"Music unites the regions of the country" – Yuri Bashmet on the "Contemporary Musical Map of Russia" project

Russia is a huge country with unique musical features of each region. One concert cannot fully convey all its creative diversity. Yuri Bashmet, artistic director and chief conductor of the Novaya Rossiya State Symphony Orchestra, People's Artist of the USSR, spoke about this at the National Centre RUSSIA on National Unity Day.

"The idea of creating the "Contemporary Musical Map of Russia" project is wonderful itself. It unites all our regions. Our country is big, and each region has its own peculiarities. It goes without saying that such a musical map cannot be fully presented at a gala concert, because it is impossible to cover all regions at once," Yuri Bashmet said.

At the "Contemporary Musical Map of Russia" gala concert, for the first time in the country's history, the Novaya Rossiya State Symphony Orchestra performed the Anthem of the Russian Federation in collaboration with instruments and voices of peoples of Russia. The combined ensemble was conducted by Yuri Bashmet.

"Is there musicality in the regions? Undoubtedly. They have their own professional tools and traditions. For example, in conservatories, when traveling around the regions, you can encounter both bayan and various local experiments. All this is alive, and loved by the people. Music certainly lives in the regions," he added.

The "Contemporary Musical Map of Russia" project is aimed at preserving and developing national academic art and folk art, supporting contemporary composers, and strengthening cultural ties between the regions. The All-Russian festival is being held as part of this project. There, works reflecting the peculiarity of all subjects of the Russian Federation are presented and recorded.