According to Alexander Utrobin, conservatory's vice-principal, musicians and bands from Russian regions, Spain, Finland and China will participate in the festival. They are to give six concerts and perform symphony, chamber and choir music written by Russian and foreign composer. Alexander Glazunov's compositions will be the highlight of the program.
The Onega Musical Winter festival is held in Petrozavodsk once in two years. It is organized by the Russian federal agency for culture and cinematography, the Karelian culture ministry, the Petrozavodsk administration and conservatory.
Alexander Glazunov is a prominent Russian composer of the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th century. He continued the traditions of the Mighty Five and Pyotr Tchaikovsky. His music combines lyrical, epic and dramatic trends. Symphony music of different genres is a key aspect of Glazunov's legacy. It reflects heroic images of Russian epics, the beauty of our nature, Russian reality and features of Slavonic songs.
Alexander Glazunov was born on July 29 (August 10) 1865 to the family of book publishers in St. Petersburg. At the age of 16 he composed his First Symphony. "It was inspired by youth but had mature technique and form. The symphony enjoyed great success," a music critic wrote after the First Symphony was performed by the Russian Music Society's orchestra conducted by Balakirev.
In 1888 Alexander Glazunov became a conductor promoting works by Russian composers. In 1889 he conducted an orchestra in Paris. In 1899 the composer became a professor of the St. Petersburg Conservatory.
He made an important contribution to the development of Russian ballet. Glazunov wrote three ballets - Raymonda, The Seasons and Ruses d'Amour. Raymonda was staged by great choreographer Marius Petipa in 1898. Alexander Glazunov is the author of eight symphonies, which are popular nowadays. The concerto in A minor for violin and orchestra (1904) is one of his best compositions. He made a great contribution to the chamber instrumental music. Following Tchaikovsky's traditions, Glazunov expanded the role of music in ballet enriching its contents. In 1907 an honorary title of the doctor of music of the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge was conferred on the composer.
Since 1928 Alexander Glazunov lived abroad, mainly in Paris. He died on March 21, 1936 in Paris. His last will was to be buried in Russia. Glazunov's remains were transferred to St.-Petersburg and put to rest at the cemetery of the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral.
