Renaissance musical theory in the context of the European music science of the period. These particularly problems have never been discussed in Russian musicology before. One of the main results of the research is the first Russian translation of "A Plain and Easy Introduction" provided with commentary.
Investigations in the field of English Renaissance music directed by prof. I. Barsova were supported by Russian Foundation for Humanitarian Research (1998).

Scientific-Practical Conference Reports:
Musical Education in Cultural Context (Moscow, Russian Academy of Music named after Gnessins 1998). Report: Musical Education in Elizabethan England as reflected in Thomas Morley’s "A Plain and Easy Introduction to Practical Music ".
Early Music: Practice, Arrangement, Reconstruction (Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatoire, Moscow, 1999). Report: English organs and organ music of the 16th – 17th centuries.

Publications:
Thomas Morley and his treatise / Starinnaya Musika. — Moscow, 1998, ¹ 2.
Musical Education in the 16th century England / Asnovy Mastatztva. — Minsk, 1998, ¹ 1.
English organs and organ music of the 16th – 17th centuries / report at the conference. — Moscow, 1999.

Summary of Qualifications:

Organ: MM. May 1996, Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatoire
Musicology: MM. June 1996, Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatoire
Ph.D. November 2000 (exp.) Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatoire

Area of activities

Ekaterina Kofanova is making her professional career in performance, research and teaching and would be happy to offer her services as:
  • an organist, solo and ensemble as well;
  • a lecturer on music. A combination of a lecture and concert of organ (or/and ensemble) music is possible and highly desirable.


  • She is also interested in the translation of early musical treatises from English into Russian. It could become a serie of translations of 16th-17th century sources. The most important source, Th. Morley’s "A Plain and Easy Introduction to Practical Music", has been already translated and prepared for publication.

    Anybody interested in these projects or in Early and Baroque music and organ playing in general is invited to collaboration.


    Contact information

    Postal address: Kiseleva str., 4 – 58, Minsk, Belarus, 220029
    Tel. (+375) 17 – 284-98-26
    E-mail: ekofanova@mail.ru

    Web design: A. V. Kharuto