Men' Anna, 12 years, from Murmansk

Orobinskaya Eleonora, 12 years, Rostov on Don

Belyavsky Sergey, 11 years, from Moscow

Geletzyan Mariam, 12 years from Yerevan (Armenia)

Cherkashina Irina, 10 years, from Kharkov (Ukraine)

Nadzhfli Narmin, 8 years, from Baku (Azerbaijan)

Kiriletz Julia, 11 years, from Brest (Byelorussia)

Tchibotary Angelica, 9 years, from Kishinev (Moldova)

Bagauri Anna, 12 years, from Vladikavkaz

 

• 4 violinists

Benyumova Rimma, 11 years, from Krasnoyarsk

Oleseyuk Alexander, 11 years, from Kiev (Ukraine)

Smirnov Dmitri, 10 years, from S. Petersburg

Lubyantzeva Evgenia, 11 years, from S. Petersburg

Kobekina Anastasia, 10 years, from Yekaterinburg

• 2 flutists

Kovaleva Margarita, 12 years, from Moscow

Nardinov Timur, 12 years, from Cheboksary

• 2 oboist

Kobylsky Ivan, 12 years, from Moscow

Tokarev Stanislav, 11 years, from Moscow

• 1 trumpet-player

Eremin Ivan, 12 years, from Moscow

• 1 clarinettist

Arutyunyan Narek, 12 years, from Moscow

All the semi-finalists have been invited to attend the semi-finals.

Irina Prokofieva, professional organizer of music competitions, assistant to RCMI presented the event to all children, their parents and teachers who attended the meeting at Chekhovsky Cultural Centre. Leonardo de Angelis, President of RC "Moscow International", welcomed all people present and told some words on Rotary and its Centennial. He also told about RCMI and its activity. Then each child was invited to draw a banner with a number on the back. That number represented the order of playing at Semi-finals. Unlikely, Eleonora Orobinskaya, pianist from Rostov-on-Don was ill and could not attend the event. So the finalists were only 19.

All semi-finalists with parents and teachers arrived to the Music School after V. I. Muradeli at 10:00. So they had time to rehears in the concert hall.

At 14:00 semi-finals started. Each candidate presented some pieces for a total time of 15 minutes in front of the Jury formed by:

• Mikhail Khokhlov, Director of Music School "Gnesin" (Moscow) and conductor;
• Aleksandr Yakupov, Director of Music School of the Conservatory "Tchaikovsky" in Moscow;
• Sergey Sapozhnikov, President of the Assembly of Arts of Moscow;
• Aleksey Nasedkin, Professor for music in the Conservatory "Tchaikovsky" of Moscow;
• Aleksandr Skulsky, Artistic Director and Conductor of the Nizhny Novgorod Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, ;
• Leonardo de Angelis, President of RC "Moscow International";
• Zsuzsa Barna, Chairwoman of Rotary Centennial Committee, RCMI;
• Alberto Allegretti, Member of RC "Moscow International".

At 21h members of Jury selected the following finalists:

• 1 pianist: Belyavsky Sergey, 11 years, sponsored by RCMI;

• 4 violinists:

- Smirnov Dmitri, 10 years, sponsored by RC With Nights, S. Petersburg;

- Lubyantzeva Evgenia, 11 years, S. Petersburg, but sponsored by RC St. Petersburg;

- Oleseyuk Alexander, 11 years, sponsored by RC Kiev (Ukraina);

- Benyumova Rimma, 11 years, sponsored by RC Krasnoyarsk;

• 1 violoncellist: Kobekina Anastasia, 10 years, sponsored by RC Ekaterinburg;

• 1 flutist: Nardinov Timur, 11 years, from Tcheboksary, sponsored by RCMI;

• 1 clarinettist: Arutyunyan Narek, 12 years, sponsored by RCMI.

At 14:00, the eight finalists with parents and teachers were in the Residence of the Ambassador of France for rehearsals.

At 16:20, once all members of Jury and guests arrived to the residence, the finals started. More than 120 persons were there to assist at the great event. The President of Jury was Natalia Gutman, the worldwide famous violoncellist, former pupil of Maestro S. Rostropovitch.

Then Irina Prokofieva, briefly presented the event and gave floor to:

• Mr. Bertonet, First Councillor of the Embassy of France, expressed his regret for the absence of H. E. Jean Cadet, the Ambassador who, due to a serious accident with his wife, left urgently for Paris. Then Mr. Bertonet welcomed all persons who attended the event.

• Leonardo de Angelis thanked the Ambassador of France, sponsors that contributed to the event, all members of RC "Moscow International" who had participated in organizing the Competition and other guests. He wished good performance to finalists

Irina Prokofieva presented each of the 8 finalists and their music pieces. All musician plaid at very high level up to 19:15. And after the closed session of the Jury the results of the competition were announced by Natalia Gutman and Leonardo de Angelis:

- Special prize "Rotary Centennial Scholarship", 100.000 RUR ($ 3.650) *:

Narek Arutyunyan (Moscow) - clarinet

- First prize, 70.000 RUR ($ 2.555) :

- Second prize, 50.000 RUR ($ 1.825):

- Third prize, 30.000 RUR ($ 1.095):

The 4th prize was delivered to the other four finalists who received 10.000 RUR ($ 365) each.

Each of the other 11 children (semi-finalists) received the 5th prize, 6.000 RUR ($ 220).

All the 19 children received special presents for the RCMI: hats and t-shirts with the logo of RCMI and logo of the event printed on.

