The all-Russian choral society, reconstituted on 15 February 2013, is in the process to achieve the target set by Vladimir Putin: every region of Russia have to create 1’000-voice children’s choir. The results of Society activities and its planned events were discussed at the General meeting of members of the all-Russian choral society on November 20, 2016, with the participation of Deputy Prime Minister Olga Golodets.
At the moment, the Society represents 85 regions of Russia. It has 545 members. In 3 years the number of Russian choirs has increased by 40% and reached 70’000. For 3 years, it organized the all-Russian choral festivals across Russia in 2014, 2015 and 2016, and 1’000-voice Children’s choir.
One of the founders of the Society, the Director of the Music Association named after Glinka, Mikhail A. Bryzgalov, told us about the importance of the project to the culture: “It was always in the Russian and Slavic culture. A choral movement, choir singing always brings people together. Choral tradition are applicable on holidays and not just holidays, but when people are sad.”
According to Olga Golodets, choral movement today is growing at the expense of small schools, moving into the regions of Russia. There are 47’000 schools totally in Russia, all of them should be covered by the choral program. “It is our ultimate goal,” – said Vice Prime Minister. “Our goal is to create the conditions,” she says, ” and the rest will do the professionals.”
Music education in Russia will change. According to Olga Golodets, the current music teaching uses a repertoire of 70-80s years. At the moment there is a contest for a new course in the specialty “Music”. In particular, it will be expanded to include choral elements. In additional education choral elements become more tangible: each school will have a choir Director and accompanist.
According to the Executive Director of the all-Russian choral society P. A. Pozhigailo, during 3 years total budget of the organization taking into account projects amounted to 250 million rubles, of which 90% are the costs – tickets, accommodation and meals for children while traveling. “We come now to a very good efficiency and would like to request to increase funding.” Olga Golodets proposed to create a Board of Trustees, which would be cared of project financing. General meeting of members of the Society took the decision to become a public organization, not just public. “This will allow the company to receive stable funding from the Federal budget, and to address the issue of providing the organization’s property complex”, – said Deputy Minister of culture of the Russian Federation Alexander Zhuravsky.
As told A. Zhuravskii in an interview with “E Vesti”: “Choral society is an organization which has conquered a very important position in the national culture for the last three years. It made important initiatives, and concerts with participation of the President, and the demonstration of thousands of unity, which is a choral culture, it came a long way: organizational, creative, artistic.
The Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Education, government of the Russian Federation provide every assistance to the choral society. In Russia there is a need for strategizing the activities, the organization, the development of the concept or strategy of development of the choral movement, choral culture of the Russian Federation. And to put goals in front of the all-Russian choral society.
I think at the next forum in St. Petersburg, which will take place on December 1-3, we will assist the all-Russian Choral Society to everyone interested in the development of the choral movement; people should gather and discuss these issues.”
