Residents of the Siberian Art Cluster Took Part in the Vector of Childhood Forum

Residents of the Siberian Art Cluster, which is being constructed by Stroytransgaz Group and sponsored by the National Cultural Heritage Foundation for Social and Cultural Projects, took an active part in the First All-Russian Vector of Childhood Forum. The event was organized in Kemerovo on the initiative of the Presidential Commissioner for Children’s Rights with the support of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation and Kemerovo Region Government, and timed to coincide with International Children’s Day.

Among the federal educational institutions of culture was the Siberian Branch of the Federal State Budgetary Professional Educational Institution Central Music School of the Moscow State Conservatory named after Pyotr Tchaikovsky (the Siberian Branch of the Central Music School), which was set up in the fall of 2019 with the purpose of ensuring the availability of world-class education in culture and art in Kemerovo.

“The main objective before the Siberian Branch of the Central Music School,” emphasized Branch Director Larisa Teodorovna Sauerwein, “is educating top-class performing musicians.” To achieve this objective, there is a procedure for the identification, competitive selection, early vocational guidance and development of musically gifted children of Kemerovo Region and other constituent entities of the Russian Federation.

The branch provides education to 38 children in piano, wind and percussion instruments, and string instruments. Students are actively involved in concert activities, during the 2020–2021 academic year, they gave solo performances at the main concert venue of Kemerovo Region, i. e. the State Philharmonic Hall of Kuzbass named after B. T. Shtokolov, together with the Governor’s Symphony Orchestra, at the Regional Museum of Fine Arts, at the Kemerovo State Institute of Culture, and at other venues.

During the All-Russian Vector of Childhood Forum, students of the Siberian Branch of the Central Music School Egor Kadnikov (piano), Denis Pismenny (piano), and Illarion Kuzmin (cello), took part in the Forum’s concert on the stage of the Kemerovo State Institute of Culture.

12-year-old Egor Kadnikov has been studying music for 5 years, for the last 2 years he has been studying at the Central Music School with teacher Denis Olegovich Trunov (who has more than 20 years’ teaching experience). Egor performed Albert Löschhorn’s Etude for the guests. The teacher and the student are of the same opinion that learning at the Central Music School is very different from the classes in a regular music school in the attitude to further musical activity, the scope of tasks, and the complexity of learning. By the way, after graduating from the Central Music School, graduates already have a qualification that allows them to work as accompanists and teachers. Denis Olegovich spoke about the entrance exams, following which 10 more gifted children will be admitted.

Inga Anatolievna Puzyreva, Director of the Branch of the Moscow State Academy of Choreography (MGAKh) in Kemerovo, and Deputy Creative Director Alexey Viktorovich Savin introduced young ballerinas to the delighted guests, showing part of the lesson.

Classes were held 3 times a week in accordance with the curriculum and the approved timetable. All students are preparing to take final lessons in all academic disciplines of the educational program. The students shared their learning impressions with the guests and said that they were very proud of being admitted to the Branch of the Academy, although everyone admits that it is very difficult to study. Among the students of this year are girls from Kuzbass and Altai Territory.

For the 2021–2022 academic year, there are admissions ongoing for:

• additional comprehensive educational program for general developmental “Basics of Choreographic Art” (children aged 8-10 years);
• additional comprehensive pre-professional program “The Art of Ballet” (children aged 7 years), learning time 4 years;
• secondary vocational education program integrated with the programs of basic general and secondary general education, specializing in “The Art of ballet” (for the first time in Kuzbass).

Inga Anatolievna commented that the courses are intended for talented children, both boys and girls, from Kemerovo Region, the Siberian District of Russia.

Also, the strategic session “Strengthening the Role of Organizations and Institutions of Culture in the Education of children”, featured a report titled “The Development of Creative Thinking and Creative Abilities as a Vector of Leadership in the New Generation of Children and Adolescents” and a presentation by Marina Vyacheslavovna Mezhova, Director of the Branch of the Russian State Institute of Performing Arts in Kemerovo — Siberian Higher School of Music and Dramatic Arts.

The guests of the forum were excited to visit the School of Creative Industries of the Branch of the Russian State Institute of Performing Arts, and learn about the school studios and the graduation works of their students. They noted a very high professional level of training of teachers of the school and the most advanced equipment for the educational process.

- The interest in learning is so huge,” said Marina Vyacheslavovna. “And the children come so motivated that out of 200 first-year students (aged 12 to 17) almost 100 % successfully defended their final theses. Parents note that students are eagerly awaiting classes at the School of Creative Industries. The school is a unique platform for identifying and developing creative abilities in children in many areas. Graduates have their second year of study ahead, now out of 6 possible specialist areas that they got acquainted with in the first year, they must choose only one, which will be a confirmation of the conscious choice of their professional orientation. Now new admissions are in full swing.

In total, the Vector of Childhood Forum offered 10 sections worked, thematic lecture classes for parents, in the square before the Kuzbass Ice Palace (the main venue of the event) there were varied activities for children and parents, such as active games, big screen cartoon shows, performances by creative teams, an exhibition of goods for children.

By combining several important events, the Vector of Childhood has become a unique platform that brought together not only leaders and representatives of relevant federal ministries and departments, the Federation Council and the State Duma, child rights ombudsmen from 85 regions of Russia, experts, representatives of the children’s industry, but also parents with children. The Forum has become a place for dialogue between the state, society, socially responsible businesses and non-profit organizations.

During the Forum, the winning projects of the All-Russian competition of social initiatives “Vector of Childhood” were announced and presented, and the All-Russian exhibition of achievements in the field of childhood was opened.

The choice of the venue for the Forum is not accidental: this year Kemerovo Region (Kuzbass) celebrates its 300th anniversary. The Governor of Kuzbass Sergey Tsivilev commented, “Children are the main thing we have in life. It is for them that we build new kindergartens, schools and create all conditions for their comprehensive development, study and recreation. The entire decade from 2018 through 2027 has been declared the Decade of Childhood in our country. The decree on this was signed by President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin.”