Екатерина
Мочалова
домра, мандолина
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«Her playing exuded joy and positive energy in Vivaldi’s Concerto, which she performed convincingly with an infectious musical lilt», — wrote the newspaper Southern China Morning Post after Ekaterina Mochalova’s concert in Hong Kong.

Ekaterina Mochalova is Russian mandolin and domra performer, native of Vitebsk–Belarus where she grew up immersed in music and graduated with honours from the Sollertinsky musical college. Graduating with honors from the Gnesins' Russian Academy of Music (Moscow) in 2012 and a post-graduate course (2014) led by famous Russian mandolin and domra performer, professor Vyacheslav Krouglov, she has played as a soloist with numerous symphonic, chamber and folk orchestras like Svetlanov State Symphony orchestra, the chamber ensemble «Moscow Soloists» and Symphony orchestra «New Russia» led by Yuri Bashmet, «Virtuosos of Moscow» led by Vladimir Spivakov, City Chamber Orchestra of Hong Kong, Madeira Classical Orchestra and many others.

Ekaterina is a laureate of 20 international and all-russian competitions, among her awards are the first prizes at IX Osaka International Mandolin Competititon, The XXIII Mandolin Competition of Japan, The 1st All-Russian Musical Competition, The Necheporenko International Competititon, the Gold medal at the 10th Delphic Games of Russia. She took part at Osaka International Mandolin Festival (Japan), «Sulle vie del Prosecco» (Italy), Tamburica-Fest (Serbia), Winter Arts Festival, Crescendo, «Stars on Baikal», «Denis Matsuev and friends» and others, collaborated with Yuri Bashmet, Denis Matsuev, Alexander Sladkovsky, Boris Andrianov, Alexander Boldachev, Ekaterina Mechetina.

Since 2014 she is a lecturer in the Gnesins' Russian Academy of Music and a concertmaster of the Ossipovs’ National Russian folk instruments orchestra. Ekaterina’s deep interest in outreach activities focused on her instruments is witnessed by her collaborations with contemporary composers. She has played about 20 world premieres of new compositions for mandolin and domra written by Alexander Tchaikovsky, Efrem Podgaits, Alexander Tsygankov, Michael Bronner, Kuzma Bodrov.

In 2018 she became the candidate of Arts on the mandolin history. She is a creator and artistic director of the First International Festival of Contemporary Domra and Mandolin Art «PRIMA DOMRA» in several cities of Russia. She is regularly invited as a jury member of various musical competitions, seminars and workshops.