History

The Vocal Ensemble “Anima” was organised in October 1992 St. Petersburg. All its members are the graduates from the St. Petersburg Conservatoire named after Rimsky-Korsakov N.A., graduating it in different years. From the very first days after its debut the Ensemble has extensively performed both in Russia and abroad, visiting Germany, Switzerland, Finland, Austria, Spain and France. The press on the Ensemble performances is numerous and favourable, the Group has been called an admirable ensemble of the world class.

The Ensemble's creative credo implies a wide variety of genres of choir music: from Gregorian Chorales to modern pieces. The prime criterium when choosing a composition of a certain epoch to be performed by by the Group is its artistic value rather than its novelty or complexity. The Ensemble performs fragments from Tchaikovsky's and Rakhmaninov's Divine Liturgy and Vespers, spiritual works of P. Tchesnokov, original arrangements of popular Russian folk songs. Originally composed for a mixed choir these works are presented in a quite different and original way arranged for male voices only by the Ensemble Leader Victor Smirnov with the emphasis on the Ensemble tessitura ability. E.Nikolaev with his unique contra-tenor voice adds to this effect allowing the Ensemble to sing original works composed for a mixed choir like "Natasha" by G. Sviridov, Choir cycles of F. Pulenc "Praises to st. Anthony of Padua" and "Prayers of st. Francis of Assisi" that are famous for its fine sense of style.

Diversity of styles is the Ensemble's forte. The Ensemble is equally artistic performing Russian music and West European spiritual works, madrigals of the Renaissance and avant-garde musical works of today.

In March 1999 the Ensemble was merited at the International Choir Competition in Darmstadt, Germany, winning two gold medals there, in  2003,2006 silver Medals and in 2010 bronze Medal in Tolosa (Spain).

The members of the Ensemble are capable of giving recitals with participation of soloists, thus in October 1999 it performed Pastoral Mass by A. Diabelli, while in November the Ensemble gave a very successful performance of Petersburg Mass, composed jointly by Johannes Jourdan, German poet and composer, together with "Anima" Vocal Ensemble.

Search for new ways in the synthesis of choir singing with other artistic expressions, with theatre in particular, results in interesting experiments. In December 1999 there was a first night performance of the PARISER HOF (Wiesbaden Theatre, Germany) in which the "Anima" Ensemble participated.

The success of the project was due to admirable performance of the opera arias and its excellent artistic work.

The Ensemble has a lot of admirers, if you listen to them once, you would become their ardent supporters for life.
The Ensemble has good contacts with musicians from western Europe and with their Russian colleagues.

"Anima" recorded 12 compact discs combining Russian , French, Spain,German,Sweden and Argentinian spiritual music with folk songs from 8 centuries.
Among the latest achievements of the ensemble is the successful performance at the 7th Word Symposium on Choral Music in Kyoto (Japan) on 02.08.05 before the 1800 people audience.

ANIMA was the only group on this important world forum, representing the choral music not only of Russia but of the whole East Europe.

F e s t i v a l s :


1995 - “Max-Reger-Tage”  Hamm (Germany)

1996 - “Europäische Kirchenmusik”  Schwäbisch Gmund (Germany)

1997 - “Musica Sacra”  Ulm (Germany)

1998 - “St.Petersburg” Kotka ( Finland)

2000 - “A-cappella”  St.Petersburg (Rus) 

2001 - “Voci d’Europa“  Porto Torres (Italy), “Concordia Vocis”Cagliari (Italy), “Max-Reger-Tage”  Hamm (Germany)

2002 -  “F.Blumental International”  Tel-Aviv (Israel),  “Musica Sacra International”  Marktoberdorf , Hammelburg (Germany),“Europäische Klassik Ruhr” (Germany);  “Concordia Vocis” Cagliari (Italy), “Festival of Sacred Music”  Berlin (Germany)

2003 - “Musikfestspiele Saar”(Germany/France),“Europäische Klassik Ruhr” (Germany), Tolosa (Spain), Ciborne (France)

2004 - “Ejea de los Caballeros” (Spain), “Avila” ( Spain), “Preobraghenie” (“The transfiguration”) Jaroslavl (Rus)

2005 - “7 th Word Symposium on Choral Music” Kyoto (Japan), “Preobraghenie” (“The transfiguration”) Jaroslavl (Russia)

2006 - “1 th International  Symposium on Choral Music” Patras (Greece),
Tolosa (Spain)

2008- "Schleswig-Holstein Misic Festival" (Germany)

2009- "Voci d’Europa“  Porto Torres (Italy), “Concordia Vocis” Cagliari (Italy)

2013-"Tolosa International Contest" (Spain)