Project “Fairy tale in Russian music”

“Fairy tale in Russian music” is a unique project of the Moscow City Symphony Orchestra “Russian Philharmonic” aimed at giving children access to symphonic music and broadening their outlook. Children will be impressed by visual and emotional effect of the pageant. It is the first musical performance for children with unusual lighting effects.

The project consists of three son et lumière performances based on the world known magic plots, famous all over the world (such as “The fairy tale about tsar Saltan”, “The magic humpbacked horse”, and “The Golden Сockerel”. They are successfully performed on the stage of Moscow International House of Music during two seasons.

The narrator (a reciter) and the main characters (soloists of well-known opera-houses of Russia) take part in the performances. The original artistic idea of combining classical music art and up-to-date technologies of the 21st century is for the first time embodied in this project. The innovation technique such as dynamic slide-projection is used in the project. This technique doesn’t have any analogs in modern art. It found an application practically in all spheres of modern massive events. The technique allows projecting an image of fantastic brightness, colour saturation and reality practically on any surfaces – both on a small screen or a wall indoors and on huge buildings and complicated architectural ensembles. That’s why this technique differs greatly from ordinary video-projections or laser shows. The newest lighting equipment allows children to be totally absorbed in the world of fairy tales, helps to develop imagination and to feel real participants of magic performance.

Interesting programs of musical fairy tales are accessible for children of different age. As is generally known, fairy tales are part and parcel of childhood. They teach children not to be indifferent, provoke thinking, develop emotional inner world, cultivate in children humanity, and form their way of behavior and ethics. Tales also shape consideration for people, animals, plants and the world around us. The victory of good over evil develops the aspiration for the better. Fairy tales teach wisdom. Faerie fancies develop in children the feeling for the beautiful. In the time of spiritual impoverishment a fairy tale, as well as other values of traditional culture (including classical music) unfortunately loses its lofty destination. That’s why the project “Fairy tale in Russian music” is directed at reviving the role of a tale in upbringing, formation of spiritual and moral world of a child. As is known, positive impressions gained in childhood are unforgettable for life.

Although the project “Fairy tale in Russian music” is rather costly, however, after accomplishing it only once, later it will be possible to use specially made slide projections repeatedly on various stages both in Moscow and in other cities. It will cost much cheaper. This project is a merited representation of the Orchestra and Russian culture abroad.

Project “Open stage”

The Moscow City Symphony orchestra “Russian Philharmonic” participates in a project “The open stage” more than once. This project consists of series of concerts called “Young Moscow composers and musicians - to dear capital”. Within this project the première of symphonic fairy tale “The sovereign of rats” by a modern American composer John Corigliano (the winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Music in 2001) took place in Tchaikovsky Music Hall, in December 2003. Four years running the orchestra successfully gives concerts of the project “Young Moscow composers and musicians - to dear capital” to support young talents.

The aim of the project is to popularize creative work of young professional Moscow composers and to demonstrate young performers the variety of modern artistic styles. Within the project “Young Moscow composers and musicians - to dear capital” the orchestra helps young composers and performers to make themselves known and also creates favourable conditions for their professional formation. Our project includes four or five concerts of musical compositions by young gifted Moscow authors, the Moscow Conservatory and the Russian Gnesins’ Academy of Music graduates. Famous conductors and soloists take part in this project. The concerts have been favourably received by professionals, both Moscow musical critics and admirers of modern classical music. High professionalism of musicians and organizers has also been appreciated.

The concert program is constantly broadening. Many noteworthy musical compositions of young authors appear. They reflect new trends in modern musical art. Annually the concerts of the cycle become more and more interesting and arouse interest in Moscow public. It has given rise to such series of concerts in the next season 2008-2009. We hope that our concerts will help to preserve and increase traditions of Russian musical art.