Two important musical events in Moscow draw attention to themselves. The first is a gala concert in the Alexander Hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace, which concluded the festival of young classical music performers. The official host of the festival was Svetlana Medvedeva, wife of the President of Russia. It was on her initiative that the festival “Rising Stars in the Kremlin” was held for the third time. The main prize for young talents was a performance with the orchestra “Moscow Virtuosi” conducted by maestro Spivakov. They tell “Cultural News”.

The festival “Rising stars in the Kremlin” is held in the best halls of the Russian capital. The structure of participants annually extends – this year they have arrived already from 20 countries of the Near and Far abroad, including Austria, Denmark, Germany, Italy, France, Poland. The Kremlin gala concert was attended by distinguished guests – the Queen of Belgium, the First Ladies of Armenia, Slovenia and Cyprus. Svetlana Medvedeva addressed the guests and participants with a welcoming speech. She noted that the festival is gaining strength and has already gained international recognition, that it gives young talents the opportunity to get acquainted with their peers from different countries, their culture and customs. Many young artists have now been awarded the right to participate in the Youth Music Academy of the CIS under the leadership of Yuri Bashmet, in the International Summer School of the Moscow Conservatory, in the festivals of Vladimir Spivakov and the Social and Cultural Initiatives Fund.

And the second event is also a music festival, also international, it is dedicated to the memory of the great artist Oleg Kagan. Mstislav Rostropovich once called this violinist “an artist of exceptional tenderness. Tenderness to music, instrument, friends”. And now, for the 12th time, Kagan’s colleagues, students and admirers are gathering to make him a musical offering.

“He is universal,” says conductor Andres Mustonen. – It’s as if there are no Russian, American schools. He was higher on it. I remember his special feature is that the violin sound flies.

This evening among the dedications to Oleg Kagan there were works by Schnittke, Schubert and Kancheli. Yuri Bashmet and Natalia Gutman were soloists with the State Symphony Orchestra “New Russia”. Bashmet performed Giya Cancelli’s “Styx” for solo viola, chorus and orchestra, which is symbolic for the festival of memory. In Greek mythology, the Styx is a sacred underground river. In creating this musical opus, Kancheli admittedly thought about people who are no longer around and who lack communication. Kancheli’s first cello concert with the Schnittke Orchestra is a tribute to Natalia Gutman’s choice. Alfred Schnittke and Sofia Gubaidulina once dedicated a number of works to the duo of Kagan and Gutman.