The organ in the concert hall of St. Sophia Cathedral in Polotsk will sound anew in April

The organ in the concert hall of the Saint Sophia Cathedral of the National Polotsk Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve will sound anew, the director of the museum-reserve Tamara Dzhumantayeva told a BELTA correspondent.

Russian and Ukrainian specialists, together with the German organ-building firm "Hälscher", are participating in the instrument's renovation. Simultaneously, they are carrying out preventive maintenance, which was last conducted 15 years ago. The renovation is funded by the Ministry of Culture of Belarus, which allocated Br1.5 billion for these purposes. Since its installation in 1985, this is the first major upgrade for the instrument. Some parts will be replaced, and a new control console will be installed, making the Polotsk organ more convenient for performers and its sound brighter. It is planned that the renovated instrument will be heard in the concert hall as early as April.

As noted by Tamara Dzhumantayeva, 2013 marks the 30th anniversary of the Saint Sophia Cathedral's concert hall. Music was first heard in the Saint Sophia Cathedral in 1983. In 1985, specialists from the Czech firm Riеger Kloss installed an organ, custom-made, which seamlessly integrated into the museum exhibition of the architectural monument and attracted considerable interest from music lovers. Outstanding soloists, world-renowned musicians, and ensembles from more than 25 countries have performed here. Annually, over 300 concerts of organ and chamber music are held in the Saint Sophia Cathedral. The hallmarks of the concert hall are the international festival of ancient and modern chamber music and the organ music festival "Zvyany Safii" held here.