The International Russian-Italian Organ Duo started its activity in 2017. The members of the Duo are Elena Kalashnikova (born in Pyatigorsk, Caucasus, Russia) and Luca Massaglia (born in Turin, Piedmont, Italy).Elena Kalashnikova studied piano at the Music College in Stavropol and she pursued her piano studies under the guidance of Prof. Alla Dolzhenko at the Leonid Sobinov State Conservatory in Saratov, where she studied organ as well. She performed piano concerts in Russia as soloist and as a member of various chamber ensembles. She worked as piano accompanist and piano teacher at the Music School n. 19 in Saratov and as piano accompanist at the Saratov Conservatory.
She is currently music teacher at the Ivan Turgenev Russian school and organist at the Madonna degli Angeli Sanctuary and at the San Carlo Borromeo Church in Turin and she was organist at the Convitto Principessa Felicita di Savoia of the same city.
She has cooperated with the Accademia Corale Guido d'Arezzo of Turin.
In June 2019 she was member of the jury of the 9th edition of the Festival Concurs Internaţional "Mărul de Aur" ("Golden Apple"), held in Turin and organized by the Inanina Music Star Association in cooperation with F.A.R.M.P. (Federation of the Romanian and Moldovan Associations in Piedmont).The Russian-Italian Organ Duo has given concerts in Italy, Norway, Russia and Sweden, on occasion - among others - of the following international festivals:
- International Siberian Organ Festival, at the Organ and Chamber Music Hall of the Philharmonic Society in Omsk (Russia)
- Skånes Orgelveckor, at the Allhelgonakyrkan in Lund, the Sankt Petri Kyrka in Malmö, the Höörs Kirka in Höör (Sweden)
- Sommerkonserter, at the Lillehammer Kirke in Lillehammer (Norway)
- Orgelmatiné, at Tønsberg Cathedral (Norway)
- Sommer-konsertene, at the Bragernes Kirke in Drammen (Norway)
- Sommerlordag, at the Gjøvik Kirke in Gjøvik (Norway)The Russian-Italian Organ Duo has a matchless repertoire ranging from the Renaissance to contemporary music and that includes original pieces for organ 4-hands, original pieces for two organs and transcriptions mainly of orchestral works. Some notable composers have written pieces specially for the Duo:
- Franklin D. Ashdown (U.S.A.)
- Jay C. Batzner (U.S.A.)
- Michael Canales (U.S.A.)
- Carson Cooman (U.S.A.)
- Emma Lou Diemer (U.S.A.)
- Paul A. Epstein (U.S.A.)
- Stanley M. Hoffman (U.S.A.)
- Robert S. Potterton (U.S.A.)
- Justin H. Rubin (U.S.A.)
- Charles Shadle (U.S.A.)
- Arsen Harutyunyan (Armenia)
- Khadija Zeynalova (Azerbaijan - Germany)
- Johan Famaey (Belgium)
- Adrian Vernon Fish (England)
- John Riley (England)
- Paul Ritchie (England)
- Aaro Pertmann (Estonia)
- Tapio Säyppö (Finland)
- Wolfram Graf (Germany)
- Eva-Maria Houben (Germany)
- Alexander Moseler (Germany - Russia)
- Markus Nickel (Germany)
- Andreas Willscher (Germany)
- Victor Kioulaphides (Greece - U.S.A.)
- Gilberto Bosco (Italy)
- Fausto Caporali (Italy)
- Guido Donati (Italy)
- Carlotta Ferrari (Italy)
- Walter Gatti (Italy)
- Paolo Lazzeri (Italy)
- Grimoaldo Macchia (Italy)
- Grazia Salvatori (Italy)
- Angelo Maria Trovato (Italy)
- Eilert Tøsse (Norway)
- Konstancja Kochaniec (Poland)
- Șerban Nichifor (Romania)
- Irina Dubkova (Russia)
- Olesya Rostovskaya (Russia)
- Anna Vetlugina (Russia)
- Milko Bizjak (Slovenia)
- Mateo Soto (Spain)
- Maria Löfberg (Sweden)
- Johan-Magnus Sjöberg (Sweden)
- Boryslav Stronko (Ukraine)