Dream Come True (4) - The day St Petersburg Listened to Us Sing

We were merely Medical students who loved to sing. Not all of us had very strong backgrounds of musical education.

Yet St Petersburg was the kind of place that would listen to us sing. This city was the kind that would extent its welcoming ears to us and applaud for us while we nervously belted out our songs, and cheer at the end of our performence. It was the kind of place that unrolled its red carpets into the belly of one of the oldest music halls in Russia for us.

We performed in one of the most prestigious musical centers in Russia, perhaps even Europe, because St Petersburg wanted art and culture to seep into every space that was willing, and tonight, it has reached us -- insignificant, inexperienced students of Science who wanted a little place in the wide world of music.

So sing we did.


The Choir of St Petersburg State Medical Academy named after Mechnikov, singing at the Finals of the 2009 Student Choir Collectives Competition , 29-11-2009 at the Glinka Kapella, St Petersburg, Russia. Yours truly is the 7th girl from the right.

All the participants in the competition sang 4 songs in a grand choir, including "Gaudeamus" and 4 classical Russian songs.

Dream Come True (3) - The Glinka Kapella Concert Hall

The Kapella Concert Hall is a real treasury of Russian music.

This was the first musicians' training center in Russia. At various epochs, such famous Russian composers as Bortnyansky, Glinka, Lvov, Balakirev, Rimsky-Korsakov, Lyadov and Arensky worked here. The greatest works of Tchaikovsky, Rakhmaninov, Borodin, Musorgsky, Glazunov, Shostakovich, Prokofiev and Sviridov were performed here.

The Kapella combined concert and training activities. In the end of the 19-th century – the beginning of the 20 th century, it became one of the major European musical centers. Among its directors were very outstanding musicians and composers: Buranello Galuppi, Tommaso Traetta, Giovanni Paisiello, Dmitry Bortnyansky, Alexander Lvov, Mikhail Glinka, Nikolai Bakhmetyev, etc.

In 1886-1889, the building of the Kapella was thoroughly reconstructed according to a design by Leonty Benois. Since that time, the building has remained without changes.

The building of the Kapella is in the center of St. Petersburg, on the left bank of the Moika river. The choir of the Emperor's Palace Chapel had settled here back in 1808. The auditorium is the center of the composition of the Kapella building. The architect Leonty Benois magnificently designed the auditorium: it is not only luxuriously decorated, but also possesses excellent acoustic features.

Many experts believe the Kapella auditorium to be the best auditorium from the acoustic point of view.

After the 1917 revolution, music performances continued in the Kapella Concert Hall. The concert hall played an important role in promoting classical music. Even during World War II, the activities of the Kapella continued. In 1941, the choir of the Kapella was evacuated to the city of Kirov and often went for guest tours to military units, military hospitals, factories. Concerts of the choir took place in cities of the Volga region, Siberia, Central Asia.

Generations of the best Russian choirs have been following the excellent traditions of the Kapella choir. Among those who had training at the Kapella were A.V. Alexandrov, V.A. Dranishnikov, A.G. Flyarkovsky, A.S. Dmitriev, V.A. Chernushenko, A.A. Yurlov, D.G. Kitayenko, V.A. Atlantov and many others.

The history of Kapella, in fact, began with the history of Russian classical music and has continued to present time.

Source

Dream Come True (2) - The First Step

They say a good beginning is half of success. They also say that the first step is the hardest one to take.

Little did I know that the casual step I took was the first that would lead me to having my dream come true.

From the day I was recruited into the St Petersburg State Medical Academy (named after I.I. Mechnikov) Choir, I never planned on quitting it.

We worked hard, meeting two days a week and singing for 2 hours, sometimes more, each time. Then one day Aleksandra Reshetnikova, our choir mistress, told us that she had enrolled us into the 2009 Student Choir Collective Competition.

On the 22nd of November, our choir of 20 attended the eliminating round of the competition, held in the concert hall of LETI.

Our choir singing "Dona Nobis Pacem" and "Mama" by Gavrilina

We were the youngest choir in the competition that day.For many of us, it was the first time performing as a choir, on stage.

Perhaps someone up there was looking out for us. Or perhaps, just perhaps, the judges liked what they heard. We almost couldn't believe our ears when they announced that we had beat a few other groups and made it to the finals.

Dream Come True (1) - Prologue

From the Conservatory of Music named after Rimskiy Korsakoff to the Mariinskiy Theater, 6 years in St Petersburg has more than opened my eyes (and ears) to the auditory haven this city has to offer.

How often does one come across a place like this? When a simple walk down the busiest street of the city is, in itself, an invitation to the world of fine arts?

I was hooked from the time I set foot into my first Peterian concert hall for my first musical evening. From the first note to the last encore, every second was a swirling palette of aesthetics. The eye followed every skilled movement, the ears caught what the eye couldn't see...and the heart melted.

And everytime I clapped my palms red after those curtain calls, part of me yearns to be up there - playing, singing, pirouetting, and that longing for something that will never happen yank at my heart so cruelly it hurts.

A World of Our Own

While Hollywood movies never failed in depicting Russia as that cold, warmongering nuclear power, 6 years of living and being among the people in this wonderful land has taught me the exact opposite. If only less than 20 years ago Russia had seemed, to outsiders, hostile and unwelcoming, then the avalanche of change this country has experienced in the past 2 decades has not been in vain.

"But why Russia?" People always ask me, awe written on their faces as they secretly wondered what a girl like me was doing in a place like THAT.

I always tell them, as I will tell you now, again. "St Petersburg is the warmest, loveliest place I have ever seen. From the gilded thrones in magnificent Hermitage to that friendly old lady who gave you directions on how to get there and ended up taking you there herself, Peter's city is indeed great, both in body and in mind."

