1. The Moscow State Chamber Choir has sung to audiences around the world. In Vancouver, you will be performing to an international audience. How do you feel about representing Russian culture at such an international event?
V.M. : I shall answer you with a question. What feelings can the person get when representing the national art of his country? They are the responsibility and pride. He wants and should make the possible maximum that after the concert the public has felt pleasure from the meeting just with this art, just with this choir.
2. Is if fair to say that this show is a preview of what’s to come during Sochi 2014? How does this performance compare to performances that are currently happening in Russia?
V.M. : You are right — it is a preview. Because in Sochi, namely at home, the cultural program will be maximum various and wide.
3. Your choir is known internationally as one of the leading choirs, praised for the secular, sacred and Russian folk songs that you perform. Why do you think these songs resonate with people who have no knowledge of the Russian folk songs?
V.M. : Russian national songs are widely known all over the world. Among them: "Kalinka", which became popular partly due to our well-known figure skaters, "Katiusha" and « Evenings near Moscow » (Podmoskovnyie vechera), etc. which we also shall perform. These are probably the most popular. I think, the beauty of melodies, the bright open emotions peculiar to Russian mentality, melodious beautiful language give people the idea of richness of Russian soul and means of its expression. One of the first who had shown it to the world was Fedor Shalyapin. We try to follow this great tradition in our performing manner.
4. How does performing in North America compare to performing at home in Russia or other countries in Europe?
V.M. : Actually there is no difference. In fact we sing not only Russian national songs, but, basically, Russian and foreign classics by Rakhmaninov, Sviridov, Mozart, Rossini, Verdi, Handel etc. And it is familiar to any audience in any country.
5. Last year you celebrated your 60th year creating music. What have some of the highlights been?
V.M. : There were many highlights. Well, first of all, there were premiers of new compositions.
I am proud that some compositions were devoted to me and our choir. It was great honor for us to perform the compositions’ premiers and present them to the audience. These composers are Georgy Sviridov, Valery Gavrilin, Rodion Schedrin, Vladimir Dashkevich, Guia Kanchely.
Second, the outstanding musicians with whom the Chorus was lucky to cooperate and with whom we work a lot today. Certainly, singers - Irina Arhipova who, to our regret, recently has died, Elena Obraztsova, Eugeny Nesterenko, Paata Burtchuladze, the Russian National Orchestra (RNO), conductor Michail Pletnev with whom we realized many projects, the Tchaikovsky Big Symphonic Orchestra (BSO), conductor Vladimir Fedoseev, « Moscow Virtuosos», conductor Vladimir Spivakov, « Moscow Soloists» , conductor Yury Bashmet, remarkable conductor Marcello Viotti with whom we performed in Austria and many other honorable musicians. The meetings with them enriches us internally and expands the performing opportunities for the choir.
And, finely, successful concerts. You know, when the conductor feel that the chorus is well prepared and can carry out any task, when he can "mould" a sound on the stage, he feels such a creative freedom letting him improvise and emphasize choristers easily follow him... This is happiness. One of such concerts took place on February 7th this year in the Big hall of Moscow conservatory where we had performed a choral concert "The Pushkin’s wreath " by G.Sviridov.
We still keep in our memories the tours in Canada and our concerts in Vancouver in 1978, but it was in the last century!
INTERVIEWER - Hannah Zitner
Electronic Journalist, Cultural Olympiad's digital edition/Journaliste Électonique, CODE
Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Game
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