Mme Natalia Gutman, Mme Bertonet, the winners and all ladies of the staff received flowers.

Leonardo inducted two Honorary members of RC "Moscow International":

• Natalia Gutman, for her deep engagement and contribution to the success of the competition;
• Seppo Remes, for his very generous donation of $100.000 to RCMI for helping children in need, in particular orphans and children affected by terrible diseases.

Leonardo offered both new Honorary members the pins of Rotary and a memorable plates with inscriptions of Honour.

A nice buffet-dinner, kindly offered by the H. E. the Ambassador of France followed up to 22:00.

Rotary Centennial Gala Concert

According to the decision of the Board of RCMI, a gala concert has been organized to celebrate the first centennial of Rotary with the four winners of the “Rotary Centennial Children Music Competition” and the winners of the first two “All Russian Rotary Children Music Competitions” held in 2002 and 2003. The children invited were the following:

Narek Arutyunyan clarinet     2005

Sergey Belyavsky   piano    2005

Dmitri Smirnov            violin   2005

Rimma Benyumova   violin   2005

Anna Denisova          piano    2003

Mikhail Mering (*) clarinet   2003

Roman Kim                   violin    2002

Emma Alikova          violin    2002

Tatiana Shalaginova  violin    2002

Eight children have performed together with the “Kremlin Chamber Orchestra” directed by Misha Rakhlevsky. The program of the concert is included in the “Invitation” given to all members and guests who attended the event.

More than 150 people were at the gala concert in the beautiful auditorium of Central House of Scientists. A list of members and main guests who attended this event is herewith annexed.

At 19:00, Mr. Svjatoslav Belza, a very famous compere started the gala and introduced Leonardo de Angelis, President of Rotary Club “Moscow International”.

Leonardo presented the event by a short speech. He welcomed ambassadors, other diplomats, sponsors, children, parents and teachers, presidents and members of other clubs, in particular Jurgen Schmitt, the President and the members of RC “Remscheid”, Germany, all our members, partners and friends. He shortly reminded of the history of Rotary, RCMI and the undergoing projects, charity and scholarship.

He gave some more information on Rotary Centennial Music Competition. He also expressed the gratitude of our Club to sponsors, children, parents, teachers and all persons involved, in particular Zsuzsa Barna, the Chairwoman of Rotary Centennial Committee and the members who have cooperated for the success of this great venture. Then he annonced that our young artists will play abroad in the next future. In fact our sister-clubs have invited them to Germany and Italy.

• Rotary Club Remscheid has proposed to host some young musicians in Germany in 2007, at the occasion of the birthday of this Club.

• Rotary Club Ravenna and Rotary Club Bari have proposed to organize a music tour in Italy as already done in May 2003. They will host 5-6 children together with two teachers for 8-10 days. They will perform in Ravenna and Bari at the beginning of May 2006.

Then the children and the orchestra performed the concert. Each young soloist played a piece accompanied by the orchestra.

The performances finished at 21:15 when all children and orchestra were congratulated by loud applauses.

At that moment Leonardo gave floor to Jurgen Schmitt, President of RC Remscheid. President Schmitt expressed his gratitude to RCMI for the very good organization of this nice event. He warmly congratulated the young musicians and the orchestra. By their talent the children proved that Russia had not only a lot of natural resources but it is a great country plenty of excellent human resources. He declared also that thanks to the ideals of Rotary it is possible to work a lot for the peace and prosperity in the world.

After this fine speech every child received a small gift and at 21:30 Leonardo closed the gala concert and wished all people an excellent evening.

A buffet-dinner followed up to 23:00 in the nice restaurant of the Central House of Scientists.

According to many comments expressed by our members and guests, this gala concert was a very good event. The organizers of this fantastic project and all members of RCMI can be proud to be Rotarians.

Moscow, 02.05.2005

President 2004-2005

Rotary Club “Moscow International”

Rotary Centennial Gala Concert

• Jurgen Schmitt, the President, members and families of RC “Remscheid”, Germany.

• Igor Libin, Founding President of RC “Moscow Renaissance”
• Gian Paolo Marello, President 2004 –2005, RC “Moscow Renaissance”
• Svetlana Shepet, representative of RC Tver
• Thomas Kaufman, RC Panama City, USA

• H.E. the Ambassador of Switzerland, Mr. Erwin Hoffer.
• H.E. the Ambassador of Rumania and Mme Dumitru-Dorin Prunariu
• H.E. the Ambassador of Belgium and Mme Vincent Mertens de Wilmars.
• Mme Marie-Elisabeth Cadet, spouse of H.E. the Ambassador of France.
• Mr. Andreas von Mettenheim, Deputy Head of Mission of Germany.
• Mr. Georges-Charles Bertonet, First Councillor of the Embassy of France.
• Mr. Oywind Regstag, Cultural Attache of Norway
• Mr. Sergey Ovseichik, Managing Director of ZAO Banca Intesa, the General Sponsor
• Mr. Yuliy Kvitsinsky, Deputy of the Russian State Duma
• Sergey Sapozhnikov, President of the “Assemblies of Arts”
• Irina Prokofieva, Managing Direcotr of the “Assemblies of Arts”
• Mr. Bruno Galardi, Managing Director, Russia, CIB Unigas
• Mr. Alexander Yakupov, Director of the Central Music School
• Mr. Podvigin, Editor in Chief of “Moskuaer Deutsche Zeitung”
• Mr. Tavrovsky Editor in Chief of “Diplomat”

Denis Borisov (part-time) Alain Froissardey