As proud as Russians are of their cultural and historical heritage, they are surprisingly more welcoming and tolerant of foreign culture than Hollywood makes them out to be.

Last year we went for the Zolotaya Osen' (Golden Autumn) Song and Dance Festival at the
IMOP, and witnessed a dazzling display of cultural shows presented by students from all over the world. This year's Zolotaya Osen' was everything but disappointing.

As talent, like fireworks, set the concert hall ablaze, applause brought the world together under one roof that night the last autumn leaves fell in St Petersburg.

Mongolia - Mongolian Song

Russia - Dance

Africa (Namibia, Gambia and some others) - A Capella


China - Tibetan Dance

Mongolia - Khoomii with Instruments

Russia - Belly Dance

Morocco - Moroccan Rap

Germany - Accordion

Kazakhstan - Song in English, Russian and Kazakhstani

Russia - Hip-Hop

Russia - Song with Belly Dance

China - Dance

Russia - A Capella Choir

China - Peacock Dance

Mongolia - Morin Khuur (Horse-head Fiddle)

Russia - Dance

Russia - Rap

Malaysia and Russia - Fusion Dance

Myanmar - Acoustics and Vocal

Vietnam - Dance

Russia - Vocal and Acoustic

Africa (Namibia?) - Drums

China - Song

India - Song

Russia - Swedish Song

Malaysia and Russia - Traditional Indian Dance

Africa - Dance

Kyrgyzstan (?) - Ballroom Dance

Russia - Song

India and Russia - Russian Song

Russia - Folk Song with Guitar

Russia - Folk Song with Balalaika

Russia - Folk Song with Flute and Vargan

As someone so perfectly summed up the night that brought the world a bit closer...

"Prize? what are you talking about!? my best award's given to me by Allah, these are my friends: Jaya, Asha, Irfaan, Yogi, Akshaya, Bineetaa, Umma, Angel, Andre, Ashwin, Jolie, Jason, Mathew, Xiao Chiann and others, whom I appreciate and love!! This is the best prize one could ever get! I don't need any statuette on the shelf.. What for if it's only plastic? True friendship is much more dear and important to me!!!"

Daniya Sabirova, Facebook

Khoomii? Who, me?

Sometimes I feel I have been sitting under a big fat rock for far too long.

Once in a while someone comes along and kicks what to him is an insignificant pebble out of the way, and I am freed from that little pebble I thought was a big fat rock.

Yesterday, a funny little guy wearing a funny little costume stood on stage holding a funny little instrument singing a funny little song, and he looked so at ease with a funny little smile on his face one was tempted to dismiss his as yet another half-cooked amateurish "traditional" performance.

It was not to be. His voice stunned us all as the hall sat hushed and listened, transfixed, the voice of a place many of us could not even imagine, of wild horses galloping under endless blue skies on the wide green fields.

Once again my big fat pebble has been overturned, and I have seen just a little bit more of this world.

Dear readers, I present to you ....

The ancient art of throat-singing,

KHOOMII

I tried googling a proper definition of this peculiar method of singing, otherwise known as overtone singing. A myriad of technical terms later, I understood that some things just cannot be described in words alone, and Hoomi is definitely one of those.

Click HERE to watch amazing video - Six Methods of the Khoomii


Mongolian Khoomei


Tuvan Khoomii


Inuit Throat-singing


Altai - Kai


Siberian Throat-singing

Tibetan Throat-singing

Can you tell me how to get to Sesame Street

Sunny day - Sweepin’ the clouds away,
On my way to where the air is sweet.
Can you tell me how to get, how to get to Sesame Street.

Come and play, everything’s A-OK
Friendly neighbors there that’s where we meet
Can you tell me how to get
How to get to Sesame Street

It’s a magic carpet ride. Every door will open wide.
Happy people like you. Happy people who.

Like a beautiful sunny day sweepin’ the clouds away
On my way to where the air is sweet
Can you tell me how to get,
How to get to Sesame street, how to get to Sesame Street, How to get to . . .

Once upon a time, way before the age of that scary giggling purple dinosaur, kids all over had, at some point in their lives, lived on Sesame Street.

The last time I saw them on television was at least more than 10 years ago, when silly things like MTV took over my TV time. Have I, like so many others, forgotten how to get to Sesame Street?

The 40th anniversary of this childrens' educational show saw people of all ages and all walks of life revisiting what once used to be their favourite street, renewing their friendships with big birds named Big Bird, Counts named Count who count, and that grouchy Grouch in a bin.

Who could forget their adventures in ABC's with lovable, shy Grover, or laughing at Ernie and Bert's antics, or counting everything in sight with Count von Count the Count, (ha-ha-ha), or kowabunga-ing with the cookie-loving monster? How many of us can boast of never having been driven away by Oscar the Grouch, or forget the first "dirty" words he taught us?

Some things you never forget.

"It is I, your furry pal, Grover! "

"Kowabunga!"

"Now leave me alone and get lost! Scram!"

"Greetings! I am the Count. They call me the Count because I love to count things. "



"Rubber Duckie, you're the one, You make bathtime lots of fun, Rubber Duckie, I'm awfully fond of you"



"XOXO"

Prairie Dawn

Elmo

Couldn't find a decent picture of Harry Monster. What, wasn't anyone else fond of Harry Monster?

Egad! It's Sherlock Hemlock!

Happy (belated) 40th Birthday Sesame Street! May kids follow Sherlock Hemlock the neighborhood detective on many wild goose chases to come, share cookies with Cookie Monster and learn important lessons in life with Kermit the Frog for the years to come.

Our parents loved you, we love you, and you can bet our children will, too.