20th Festival of the Educational Bridge Project

October 25 - November 7, 2011 

Annual Russian-American Festival of Artistic Exchange and Cultural Understanding

 

The 20th festival is a major milestone in the life of the Educational Bridge Project and will celebrate the upcoming 150th Anniversary of the oldest Russian musical educational institution, the St. Petersburg State Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory.  Introducing talented artists of both nations, the Project began as an exchange between Boston University and the St. Petersburg Conservatory and has grown to include many other academic institutions—from Harvard and MIT to the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory and the St. Petersburg University—as well as major libraries and museums.  The Project fosters long-term relationships between musicians, composers, opera singers, visual artists, writers and filmmakers, and develops mutual understanding between people. 

 

Taking place in Boston, the 20th festival invites back a number of past participants, providing diverse forums in which to renew their collaborative efforts.  Six young St. Petersburg virtuosi will collaborate with musicians from the New England Conservatory, Sharon Music Academy and Berklee College of Music in performing programs of classical and contemporary music at Harvard University and Boston University, Harvard Musical Association and Steinert Hall, and participate in a special concert of music by Millhaud, Szymanowski, Bernstein and Bach in honor of the 100th birthday of legendary violinist Roman Totenberg.

 

In addition, the music of five St Petersburg composers who were in Boston during previous festivals will be performed. In 2001, graduate students at Boston University’s School of Music hosted Russian graduate students from the St. Petersburg Conservatory.  Over the years the Educational Bridge Project has continued to foster their collaboration. One of them, Anton Tanonov, now Vice Chair of the Composition department of the St. Petersburg Conservatory, is returning to Boston. His music, along with the music of Boston composers, Ramon Castillo, Matti Kovler, Tony Schemmer and others, will be performed during the festival.

Highlights include:

  • Anton Tanonov’s electronic music at MIT’s Saarinen Chapel (October 30, 7 p.m.) and a demonstration of his music for animated films at Boston University (November 1, 5:30 p.m.)
  •  
  • Tales of Passionate Pursuits In Love and Art: St. Petersburg and Beyond at Boston University’s Mugar Library, with Dr. Diana Vinkovetsky, who writes about St. Petersburg literati, Dr. Tatiana Yurieva, Director of the St. Petersburg Diaghilev Center, and Dr. Daphne Kalotay, author of the novel Russian Winter (November 3, 5:30 p.m.)
  •  
  • Sight-reading demonstrations of new music by Russian and American composers by young musicians from Russia will be part of New England Conservatory Day on November 4, 10 a.m. 
  •  
  • An afternoon of Russian poetry and Russian music at Harvard University, featuring songs by Dmitri Shostakovich on the poems of Sasha Chorny, with Harvard students participating (November 6, 3 p.m.)

 

  

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS (updated 12/11/11)

[Please see the addresses of the participating organizations at the bottom of the schedule]

Tuesday, October 25

12:30 p.m. Center Otrada, Needham

On the History of Soviet Jazz: a talk by Zinaida Kartasheva, Chair of the jazz orchestras and ensembles department of the Moscow State University of Arts and Culture

 

Wednesday, October 26

8 p.m. The Florence & Chafetz Hillel House at Boston University 

…Instead I wrote a quartet, needed by nobody and wronful in its ideas (Dmitri Shostakovich): Pre-performance talk by Dr. Ludmilla Leibman on Shostakovich’s Eighth String Quartet at the musical event of the Exhibit of Art Works by Felix Lembersky

Please find the full description here!

 

Thursday, October 27

1 p.m. Center Zhemchuzhina, Brighton

On the History of Soviet Jazz: a talk by Zinaida Kartasheva, Chair of the jazz orchestras and ensembles department of the Moscow State University of Arts and Culture 

 

Friday, October 28

12:30 p.m. Center Zabota, Allston

The Literati of St. Petersburg: a talk by Diana Vinkovetsky, well-known writer and essayist 

 

Saturday, October 29

5 p.m. Sharon Music Academy

Masters and Apprentices: a concert of piano music of St. Petersburg composers Valery Gavrilin, Sergei Slonimsky, Anton Tanonov, Svetlana Nesterova, and Boston composer Phillip Mazza, performed by students of the Sharon Music Academy’s faculty - Iryna Gendina, Lilit Karapetian, and Tanya Schwartzman  

Program:

