“We should live, respecting and loving our native culture and cultures of other nations”

The international festival of ethnic music “Music of our hearts”, which is directed by Zara, is hold under the UNESCO aegis, supported by the Russian Ministry of Culture. The participants of the festival are famous artists, and young talented people as well, including children with limited abilities, perform for the audience for free. The main task of the festival, that is devoted to ethnic culture, is to cultivate respectful attitude towards native culture and cultures of other nations.

Please, tell us, why did you decide to hold the festival “Music of our hearts”?

In 2016 I got the honored title “The Artist for peace by UNESCO”. After the nomination, personally having an appointment with Irina Bokova, at that moment being the CEO of UNESCO, I was an initiator of creating the Day of ethnic music, and the ethnic festival as well. Thus, for example, supported by the Organization, the Day of Jazz is celebrated annually in the world. Irina Georgievna supported me, and I started preparing the International festival of ethnic music, named afterwards “Music of our hearts”.

When you requested the artists and ensembles to take part in the festival, did you face their misunderstanding, concerning the importance of the project?

No, I didn’t. The artists reflected immediately, even at the moment, when we’ve just launched the project in 2017. For many of them the holding of the festival, which is fully devoted to ethnic music, national song, on such a high level is a big event. The participants of the festival were outstanding artists: Goran Bregovich, Nino Katamadze, Ishtar Alabina, the Cuban cossack choir, Pelageya, Sevara, Alsu and many others. Also talented children with limited abilities but endless talent, as well a young artists, who have just started their musical career, were invited to the festival.

How did the audience react? Did you manage to say to them everything you want?

As a fact, we gathered more than 15 thousand people this year, and in 2017 the number was about 10 thousand. The amount of subscribers in social nets, concerning the festival, is increasing, people reflect. The first festival managed to succeed and the festival “Music of our hearts” is known these days. Viewers from different towns and regions of our country arrive to us. Last year the festival was translated on the “Culture” channel at the Day of national unity and Christmas, that was very symbolic. More than 4,5 thousand of nationalities live on our planet now and there are more than 5 thousand languages and dialects. And only music is able to find a key to the heart of each one. Our project unites, cultivates interest to the cultures of other nations. The festival was full of families, many children, and I’m happy, that we could introduce this unique culture to the youngest listeners, having shown the best ethnic world compositions.

In fact, you turned out to be a sponsor of the event, and both You and participants deserve respect. Were there anybody, who wanted to help?

The festival was hold, supported by the Russian Ministry of Culture and the Moscow Government, that helped us to solve many problems, concerning the arrangements. The artists, performed on the ground in Kolomenskoe, took part in the festival for free.
Did UNESCO take part in the festival and how?
I’m very proud, that this year we performed under the aegis of UNESCO, of course, it’s a great responsibility, because now we present the Oraganisation. I hope, we will go on supporting each other the same way in future, and our values and ideals will always match. Both for UNESCO and me, as the director, it’s important, that music, art are a universal language, which removes barriers between states, generations and nationalities.

What moments did you remember the best from the whole festival?

All artists’ performances were memorable. Every band has its own energy, history, language and culture, that they can give to the audience. This year my musical block was developed by a huge international team. For several months I was preparing new material particularly for the festival. The author of music is a famous singer from Israel, my friend, who supported our festival in 2017 – Yasmin Levy, the words belong to the famous singer Tara Mamedova from Turkey, the musical arrangement was done by talented musicians from Armenia, and me, who sang songs in native for me, my parents and ancestors language (kurmangy). The performance was accompanied by one of the main Turkish dancing ensembles “Fires of Anatolia”. And I remember me, worrying about the weather conditions. The ground was open, and the weather forecasters said it’s going to rain. But, in the end, the first day of autumn was in our boat.

How do you plan to develop the festival in future?

After the second festival was finished, I was totally convinced, that my project would exist. It’s important not only for me, but also for other artists, who write messages and leave applications for taking part next year, and the most important fact, that it’s necessary for viewers and listeners. So we are going to introduce the guests of “Music of our hearts” to new towns and countries, cultures and musical traditions, to demonstrate again and again, that we are a part of a wonderful and such a different world. We should live, respecting and loving our native culture and cultures of other nations.

What would you like to wish to our readers, who are mostly young musicians and singers, and to all Russian people in common?

Believe in your dreams, work on yourself and don’t rest on laurels, only leaving the comfortable conditions, you can сhallenge yourself, opening new opportunities in any field of your life.

The source: Revizor.ru