Butman on “Triumph of Jazz”

A press conference dedicated to the holding of the XXIII International Festival “Triumph of Jazz” from March 10 to March 14, 2023 was held at TASS.

Igor Butman, founder and artistic director of the Triumph of Jazz Festival, Roman Khristyuk, artistic director of the IX International Festival-Competition “Children’s Triumph of Jazz” Pavel Ovchinnikov told journalists about the program and participants of the festival, its venues, special guests, as well as the children’s music competition and festival participant Dmitry Malikov.

“The concerts of the festival in Moscow will last three days. On March 10, Keubitbit Band from Indonesia and Pathorn Srikaranonda Quartet from Thailand will take the stage of the Svetlanov Hall of the International House of Music, for the first time the Moscow audience will hear the duet of Oleg Akkuratov and Petr Vostokov, and we will present a joint program with Khibla Gerzmava with the Moscow Jazz Orchestra. On March 11, guests from Turkey will perform Önder Focan Trio featuring Dilek Sert Erdogan, my Quintet, Tuva Jazz Band from Kyzal, and Sergey Zhilin’s Phonograph Jazz Band. On March 12, LRK Trio will present the music from their new album, we, together with the Moscow Jazz Orchestra and singer Fantine, will perform a program dedicated to the anniversary of Nina Simon, and the premiere of the evening, of course, will be Dmitry Malikov’s performance with the new PIANOMANIA Jazz project, ”said the assembled media representatives founder and artistic director of the festival Igor Butman.

“Such festivals allow you to expand the scope. Jazz is an all-encompassing concept. Since I have been making instrumental music for more than 25 years, this opportunity to express myself on such an interesting and prestigious platform is very important for me. I am seriously preparing, remembering the pieces that I rarely performed. My task is to acquaint the discerning but benevolent jazz audience with my work,” said Dmitry Malikov, People’s Artist of Russia, participant of the Festival.

On March 9, the MIDM will host a gala concert of the IX Festival-Competition “Children’s Triumph of Jazz”.

“A record number of applications – more than 300 – from 35 cities was received this year. Entries from 20 children’s big bands and 40 ensembles, over 100 vocalists and 100 instrumentalists were judged this year. The lists of those qualified for the second round are already posted on our website. We will find out the names of the winners of the competition who will perform at the gala concert on March 9 at the MIDM on March 8, ”Pavel Ovchinnikov, artistic director of the Children’s Triumph of Jazz, said at a press conference.

This year, the Educational Program of the Festival will take place at the VDNKh House of Culture, ZIL, the Russian State Library, MMOMA and the Jewish Museum and Tolerance Center.

“We invite everyone to visit the free educational events that are held annually as part of our Festival in partnership with cultural centers in Moscow. The program starts today at 20:00 at the VDNKh House of Culture. Victoria Kaunova and Ilya Morozov’s Sextet will perform for the guests of the evening with a concert dedicated to the Centenary of Russian Jazz. We invite everyone on March 6 at 18:00 to the Russian State Library for a creative meeting with Igor Butman and on March 9 to a public screening of the documentary “Jazz 100”. On March 4, the ZIL Cultural Center will host a master class in jazz dancing accompanied by a live jazz orchestra. On March 7, a creative meeting and a master class by Daniil Kramer will be held at the Jewish Museum and Tolerance Center, on the same day a theatrical and musical performance will be held at the MMOMA on Petrovka. Each time it is an interesting pleasant surprise for both the audience and the organizers. Entrance to all events is free, by registering on the festival website,” said Roman Khrystyuk, Director of the Festival, finishing the press conference.

Question from the correspondent of our publication to Igor Mikhailovich Butman:

Jazz is a state of mind. To feel jazz, to play jazz, you need life experience. How capable children from 7 years old can feel it, and what is the difference, in addition to professionalism, children’s jazz from an adult?

Any creative impulse is a state of mind. Improvisation is a part of our life, and in jazz it is especially a part of our inner state. And then – only education – musical: both classical, academic, and jazz. And this needs to be shown to children, everything that is good in life. And the children themselves will choose the state of mind, perhaps just jazz.

Svetlana Yurieva.

Photo by Sergey Vinogradov