Pavel Tsoroyev, Nazran. Exclusively for VK
Problems of intercultural communications of different national cultures have recently gained special attention. The need for building a dialogue between the North Caucasus and other parts of Russia has been noted at all levels. But the North Caucasus is a conglomerate of peoples, cultures and languages developing and cooperating on the territory for millennia. Experts say that the territory has peculiar culture consisting of various ethnic cultural traditions. Development of dialogue, including one with Russian culture, has become part of efforts of the federal government to establish interethnic dialogue.
The State Academic Russian People’s Choir of Pyatnitsky has organized a free concert at an amphitheater in Nazran to realize this policy. Alexander Permyakov, the Art Director of the choir, said that they collected the best singing potential of the country. 50 of them are winners of All-Russian, international and regional contests. They represent 31 regions of Russia. The average age of females in the choir is 19, males are a bit older. The art director emphasized: “Our group has a Muslim girl Gulnara Suleimanova. When I started working at the group in 1989, it met the traditional perception of a choir of Russian folk song, with older men and women on the stage. I needed some years in order to reform the group, change its repertoire policy, return to the origins. When I was reforming the group, the first thing I did was select ten 12-14-year old girls. They dance and sing great. I will try to blur the line between dancing and choir groups. We have mutual replacement at any moment. But we are primarily a choir group. Our orchestra sings too,” Permyakova notes.
“The last time we went to the Caucasus was during my youth. In the 1990s, everything collapsed and art relations were broken. To my great joy, our days mark a period when culture starts to develop again,” the art director said. She believes that a new generation of young Russians unaware of national art has grown up. The main postulate is preservation of accumulated works of predecessors and development of something new. “Each republic has marvellous groups and they need to be demonstrated. In Berlin, for example, we were admiring the outstanding ensemble of doul players from Ingushetia. They were real masters. I am glad we made the visit. Our visit was a result of great organizational work of the Russian Culture Ministry, the Moscow State Philharmonic and the Ingush Culture Ministry. Trust me, bringing such large group, feeding it, accommodating, preparing for rehearsal is enormous work,” Permyakova emphasizes.
According to her, the media are exaggerating the situation in Ingushetia. “I walk on the street in the republic and smile. There are no fears. We were greeted and seen off with love, kindness. I would express my impression in two words: “Total fascination”.”
