In Boston: Dr. Yuri Dimitrin (Playwright and Librettist, Professor of the Theater Academy in St. Petersburg) gave a lecture, Gluck’s Opera Reform:  How Did it Really Happen? to the graduate students of the Music Education department at Boston University.

Dmitri Tchassovitin (Vice-Rector of the St. Petersburg Conservatory) and Lydia L. Voltchek (Director of the Glazunov Concert Hall and Assistant to the rector at the St. Petersburg Conservatory) met with Dr. Leibman to discuss the perspectives for the future exchanges.  They also gave lectures at the New England Symposium on Research in Music Education at Regis College on October 23, 1999, respectively on Music Education in Russia Under the Pressure of the Financial Crisis and Musical Education of the Young in Russia;

Vladislav Uspensky (Professor of Composition at the St. Petersburg Conservatory) visited Boston University for the premieres of The Prayer, a choral composition commissioned by Marsh Chapel of Boston University and the Trio for Piano, Violin and Cello commissioned by Dr. Terry King of the Longy School of Music.  He also gave a lecture at the Boston University’s Composers’ Forum on November 2, 1999.

Irina Taimanova (Professor of Opera Directing at the St. Petersburg Conservatory) gave a coaching session at the Longy School of Music.

In St. Petersburg: The Contemporary Music Ensemble, ALEA III, (Boston University), traveled to St. Petersburg to take part in the XI International Music Festival Sound Ways. Theodore Antoniou (Professor of Composition and Conducting at Boston University and Music Director of the ALEA III) gave two lectures during the Festival.

Dean MacCombie and Dr. Leibman, who came for the part of the Festival, met on November 20 with the administrators of the St. Petersburg Conservatory, Vladislav Chernushenko (Rector), Dmitri Tchassovitin (Vice-Rector), Alexander Pataman (Dean of International Affairs) for the discussion on the development of the artistic and educational exchanges.  They also had a meeting with Paul R. Smith (Consul General of the United States of America) during which the Consul General expressed his interest in the cultural and educational exchanges between the two cities and the possibilities of working together on the project St. Petersburg 2003 which celebrates the 300th anniversary of the City of St. Petersburg.