Vladimir Nedbaj, Candidate of Pedagogical Science, a senior lecturer of Krasnoyarsk State Pedagogical University after V.P.Astafjev.

"Classical music under Italian sauce …
Reflections after a concert…
It seems, the modern world doesn’t leave any place for classical music. It hardly takes it in our modern life which is characterized by huge speed of spreading of information, and together with it of general knowledge as texts of various coding, including musical. And this knowledge is spread, unfortunately, as a product ready for consumption which doesn’t demand special preparation of an individual or any special erudition. And in this chain of spreading the mass-media has the basic role; it does necessary selection and processing of the data, involving everything, without any exception, into the process of fast, thoughtless, illegible consumption.
"Omnivorousness" of the modern consumer who is satisfied with a low-standard production of pop industry, which is called to be low budgetary and quickly sold... A doubtful sort of the show, created to please «the average spectator» has captured the air. True gourmets, connoisseurs of music, the cinema or TV, are becoming less and less.
How ease we are to ascertain a fact, that we don’t love classical music. But to grow fond of it, it is necessary to listen to it. «Without music it is difficult to imagine human life. Without sounds of music it would be incomplete, deaf, poor … fans and experts on music are not born, but become … ». These words of the largest composer of the present Dmitry Shostakovich speak about the necessity of education to love music, skills to perceive it.
I was lucky to visit all festival concerts of the musical project "Siberia - Europe". Every evening was unique in its own way. But most of all I remember the meetings with Italian masters David Bellugi and Ivano Battiston. That evening began with the opening of "Pandora’s Box » - a source of any disasters which as it was explained, curious Pandora - the wife of Prometei’s brother Epimetei, despite of the prohibition, she opened it, and all disasters of mankind started on the Earth.
Silence … To the stage a man is going up hard, carrying on his shoulder a heavy box (probably Pandora’s). His burden is heavy; he is stumbling, but continuing his way. Having set up a box on the stage, the man doesn’t dare to open it at once. Everybody is waiting for what is going to happen next. And from the box there is an accordion and the first sounds. But it seems, that the musician only tries to play the instrument. You are trying to catch every sound and to hear a theme. Also you don’t know, how to react at it. Whether it is a joke or a trick? May be someone from prudish habitu?s of classical concerts has whispered: «that’s the Nightmare! What is he doing?! ». And there is the leader of a concert (it seems, that and she didn’t expect such beginning) and she introduces a performer Ivano Battiston - a musician, a composer, a professor on the class of the accordion of the conservatory after L. Kerubini in Florence.
Such unusual beginning set the style to the entire concert. All the evening long was impregnated with delicate aroma of the Italian sauce - humour, ease, easy improvisation of the musicians.
In the second part of the concert there was a surprise for us – world’s first performance of «BB show» / I. Battiston, 1959/. On the stage there is a duet - David Bellugi (flute) and Ivano Battiston (accordion). There was brilliant performance, expressiveness, emotionalness, sincerity and spontaneity. David Bellugi is not only phenomenal virtuoso, but he also possesses the art of transformation. A turn of a head and there is a whimsical lady in front of us. The spectator is in delight. After the concert I had to be an involuntary witness of some conversation of a mum and a son. The little boy was excited and exclaimed: « It is great!!! » And to the question of his mum: « Will you go to a concert of classical music next time? », without any hesitation, like a child directly he answered: « Well, certainly!!! ». How much energy a school teacher of music needs to carry away a child with the classics. And there were only some hours needed. And in fact it is uneasy to keep attention of a small restless listener.
I regretted that I didn’t take with myself my seven-year-old son, remembering the previous "sad" experience. How I would love to hear such answer from my child. And I don’t doubt that it would follow.
It was unusual for a habitu? of classical concerts submission of material, constant conversation with the spectator, virtuosity, external ease of performance bribe and make to fall in love with it.
If a little spectator asks, when there will be the next concert therefore the festival went right. And for this we thank organizers and partners of the festival. Thanks for a unique opportunity to not hasten, to stop, to reflect and think about music. To study to listen to music is always actually."