  • A Little Waltz from Sketches by Valery Gavrilin - Michelle and Matthew Wang
  • Bells by Sergey Slonimsky - Amelia Yu
  • Cartoons with adventures by Sergey Slonimsky - Patrick Yu
  • March of a Dreadful Villain Barmaley by Sergey Slonimsky - Maggie Xu;
  • Bazhov’s Tales for four hands, by Svetlana Nesterova - Sophie Tollefson, Danielle Oh, Simone Chen, Dionne Chen, and Isabel Johnson
  • Prelude and Fugue in F Sharp major by Sergey Slonimsky – Anton Tanonov
  • Fantasy for piano by Anton Tanonov – performed by the author
  • Piano music by American composer Phillip Mazza 

 

Sunday, October 30

1 p.m. Ringing of the Russian Bells- Lowell House, Harvard University

3 p.m. Junior Common Room, Lowell House

An Afternoon of Classical Music: Performances by St. Petersburg musicians: Veniamin Blokh (piano), David Chakvetadze (violin), Ksenya Gavrilova (piano), Alexandra Korobkina (violin), Alexey Stadler (cello), Karina Sposobina (piano), and Anastasia Subrakova (violin)

Program:

  • Adagio and Fugue from Sonata No. 1 for violin solo in G minor, by J. S. Bach (1685-1750) - Anastasia Subrakova 
  • Sonata No. 2 for violoncello and piano in F major, Op. 99, by Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) - Alexey Stadler, Karina Sposobina
  • Divertimento from the Fairy Kiss, by Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971): Overture, Swiss Dances, Scherzo, and Pas-De-Deux (Adagio-Variation-Coda) - Alexandra Korobkina, Ksenya Gavrilova

 Intermission

  • Fantasy for violin and orchestra by Robert Schumann (1810-1856) Op. 131 - Anastasia Subrakova (vln), Veniamin Blokh (piano)
  • Introduction and Rondo-Capriccioso in A minor, Op. 28, by Camille Saint-Saens (1835-1921) –Veniamin Blokh, David Chakvetadze
  • Lullaby, by Tony Schemmer – Veniamin Blokh
  • Tony Tango, by Tony Schemmer - Alexandra Korobkina, Ksenya Gavrilova
  • Adagio for cello and piano, by Tony Schemmer - Alexey Stadler, Karina Sposobina
  • Carmen Fantasie, by Franz Waksman (1906-1967), arrangement for two violins and piano by Saveliy Shalman - Alexandra Korobkina, David Chakvetadze, Ksenya Gavrilova

 

7 p.m. Saarinen Chapel, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Sound Waves:  MIT Russian Club and the Educational Bridge Project hosts Anton Tanonov and his electronic and acoustic music with New York soprano Zhanna Alkhazova and Boston musicians, violinist Olga Kradenova and pianist Alexandra Carlson. The event has been funded by the Council for the Arts at MIT. Please find the poster here!

Fantasy for Piano solo, performed by Anton Tanonov http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEDfV3pERlU&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL

Severing Winter, performed by Zhanna Alkhazova, soprano and Alexandra Carlson, piano                            http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwEJbuQQUls&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL

Funeral of a Voodoo Doll, for piano and electronics, performed by the author                                                http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUCw9kvd58I&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL

 

 Monday, October 31 Halloween celebration!

2:30 p.m. Boston College

A tour of the campus for the festival’s participants led by Rosty Brichko

 

Tuesday, November 1

5:30 p.m. George Sherman Union Conference Auditorium, Boston University

Little House on Pesochnaya: Boston University professors Maria Gapotchenko, Ivan Eubanks, and Vlada Dorfman who teach courses in Russian literature, art, and cinema of the 20th century, moderate a forum introducing their students to Anton Tanonov’s electronic music with a demonstration of his music for animated films. Second half of the event includes a concert of young Russian virtuosi: Veniamin Blokh, David Chakvetadze, and Anastasia Subrakova

  • Fantasy for violin and orchestra by Robert Schumann (1810-1856) Op. 131 - Anastasia Subrakova (violin), Veniamin Blokh (piano)
  • Caprice for violin solo No. 11 by Niccolo Paganini (1782-1840) - Anastasia Subrakova (violin)
  • Waltz by Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953), from the ballet “Cinderella,” David Chakvetadze (violin), Veniamin Blokh (piano)
  • Tun-Pairam (Khakassian Holiday), for violin solo, by Anastasia Subrakova - Anastasia Subrakova
  • Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso in A minor Op. 28, by Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921), David Chakvetadze (violin), Veniamin Blokh (piano)

