Born in the village of Koynas, Arkhangelsk Region. In 1970 she graduated from the Arkhangelsk Music College, and in 1979 from the Gnesin State Music and Pedagogical Institute (now the Gnesin Russian Academy of Music); from 1979 to 1981 she was an assistant‑trainee in the Choral and Solo Folk Singing Department headed by People’s Artist of the USSR N. K. Meshko.
At the beginning of her performing career S. K. Ignatyeva worked in Lyudmila G. Zykina’s ensemble «Rossiya».
Since 1984 S. K. Ignatyeva has taught at the Moscow State Pedagogical Institute / Gnesin Russian Academy of Music, where she gives courses in «Solo Folk Singing», «Vocal Ensemble», and «Specific Methods of Teaching Creative Subjects in Higher Education».
Each year she serves on the State Examination Board at the Gnesin Russian Academy of Music, regularly gives masterclasses in solo folk singing and choral rehearsal technique, and is the author of numerous scholarly articles and publications.
Her students combine teaching, research, and performance, and many of them hold honorary professional titles.
From 2006 to 2008 S. K. Ignatyeva also taught in the Solo Folk Singing Department of the Moscow State University of Culture and Arts.
In addition to her teaching, S. K. Ignatyeva maintains an active performing career. Since 2008 she has been Artistic Director of the State Academic Northern Russian Folk Choir, under whose leadership this renowned ensemble preserves and develops the folk‑singing traditions of northern Russia and tours extensively.
S. K. Ignatyeva is Artistic Director of the vocal trio «Lada» (founded in 1995), which performs on major stages throughout Russia and abroad, appears at festivals dedicated to A. P. Averkin, S. A. Yesenin, and others, is a frequent guest on «Narodnoye radio» and «Radio Rossii», and regularly takes part in the television programme «Romantika romansa».
The trio successfully collaborates with leading Russian orchestras, including:
- the N. N. Nekrasov Academic Russian Folk Instrument Orchestra;
- the N. P. Osipov National Academic Russian Folk Orchestra;
- the Yaroslavl Municipal Russian Folk Instrument Orchestra «Struny Rusi» under E. V. Ageyev;
- the Kostroma State Folk Instrument Orchestra and the «Rossiya» State Academic Russian Folk Ensemble named after L. G. Zykina.
The vocal trio «Lada» is a laureate of the A. P. Averkin Prize, and over many years of creative work has released several recordings.
S. K. Ignatyeva regularly serves on juries of all‑Russian and international vocal competitions, including:
- «Orlyata Rossii» (Tuapse);
- «Samotsvety Rossii» (Ivanovo);
- «Serebryanyye golosa» (Ivanovo);
- «Tantsuy i poy, Rossiya molodaya» (Moscow);
- «Golosa zolotoy stepi» (Astrakhan);
- «Zazhgi fakel» (Tver);
- «Khraniteli naslediya Rossii» (Krasnogorsk).
S. K. Ignatyeva is an Honoured Artist of the Russian Federation (2004) and Honoured Artist of the Republic of Kalmykia (2013). She has been awarded a medal marking the 300th anniversary of the birth of M. V. Lomonosov and is an Honorary Citizen of Leshukonskoye in the Arkhangelsk Region.
Throughout her career she has received honorary diplomas from regional governors and from the Arkhangelsk Regional Assembly of Deputies; in December 2015 she was awarded the Silver Order «Obshchestvennoye priznaniye» («Public Recognition») for her significant contribution to Russian culture and art, her work in preserving and popularising the best traditions of choral and solo folk singing, and her active civic and patriotic stance. She is a laureate of all‑Russian and international competitions.
She received the Government of Arkhangelsk Region Award in 2017 and the «Imperial Culture» Prize of the Writers’ Union in 2018.
Students of Svetlana Konopyanovna actively participate in and win prestigious vocal competitions, including:
- Aysa Bryugidikova – Grand Prix at the 16th Youth Delphic Games (Solo Folk Singing);
- Olga Lakhnova – First‑Degree Laureate at the «Vechnye istoki» and «Khraniteli naslediya Rossii» competitions;
- Viktor Artemyev – First‑Degree Laureate at the same competitions;
- Anastasia Pegasova – Second‑Degree Laureate at the «Vechnye istoki» competition and the «Dusha Rossii» Festival‑Competition in memory of V. Tokunova.
