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- The Success Scene: How the House of Music has been helping young people find their way to fame for 20 years
The Success Scene: How the House of Music has been helping young people find their way to fame for 20 years
Thousands of performances and master classes. Hundreds of thousands of viewers. World-famous students, winners of major competitions. All these are the results of the work of the St. Petersburg House of Music. The unique institution, combining educational, patronage and concert functions, celebrated its 20th anniversary. Anniversary events are taking place at the largest venues in the northern capital: on February 3 and 4, star artists led by the founder of the House of Music, cellist Sergei Roldugin, performed in the Great Hall of the Philharmonic and the Nikolaevsky Palace, and a symphony evening is scheduled for the 5th at the Mariinsky Theater. The way the organization has traveled over two decades is described in the Izvestia article.
A house for music
Sergei Roldugin came up with the idea of creating a House of Music back in the early 2000s, when he was rector of the St. Petersburg Conservatory. The head of such an institution cannot help but think about the future of his graduates. How can talented musicians, who are still unknown to the public and have not had time to gain solid performance experience, continue to improve their art and make themselves known? And most importantly, where can I find support during this difficult period of creative ascent?
Excursion to the Palace of Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich, where the House of Music is now located, November 21, 2009
Neither universities nor concert organizations solve such problems. It became clear that an institution was needed that would work purposefully in this direction, take care of young talents, promote the development of their skills and help them reach the big stage.
Sergey Pavlovich shared these thoughts with the president.
— I appealed to the country's leadership. Vladimir Vladimirovich is an amazing man. When you tell him about something important, you can tell by his eyes if he's interested in it. He seems to get into the idea, intuitively understands. Looking into his eyes, I felt that there was no need to continue the story. I started explaining the concept of the House of Music to him, and he didn't look away, saying, "You know, I like this," Sergei Roldugin told Izvestia.
The support of the first person was needed, first of all, for the project to find a permanent site — its own home. It became the palace of Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich, the brother of Emperor Alexander III. The magnificent building, erected in 1882-1885 by Maximilian Mesmacher, had fallen into disrepair by the beginning of the 21st century and required restoration. That's what the newly created organization did, with the active assistance of the authorities.
"Valentina Ivanovna Matvienko, who was governor at the time, personally came here to monitor the progress of the restoration work," recalls Sergey Roldugin.
Musicians during a performance at a concert of the St. Petersburg House of Music
Three years later, the main renovation was completed, and in 2011, music was played for the first time in the English Hall of the palace. Since then, concerts have been held there regularly, and any soloist (pianist, string player, or wind instrument player) who previously participated in the House of Music's programs can apply for them. In particular, these are various cycles of master classes and the educational and concert project "River of Talents", aimed at students and graduates of music universities and colleges. It all started with him.
The St. Petersburg House of Music is a federal cultural institution founded in 2006 with the aim of developing classical music, preserving performing traditions, and preparing young musicians to participate in international competitions and festivals. The initiator of its creation and artistic director was cellist, conductor, People's Artist of Russia, Professor Sergey Roldugin. Over the past 20 years, the organization has held 1,767 concerts in Russia and 610 abroad, and has organized 1,072 master classes attended by 3,393 people. Music House events were held in 154 cities around the world.
The only criterion is talent
Of course, the geography of the projects is not limited to St. Petersburg. For example, the House of Music holds a Summer Academy in Crimea, and concerts of participants are regularly held at Sirius (Sochi) and regional philharmonic halls.
But the selection is really strict. What is the criterion? Sergey Roldugin formulates it with all clarity.
— Our only criterion is talent. We must support talents and give them the opportunity to realize themselves," the People's Artist is convinced.
You can see that these are not just words by looking at the list of names of soloists and students from different years. Among them are pianist Daniil Trifonov, who has performed with the world's most famous orchestras, violinist Ravil Islyamov and cellist Alexander Ramm, laureates of the Tchaikovsky Competition, and Honored Artist of Russia violinist Pavel Milyukov.… Today, they remember with great gratitude the role that the House of Music played in their fate.
— We have been cooperating with the House of Music since 2007. At that moment, I was studying at the Moscow Conservatory. Many of my peers, aspiring musicians, were at a loss, and so was I. Before the House of Music appeared, there were organizations that helped talented young musicians, but it was he who really began to support young people. For me, the House of Music has become an important stepping stone on the path to professional development," Pavel Milyukov emphasized in an interview with Izvestia.
He is echoed by pianist Miroslav Kultyshev.:
— This is a huge part of my life — 20 years of concerts, 20 years of professional and human support, 20 years of creative communication… These are the master classes when I was still a student, and my master classes in recent years, when I interacted with our wonderful youth. A huge part of my life! And probably the best.
Lots of new names
On February 3, both musicians Milyukov and Kultyshev congratulated the House of Music from the stage of the Great Hall of the St. Petersburg Philharmonic. The program included some of the most virtuosic Russian works: Prokofiev's First Violin Concerto and Rachmaninov's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini. Well, Sergei Roldugin himself was a soloist in a Cello Concerto with Dvorak's orchestra. The event was held as part of a joint subscription between the Philharmonic and the House of Music.
The St. Petersburg Philharmonic has been working closely with the St. Petersburg House of Music for several concert seasons. Thanks to this partnership, the Philharmonic audience discovered many new names and met many young performers, the Philharmonic's press service told Izvestia.
"The performances of the soloists of the St. Petersburg House of Music in previous seasons were held as part of various Philharmonic subscriptions, and this season - the anniversary season for the House of Music — the Philharmonic offered listeners a special subscription dedicated to the date of the Philharmonic and the House of Music," they noted. And they assured me that this cooperation will definitely continue. With a high probability — in the format of a joint subscription, combining performances of young musicians with philharmonic orchestras.
It was almost impossible to get tickets for both this and the next performance, which took place at the Nikolaevsky Palace (it was attended by the same soloists, plus percussionist Andrei Taranukha, oboist Fyodor Osver, pianists Andrei Telkov and Valery Pyasetsky). The huge interest of the public is a clear evidence: the very name of the House of Music is already a guarantee of the highest level. Music lovers literally vote for Roldugin's students in rubles.
Musicians during a performance at the concert of the St. Petersburg House of Music "Musical National Team of Russia", which takes place within the framework of the XI St. Petersburg International Forum of United Cultures
And together, the soloists of the House of Music form the face of Russian performing arts. No wonder one of the organization's programs is called the Russian National Music Team. And besides the above-mentioned artists, Alexander Romanovsky, Nikita Borisoglebsky, Alyona Bayeva, Sergey Redkin and many others played in it. With such a team, you can only win. And these victories continue.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
