Society and culture: The N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov Saint Petersburg State Conservatory celebrates its 150th anniversary

This year the N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov Saint-Petersburg State Conservatory celebrates the 150th anniversary of its founding, nurtured many outstanding musicians. In honor of the significant anniversary the Conservatory prepares a number of festive events.

September 19, 2012 there was held the official celebration, dedicated to the 150th anniversary of the N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov St. Petersburg State Conservatory, which was attended by Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Northwestern Federal District Nikolai Vinnichenko, St. Petersburg Governor Georgy Poltavchenko and Chairman of Legislative Assembly Vyacheslav Makarov.

A tribute to the oldest university of the country was expressed by the Russian President Vladimir Putin; he congratulated Michael Gantvarg, the Conservatory Rector, professors and students with anniversary.

"This anniversary is a big, important event for our North capital, for the domestic musical art, for the whole Russian culture", - Putin said in his telegram - "Conservatory, one of the founders of which were outstanding composers, artists, prominent public figures, combines powerful creative forces, marked the beginning of a special system of vocational education, played a huge role in the organization of musical schools, colleges. Conservatory has become a real home and a center of attraction for many talents, famed Russia".

Numerous events dedicated to the anniversary, will take place all the year. Among them there are a series of concerts entitled «Alma mater», involving the performance of the famous graduates of the Conservatory, including Yuri Temirkanov, Valery Gergiev, Semyon Bychkov, Basil Sinaisky and many others.

The 150th anniversary of the N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov St. Petersburg Conservatory is held under the auspices of UNESCO, and involves the organizing of a number of significant events. These are the Conservatory in the world musical space", the festival "International Conservatoire Week", Congress of the European Association of conservatories, academies of music and music schools, youth festival of choral, chamber and symphonic music.