2/2/12

Dear Friends,

Last year was very special for the Educational Bridge Project.  In the spring we held our 19th Russian-American festival in St. Petersburg and in the fall in Boston – our 20th.  Twenty is a serious number; it shows that we have offered hundreds interesting programs and made tens of musical discoveries.  This is just the beginning as we are ready to go ahead to reach new heights, to premiere new compositions, discuss new topics and present new talent.

2011 also turned out to be our most successful year financially. We are deeply grateful to all of you who supported us and believe that we are doing important and much needed work by providing ways for people of our two countries to become closer through art and education and music.

I would like to share with you our plans for the year 2012.  Our 21st festival will be held in St. Petersburg in May and will be dedicated to the 150th Anniversary of the St. Petersburg Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory, the oldest Russian conservatory.  For me, a Conservatory graduate, it is very important to tell American participants and audiences about the history of the first Russian Conservatory and its role in the development of music education in Russia.

Students and professors of the St. Petersburg Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory will also take part in the programs of our 22nd festival which will take place in the fall in Boston. They will be joined by the young actors from the Musical Theater “Zazerkalie” and other guests from St. Petersburg.

We have big plans for the year 2012.  And, even though many things are still in the planning stage, the main idea is clear; during the upcoming EBP festivals Americans and Russians will meet again and again- in the concert halls and in university auditoriums, at schools and in museums, libraries and art galleries.

I’ll keep you posted and hope you will join us.

Ludmilla