Master Class by the Renowned Church Choirmaster E.S. Tugarinov Held in Almaty

19 February 2026 – Almaty. With the blessing of Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, a master class for directors of children’s church choirs and teachers of Sunday schools of the Southern capital was held at the Ascension Cathedral.

The session was conducted by Evgeny Svyatoslavovich Tugarinov, director of the Orthodox children’s choral studio “Tsarevich” of St. Demetrius School in Moscow, who arrived in Almaty together with his creative ensemble. Evgeny Svyatoslavovich is a church choirmaster, educator, and researcher of Russian church singing, Candidate of Art History, and member of the Union of Writers of Russia. The “Tsarevich” studio provides comprehensive musical education, including choral singing, solfeggio, and vocal training, with an emphasis on sacred and Russian classical music. The ensemble, a laureate of international and all-Russian competitions, actively participates in concerts, festivals, and divine services.

Among the participants in the master class was O.N. Ovchinnikov, Secretary of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District, Honored Worker of Arts of the Russian Federation, choirmaster of the metropolitan choir, and member of the Patriarchal Council for the Development of Russian Church Singing. Before the beginning of the event, Oleg Nikolayevich delivered an introductory address in which he conveyed the blessing of Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan to those gathered, thanked the guests for their visit to Kazakhstan, and wished everyone fruitful work.

During the creative session, E.S. Tugarinov, together with the singers, examined the technical features of conducting well-known liturgical works. The maestro paid particular attention to the practical aspects of working with a choir.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Evgeny Svyatoslavovich answered questions from the participants in the master class.