The International Festival of Folk Music "Zvinats' Tsymbaly i Harmonik" was held in Polotsk.
The three brightest days of Vitebsk summer, filled with music and songs, a variety of languages and the buzz of children, flashed by in a whirlwind of dances. The international festival of folk music "Zvinyats' tsymbaly i harmonik" (Let the Cimbaloms and Accordions Ring) for the 29th time confirmed that it is one of the most popular not only in the region but in the entire country. This was emphasized in their speeches by the Minister of Culture of the Republic of Belarus, Yuri Bondar, and the Chairman of the Regional Executive Committee, Nikolai Shersnev.
The Chairman of the Regional Council of Deputies, Vladimir Terentyev, the Chairman of the Belarusian Cultural Fund, the initiator of the festivals in Postavy, Tadeusz Struzhetsky, and the Chairman of the District Executive Committee, Sergey Chepik, also addressed the organizers and participants of the event.
The festival is a creative platform and a barometer of the achieved level for those who preserve folk traditions, and at the same time, a place for learning, deeper understanding, and revival of musical instruments used by our ancestors. Therefore, master classes have become traditional at the festival.
This year, for example, musicologists paid attention to the duda (bagpipe), its possibilities in enriching the sound palette of orchestras. The creative laboratory "Duda – a call of the times" was recognized as one of the most important platforms of the event.
By the way, this year's celebration of folk art featured more thematic platforms than ever before. But they were all united by one theme: they were dedicated to the small homeland, its cultural and historical heritage, nature and people, those who glorified it through creativity, science, and economy.
It so happened that in the Year of the Small Homeland, a number of anniversaries related to the festival "Zvinyats' tsymbaly i harmonik" are being celebrated in the Postavy region. The Gruzdovo cimbalom orchestra, a local ensemble that initiated the modern festival of folk music, turned 60 years old. Its work was continued by the ensemble "Paazerye," which, according to Tadeusz Struzhetsky, is an example of preserving folk performance traditions and instrumental sound.
The staff of the House of Crafts is also celebrating a round date these days, the opening of which took place 20 years ago during the festival. On the first day of the holiday, they recalled the history of the House of Crafts "Stary Mlyn", the people who stood at its origins, and also honored the current talented masters. This institution has been recognized as the best in the region, and has repeatedly been a winner or prize-winner of regional and republican reviews-competitions. For the anniversary, the masters exhibited their numerous works for review.
Among the authors was artist Tatyana Charnykh. Postavy became a second home for the Siberian woman. Nature inspired the woman to create. She expressed her gratitude to the region and its people in an exhibition of paintings – bright, sunny, like human kindness and hospitality.
At "Stary Mlyn", they gratefully recalled the former chairman of the district executive committee, Vasily Chepik, thanks to whom the House of Crafts appeared in the district center. In the museum, located in the Tyzenhaus Palace, there is an exhibition titled "Born for Good Deeds", the opening of which was attended by dozens of Postavy residents to remember together the talented leader and sincere person who laid the foundation for today's district economy during the difficult period of perestroika.
The residents of Postavy did not forget their other compatriots either. The memory of the poet and storyteller Vladimir Dubovka was honored with a commemorative sign installed near his native village on the Polotsk – Vilnius highway, a gallery of portraits of former district leaders was opened in the district executive committee, collections of literary works by local natives and a guide to the most famous of them were published.
In a word, the music festival was filled not only with music. It discussed cultural relations and agreed on the expansion of economic ties. Shortly before it, the residents of Postavy met with representatives of twin cities at an economic forum in Vitebsk and continued the theme of mutually beneficial cooperation during the festival in Postavy, which was attended by representatives of local self-government from the Baltic countries.
At the festival, everyone could find an activity to their liking, visit concert venues, one of which operated on the city square on Saturday, the other – in the city park on Sunday, watch performances by amateur artists and groups in the House of Culture hall at the traditional "Who's Who?" competition.
These were vibrant performances where music and singing, swift dances of Belarusians and Russians, lyrical melodies and slow dances of Latvians, Lithuanians, and Estonians, and an exotic performance by Indians were combined. The festival in Postavy also interested the residents of distant Delhi. They sang and danced, saying that they would return to the Postavy region more than once.
Music and songs sounded far beyond midnight, the sky was adorned with multi-colored stars by fireworks, and the reflections of the fire show illuminated the square. Towards Sunday morning, the city fell silent, only to start bustling again before lunch with an exhibition review of local and visiting craftspeople, proceed in a theatrical procession to the park, and once again delight the audience with vibrant performances.
Photo text by Tamara PASHKEVICH, "Vitebskiye vesti".