 

Wednesday, November 2

1 p.m. Recital Hall 1A, Berklee College of Music

Severing Winter: composers Anton Tanonov (St. Petersburg) and Ramon Castillo (Boston) present their electronic and acoustic compositions

Program:

  • Violin Sonata by Tanonov, performed by O. Kradenova and A. Carlson http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEDfV3pERlU&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL
  • Fantasy for solo piano, by Tanonov, performed by the composer
  • Brain for piano and live electronics by Ramon Castillo, performed by V. Blokh
  • Funeral of a Voodoo Doll for piano and electronics, by Tanonov, performed by the composer
  • Animated films with A. Tanonov's music

8 p.m. Marsh Room, Harvard Musical Association

Sharing the Stage: a concert of chamber music by St. Petersburg and Boston composers: Sergei Slonimsky, Boris Tishchenko, Nikolay Mazhara, Anton Tanonov, Rachel Anna Kuznetsov, Matti Kovler and Tony Schemmer

Please find the performance here on YouTube!

Program:

  • Capriccio and Impromptu for Piano solo by Nikolay Mazhara - Veniamin Blokh
  • Sonata No. 2 for Violin solo in seven movements Opus 63 (1975) by Boris Tishchenko (1939-2010) – Alexandra Korobkina* http://youtu.be/XJC-tRDtZnE 
  • Sonata for Violin and Piano by Anton Tanonov – Olga Kradenova (violin) and Alexandra Carlson (piano)
  • Quintet for Clarinet and String Quartet by Matti Kovler – Nathan Raderman (clarinet), David Chakvetadze (1st violin), Anastasia Subrakova (2nd violin), Derek Mosloff (viola), and Alexey Stadler (cello)* http://youtu.be/5xJUy5YLLj0

Intermission

* UTube links for this composition could be found here:

 
Thursday, November 3

2 p.m. Boston University

Campus tour for festival participants hosted by Vladimir Groysman

5:30 p.m. Mugar Library, Boston University

Tales of Passionate Pursuit:  with Daphne Kalotay, Diana Vinkovetsky, and Tatiana Yurieva. Musical interludes by Anastasia Subrakova (violin), Alexey Stadler (cello), and the “Lucky Ten”

The flyer for the event may be found here!

7 p.m. Student Organization Center at Hilles, Harvard College

Harvard Gamelan Presents the Educational Bridge Project: music by Ramon Castillo, Jody Diamond, Lou Harrison (Boston), and Anton Tanonov (St. Petersburg)

Program:

  • Brain for piano and live electronics, by Ramon Castillo – Veniamin.Blokh (piano)
  • Funeral of a Voodoo Doll, by Anton Tanonov for piano and electronics – performed by the composer
  • Severing Winter, by Anton Tanonov – Zhanna Alkhazova (soprano) and Alexandra Carlson (piano)
  • Fantasy for Piano solo, Anton Tanonov – performed by the composer
  • Sonata for Violin and Piano, by Anton Tanonov – Olga Kradenova (violin) and Alexandra Carlson (piano)
  • Threnody for Carlos Chavez,by Lou Harrison - performed by Gamelan Si Betty
  • Dodi Li, by Jody Diamond - performed by Gamelan Si Betty
  • Kenong, by Jody Diamond - performed by Gamelan Si Betty
  • Stack for gamelan and electronics by Ramon Castillo - performed by the composer 

        A collaborative work involving various performers and electronics - Veniamin Blokh, Anastasia Subrakova, and David Chakvetadze

The flyer for the event may be found here!

