Choral chamber ensemble "ROSSICA" was formed in 1976 under the name of "Ancient Russian Music Ensemble". During the first two years of its activity (1976-1978) the choir had the stuff of only 8-12 singers and worked in partnership with Leningrad State TV Channel, what resulted in a series of short films named "Musical Novellas": (Musical life in the XVIII c. St.Petersburg; Heinrig Schutz; Claudio Monteverdi; The waltzes of love (J. Brams); Serenades (Schubert, Glinka, Dargomyzski, Borodin); Bela Bartok). Since then the films have been kept in the archives of City's State TV Channel.

In 1978 the choir gave its first public concert at Glinka Small Philharmonic Hall, Leningrad ("Evening of Ancient Russian Music"). It turned to be a decisive step for further musical activities of the ensemble. Until today its energy is mainly focused on introducing of unknown chef d'euvres of spiritual musical culture of Old Russia (XVII-XVIII cc. mainly). The music is often deciphered from ancient manuscripts.

In 1980 the group was renamed "Rossica" Choir (in Latin it means 'all about Russia') and restructured: since then its stuff includes 20-24 singers. In addition it has subdivisions that reflect those ancient singing forms which "Rossica" tries to revive. First of them is a male group of predominantly low voices (bases and deep bases accompanied by light tenor-voices singing an octave higher). This choir structure was characteristic of medieval singing tradition ('znamenny' and 'demestvenny' polyphony). Another main choir-form employed by "Rossica" - Russian Church choir of the age of the so called 'Russian Baroque'. It is a group of 20-24 solo-singers; each of them performs his part in 8-12-16- and 24-voice choir-scores. This choral structure was modeled on European baroque string and wind orchestra. But since instrumental music was prohibited in Orthodox liturgical practice, Russian composers of that time were bound to give orchestral characteristics to voiceparts; hence choral music of this style is remarkable for its technical complexity. So that special features ot baroque singing in the XVII c. Russia has predetermined both number (under 24 voices) and quality of "Rossica"'s stuff.

To perform ensemble-compositions of Russian and East-Slavonic Choral Baroque (motets for 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, and 12 solovoices) "Rossica" forms "Russian Baroque" ensemble of soloists comprising from 5 to 12 singers - prize-winer at 37th Interantional Competition of Vocal Groups C.A.Seghizzi (Italy). Its repertoire also includes the music of European Renaissance and Baroque (ranging from Landini to Bach). In the framework of "Rossica" there is also a 'female group', which is engaged in its own concert activity. It performs music composed specially for medieval Russian Convents, and a variety of European choral music ('Stabat Mater' by Pergolesi, for ex.).

Reviving and introducing of Russian spiritual musical culture inevitably involves collaboration with the most prominent Russian and Ukrainian musicologists, such as: Prof. N.A.Gerasimova-Persidska (Kiev), Prof. V.Protopopov (Moscow), as well as experts in deciphering old Russian musical notation. Together with these scientists "Rossica" works on a large project of "Anthology of Russian and East-Slavonic Sacred music of IX-XX cc." (in 12 volumes). The Anthology is being published in Russia with financial support of the Russian State Academy of Science.

During a decade (1976-1986) "Rossica" was the only regular performer of old Russian music and Choral Baroque in Russia. Starting in 1979 with the first public performance of "Russian Holy Week Singing", the ensemble has drawn up more than 10 concert programs of unknown before spiritual music. This has gained "Rossica" large popularity in its own country and abroad.

In 1980 M.I.Glinka Small Philharmonic Hall initiated a plan to set up "Ancient Russian Music Centre Rossica", the base of which being the ensemble with its brilliant singers and prominent scholars. The leading members of the Centre's stuff are N.A.Gerasimova-Persidska, A.M.Ratkova and V.S.Kopylova (founder and permanent artistic director of "Rossica"). This fruitful collaboration of scholars and singers gave life to such fundamental concert programs of ancient Russian music, as: "Millennium of Christianization of Russia", "Bisanzium and Old Russia", "0ld Russia and The Great Tatar Steppe", "Ancient Russian Liturgy and Vespers", "East-Slavonic Choral Baroque", "Vassilij Titov".

"Rossica" ensemble enjoys steady success at best concert halls and cathedrals of Russia: St.-Petersburg Philharmonic Hall, Rachmaninov Hall of Moscow Conservatoire, The Pillar Hall of the Palace of Unions (Moscow), St.Sofia Cathedral in Kiev, St.Sofia, St.George and other churches and Cathedrals of Novgorod.