After 26 years of silence Russian musicians have the right to vote: RMU accepted in IMC
After 26 years, Russia returned to the world’s “musical family.” This was made possible by the admission of the RMU as the National Music Council to the oldest non-governmental organization established by UNESCO in 1949 – the International Music Council (IMC). The RMU joined the IMC in the status of the All-Russian National Music Council. This historic decision was made on March 10, 2017 at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris. It should be noted that the RMU also became a member of the European Music Council – EMC.
“Membership in the IMC, which brings together more than 1000 musical and social organizations from 150 countries, is honorable for any profile community. To be admitted in the status of a National Music Council, and only 44 such organizations are represented there, is two times more honorable, as it is recognition of the contribution of Russian musical figures in the development of the world’s musical culture by the international music community. I am convinced that the RMU’s membership in the International Music Council will have a qualitative impact not only on Russian, but also on world music in general. We have something to offer the world, which, undoubtedly, will be a new stage in the development of the world musical culture “, – Chairman of the Board of the RMU, Andrey Krichevsky said.
The history of our country’s cooperation with the International Music Council began in the late 50’s. In those times, the role of the National Music Council was performed by the Union of Composers of the USSR. Domestic musicians were regular participants of IMC congresses, which took place in Hamburg, Paris, Rotterdam and other cities of the world. The largest joint event of the Union of Composers of the USSR and the International Music Council was the 1971 Congress held in Moscow. 43 countries sent their delegates to this forum.
In 1991, together with the collapse of the Soviet Union, the era of cooperation with the International Music Council was over. For long 26 years our musicians were deprived of the opportunity to participate in the work of the largest international forums and actively influence the world musical culture.
The election of the Russian Musical Union as a member of the International Music Council was a logical continuation of the painstaking work of the RMU to establish international cooperation and place Russia on the world musical arena. In particular, the admission to the IMC was preceded by a large-scale scientific forum “Music Education: Challenges and Challenges of the 21st Century”, held in November 2015 in Moscow, organized by the Russian Musical Union. Experts from the largest cities of Russia were gathered at the forum site, as well as leading world experts such as the IMC general secretary Silja Fisher, president of the European Music Council, Ian Smith, member of the Council of the European Association of Higher Schools of Music, Grzegorz Kurzhinsky.
“Without any exaggeration, this event is of great historical significance. In the Soviet period, when cooperation with the International Music Council was active, our composers and musicians did virtually everything for the development of the world musical culture. And this contribution was appreciated. Today, this tradition is not just being revived, but coming to a new level. This is important, both for our country and for the whole world”, – Member of the Council of RMU, Honored Artist of Russia, Vsevolod Zaderatsky noted.
Soon, in June 2017 in the Greek city of Paphos, Cyprus, the Russian Musical Union in its new status of the All-Russian National Music Council will participate in the 7th European Music Forum and in the IMC General Assembly. This will officially open a new page in the history of cooperation between Russia and the international music community.