7:45 p.m. Mather House, Harvard University (by invitation only) 

Bazzini, Rachmaninov and Merlot: Young St. Petersburg musicians Aleksandra Korobkina, Ksenya Gavrilova, Alexey Stadler, and Karina Sposobina perform virtuoso pieces for violin, cello and piano

Program:

  • Witches Dance by Antonio Bazzini (1818-1897) - Alexandra Korobkina and Ksenya Gavrilova 4:32 
  • Romance and Hungarian Dance, Op. 6 by Sergei Rachmaninov (1873-1943) - Alexandra Korobkina and Ksenya Gavrilova 11’ 
  • Vocalise, Op. 34 No. 14 by Sergei Rachmaninov (1873-1943) - Alexey Stadler, cello and Karina Sposobina(piano) 
  • Hungarian Rhapsody, Op. 68 by David Popper (1843-1913) - Alexey Stadler, cello and Karina Sposobina (piano) 

 

Friday, November 4

10 a.m. New England Conservatory

A tour of the campus for the festival’s participants led by Matti Kovler including a sight-reading demonstration of the String Quartet by Svetlana Nesterova (St. Petersburg Conservatory) and music by NEC composers 

12 noon. New England Conservatory, Room 124

An informal panel-discussion with seven visiting musicians from St. Petersburg: Veniamin Blokh, David Chakvetadze, Ksenya Gavrilova, Karina Sposobina, Alexey Stadler, Anastasia Subrakova, and Anton Tanonov.  Dean Thomas Novak participates

 

Saturday, November 5

3 p.m. Steinert Hall, Boston

Piano Music for Two hands, Four hands, and Two pianos: music of Dmitri Kabalevsky, Sergei Slonimsky, Valery Gavrilin, Svetlana Nesterova, Ekaterina Blinova, and Anton Tanonov, performed by pupils of noted Boston pedagogues, Tatiana Dudochkin, Irina Gelman, Valentina Lass, and Marc Ryser

Program:

  • Six pieces for piano, from Fanny Etudes, by Svetlana Nesterova: Akim and I Scared, Mama - Jameson Mannix, Fight and The Coward and the Cow - Julia Zhong, and The Small Seaman and The Bumblebee - Katarina Stephan
  •  
  • Scherzo from 24 Pieces for Children, Op. 39, No. 12 by D. Kabalevsky and Beautiful Brown Eyes, Traditional Song - Cordelia Mannix
  • Three pieces for piano four hands, from Bazhov’s Tales, by Svetlana Nesterova:  Silver hoof – Kunwoo Shin and Ariane Bowers, The Dancing Fire Maid – Hyunnew Choi and Zachary Haroutunian, and The Girl with Gold Hair – Phuing Nghi Pham and Kevin Sherman   
  • Three pieces for two pianos by Ekaterina Blinova: Kai and Gerda's Banter, The Castle of the Snow Queen, and The Samovar - Alexandra Carlson and Elena Ioannisyan
  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWU7osyflzc&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeRK1TGieR4&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6-kBkcrvJE&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL
  • Bostonian Skyscrapers, Bostonian Apple Store, and Bostonian Squirrels - Three Improvisations for piano solo by Anton Tanonov performed by the composer: 
  • Prelude and Fugue in F Sharp major by Sergei Slonimsky – Anton Tanonov

The flyer for the event may be found here!

7 p.m. Residence of Professor Roman Totenberg 

Happy Centennial! Concert in honor of Roman Totenberg’s 100th Birthday. Violin compositions by Millhaud, Bernstein, Szymanowski, and Bach which were a staple in the repertoire of this famous violin virtuoso who has taught at Boston University for more than half a century 

 

Sunday, November 6

3 p.m. Mather House, Harvard University  

Russian Poetry in Russian Music - Nuances of Meaning: a discussion of the vagaries of interpretation in translating poetry from one language to another and from one art form to another. Songs by Dmitri Shostakovich and Anton Tanonov with live performances by singers Yelena Dudochkin and Zhanna Alkhazova, accompanied by pianists Tatyana Dudochkin and Alexandra Carlson

Please find the poster here!

 

8 p.m. Brown Hall, New England Conservatory

Concert of electronic music by Anton Tanonov (St. Petersburg Conservatory), John Mallia and Katarina Miljkovich (New England Conservatory), and Lou Bunk (Brandeis University)

Please find the link to the website here!

Monday, November 7

12 noon. Russian House, Tufts University

Russian House Guests! Professor Nancy Petroff organizes an annual collaborative event which features the St. Petersburg musicians and Tufts Russian House students

4:30-6:30 p.m. Granoff Music Center, Tufts University

Composers Seminar: Anton Tanonov talks about the St. Petersburg Composition School and performs his music in a conversation led by Professor John McDonald. Please find the supporting announcements here, and here!

