Ekaterina Antonenko
was born in Moscow into a family of Jewish provinence. Her great-grandfather was a cantor in the synagogue in mestechko Kotelnya, Zhytomyr region, Ukraine.

Ekaterina studied choir conducting at the Moscow Academic Music College (Prof. Irina Usova) and Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory (Prof. Vladimir Sukhanov). In 2010-2012 Ekaterina was granted a DAAD scholarship for study at the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln (Prof. Marcus Creed). In 2013 Ekaterina made her Ph.D. in musicology («Church music of Baldassare Galuppi»). From 2012 Ekaterina teaches at the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory.

In 2011 upon the invitation of Peter Phillips Ekaterina conducted The Tallis Scholars in the Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford. In 2015 she assisted Hans-Christoph Rademann at rehearsals of the Penitential Psalms by Alfred Schnittke with the RIAS Kammerchor. Ekaterina instructed the Dresdner Kammerchor for the performance of Handel’s Alexander’s Feast at the Wratislavia Cantans festival 2015 and for the Commemorating concert of the Kristallnacht with works by Schnittke and Samuel Adler at the Frauenkirche, Dresden (2018). In 2019 Ekaterina instructed Europa Chor Akademie for the performance at the Martha Argerich Festival in Laeiszhalle (Hamburg) under Charles Dutoit. In 2022 led the PaTRAM Male Choir concert tour in Israel.

Founded in 2006 by Ekaterina Antonenko Intrada Vocal Ensemble has gained a reputation of «the best Moscow choir today» («Musical life», 2018).

«One could hardly imagine more inspired, well-balanced and powerful choral singing» Karsten Blüthgen, «Sächsische Zeitung», on the concert of Intrada at the Dresden Music Festival

PaTRAM Institute Male Choir
The mission of PaTRAM Institute™ is to foster the authentic and original splendor of Russian Orthodox choral music together with its astounding spiritual depth, in both the English and Slavonic languages.

PaTRAM Institute performs world-class, professional recordings in unique venues featuring its award-winning international ensembles; distinctive concert performance events; and educational programs.

We trust that our efforts to spread beautiful liturgical music throughout the world will enlighten our collective minds and hearts.

The Choir is named for Saint Tikhon (Belavin), a saint who is uniquely honored for his accomplishments and vision in both North America and Russia. While serving as Bishop of the Russian Orthodox Diocese of the Aleutians and North America, from 1898 to 1907, he undertook many initiatives to facilitate the spread of Orthodoxy in America, including the founding of St. Tikhon’s Monastery in South Canaan, Pennsylvania, and ministering to the various ethnic groups of Orthodox in America, both in their native languages and in English. Upon his return to Russia, his reputation as an extraordinary arch-pastor grew, whereupon he was elected Patriarch of All Russia in 1917, the first to hold that high office since the year 1700. Shepherding the Russian Orthodox Church during the extreme difficulties brought on by atheist Communist repression and persecution of religion, Patriarch Tikhon endured immense physical and spiritual trials, including several arrests and imprisonments, which resulted in a martyr’s death in 1925. In 1989 he was glorified as a saint by the Russian Orthodox Church.

The educational vision and missionary zeal of Patriarch Tikhon while he was Bishop in North America is reflected in the long-term mission of the Patriarch Tikhon Russian-American Music Institute’s organizers. Besides professional recordings to serve as inspirational models for parish choirs and concert activities, PaTRAM Institute provides a series of educational initiatives —summer Academies, Master Classes for conductors and singers, and musical resources—aimed at having a positive impact upon the cultivation and practice of Orthodox liturgical choral singing in North America.