Gavriil Yakimovich Lomakin was a talented and renowned musician and composer of his time. Today, his name is not as widely known, although it was Lomakin who made music education in Russia accessible to many. Together with Balakirev, he opened the first free music school in St. Petersburg, where anyone could enroll, regardless of their social class, as long as they had the ability and desire to learn.

Lomakin was born in 1812 into a serf family in the village of Borisovka in the Kursk province. From a young age, he sang in the musical ensemble of Count Dmitry Nikolaevich Sheremetev, who later granted him freedom. Gavriil became a singing teacher and the director of the male choir belonging to Sheremetev's son, Sergey Dmitrievich. Under his leadership, the choir was considered the best in Russia.

Lomakin's work was known not only in Russia but also in Europe. He gained fame for his church choral music and wrote over 60 romances and the first textbooks on choral singing. Lomakin published numerous methodological works, engaged in arranging, conducted research in music, and actively participated in educational activities. Despite his peasant origins, he managed to earn respect and secure a worthy place in society, interacting with many representatives of the creative intelligentsia of the 19th century.

In the village of Borisovka, the children's art school bears Lomakin's name. Every year, a vocal and instrumental music competition called 'Lomakin Evenings' is held here, which has already become prestigious. Belgorod musicians restored one of the lost works of the composer, the cantata Stabat Mater, which was presented in 2015 at the anniversary of the Sheremetev Assemblies. The sheet music of the work was prepared for publication and released for a wider audience.