Program:

  • Fantasy for piano solo - performed by Anton Tanonov
  • Sonata for violin and piano – Olga Kradenova (violin) and Alexandra Carlson (piano)
  • Funeral of a Voodoo Doll for piano and electronics - performed by Anton Tanonov
  • Animated films with Anton Tanonov’s music

 ___________________________________

PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS AND THEIR ADDRESSES

  • Berklee College of Music, Recital Hall 1A – 1140 Boylston St.
  • Boston College – 140 Commonwealth Avenue, Chestnut Hill
  • Boston University, George Sherman Union Conference Auditorium – 775 Commonwealth Ave.
  • Boston University, Mugar Library, Richards-Roosevelt Room – 771 Commonwealth Avenue
  • Boston University, Florence & Chafetz Hillel House  – 213 Bay State Road 
  • Center Otrada – 185 2nd Ave., Needham
  • Center Zabota – 20 Linden St., Allston
  • Center Zhemchuzhina – 35 Soldiers Field Place, Brighton
  • Harvard Musical Association – 57A Chestnut St.
  • Harvard College Student Organization Center at Hilles – 59 Shepard St., Cambridge
  • Harvard University, Lowell House – 10 Holyoke Place, Cambridge
  • Harvard University, Mather House – 10 Cowperthwaite Street, Cambridge
  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Saarinen Chapel – 48 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge
  • New England Conservatory, Brown Hall – 290 Huntington Ave.
  • Sharon Music Academy – 112 N Main St., Sharon
  • Steinert Hall – 162 Boylston St.
  • Tufts University Granoff Music Center – 20 Talbot Ave., Medford
  • Tufts University Russian House – 101 Talbot Ave., Medford

 

 

 

20th Russian-American Festival of Artistic Exchange and Cultural Understanding

October 25 – November 7, 2011

Press release

BOSTON: The Educational Bridge Project announces its 20th Annual Russian-American Festival.

 

The 20th festival is a major milestone in the life of the Educational Bridge Project and will celebrate the upcoming 150th Anniversary of the oldest Russian musical educational institution, the St. Petersburg State Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory.  Introducing talented artists of both nations, the Project began as an exchange between Boston University and the St. Petersburg Conservatory and has grown to include many other academic institutions—from Harvard and MIT to the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory and the St. Petersburg University—as well as major libraries and museums.  The Project fosters long-term relationships between musicians, composers, opera singers, visual artists, writers and filmmakers, and develops mutual understanding between people.

 

Taking place in Boston, the 20th festival invites back a number of past participants, providing diverse forums in which to renew their collaborative efforts.  Six young St. Petersburg virtuosi will collaborate with musicians from the New England Conservatory, Sharon Music Academy and Berklee College of Music in performing programs of classical and contemporary music at Harvard University and Boston University, Harvard Musical Association and Steinert Hall, and participate in a special concert of music by Millhaud, Szymanowski, Bernstein and Bach in honor of the 100th birthday of legendary violinist Roman Totenberg.

 

In addition, the music of five St Petersburg composers who were in Boston during previous festivals will be performed. In 2001, graduate students at Boston University’s School of Music hosted Russian graduate students from the St. Petersburg Conservatory.  Over the years the Educational Bridge Project has continued to foster their collaboration. One of them, Anton Tanonov, now Vice Chair of the Composition department of the St. Petersburg Conservatory, is returning to Boston. His music, along with the music of Boston composers, Ramon Castillo, Matti Kovler, Tony Schemmer and others, will be performed during the festival.

Highlights include:

  • Anton Tanonov’s electronic music at MIT’s Saarinen Chapel (October 30, 7 p.m.) and a demonstration of his music for animated films at Boston University (November 1, 5:30 p.m.)
  • Tales of Passionate Pursuits In Love and Art: St. Petersburg and Beyond at Boston University’s Mugar Library, with Dr. Diana Vinkovetsky, who writes about St. Petersburg literati, Dr. Tatiana Yurieva, Director of the St. Petersburg Diaghilev Center, and Dr. Daphne Kalotay, author of the novel Russian Winter (November 3, 5:30 p.m.)
  • Sight-reading demonstrations of new music by Russian and American composers by young musicians from Russia will be part of New England Conservatory Day on November 4 (time tbd)
  • An evening of Russian poetry and Russian music at Harvard University, featuring songs by Dmitri Shostakovich on the poems of Sasha Chorny, with Harvard students participating (November 6, 3 p.m.)

For a full schedule of events and concerts visit www.educationalbridgeproject.org - Current Festival