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Andrei MAKAREVICH:“The idea of the festival “Creation of Peace” is peace as an alternative to war”
Andrei Vadimovich, tell us please, how the idea of the festival “Creation of Peace” appeared.
А.М.: The idea of the festival appeared about a year ago when I with Sergei Mirov discussed the situation in which the group “White flag” had found themselves. They have problems because the group comprises the citizens of Israel and Palestine. That is why they can work neither in Israel nor in Palestine. They have to work in Europe. At present the ventures on the religious and national basis take place very often. And we believe that it is music that can unite people. The second thing that brought the idea into our minds is that in the world there is a popular music and a true music. In the developed countries the representatives of both genres gather the full stadiums. In our country the popular music is dominant. Mass media contributes to this very much. We desperately want to change the situation. The musicians invited to the festival represent various styles but all of them create the true music. I think it will be very interesting. I am very grateful to the mayor of Kazan Ilsur Metshin for his support in the implementation of the project. The festival will take place in the very beautiful Millennium square which can house over 100 thousand people. Two big stages are to be constructed there in order the music to sound without intermission. The festival is to begin on August 30 at 12.00 p.m. and end at 11.00 p.m.
Ilsur Raisovich, to what extent is the Tatarstan capital ready to host the music event of the world level?
I.M.: Kazan hosts the cultural event of such a level not for the first time. The festivals named after Nuriyev and Shalyapin took place in Kazan. Kazan has centuries-long cultural traditions. If you look at the architectural ensemble of the Kazan Kremlin, you will see that the Kremlin has the Cathedral of Annunciation and the mosque Kul Sharif near each other. The festival “creation of Peace” will be held with them in the background. We are getting ready to holding the festival and hope that the first pancake will not be a mess. The festival is dated to the Day of the city and the Day of the republic. This is a new format of the holiday but I believe that the festival will be a success, and will become a good tradition.
Who of the musicians are to come to the festival?
S.M.: One of the tricks in the festival is the jam sessions when the musicians will play and sing with in duet. Those musicians who are invited to the “Creation of Peace” are capable to sing in duet practically without rehearsals. They communicate in the language of music. The American star Patty Smith is to sing with Zemfira. When I tried to count the number of countries participating in the festival I lost count… For example the group Rishad Shafi consists of the musicians from Russia, Turkmenistan, Germany, and India. And I am very happy that we managed to implement the idea of opening the festival “Creation of Peace” by the representatives of the five world religions: Islam, Orthodoxy, Catholicism, Buddhism, and Judaism.
What music genres will be represented in the festival?
A.Ch.: I am very glad that my dream comes true. Many musicians will finally meet in the world festival “Creation of Peace”. And it is great that the festival takes place in our country, such event is held for the first time in Russia. And it is very pleasant that it is held in Kazan. I am not worried because I am confident in all parts of the project: in musicians, and in technical part. The musicians invited to the festival can cooperate with each other in a natural, smart, interesting and spiritual way. And our plan is that the end of one act will be the beginning of the following act. The musicians will present various ethnic cultures and music genres, so that the festival will be multiethnic and multicultural. Russia is represented by Andrei Makarevich with “Mashina Vremeni”, Boris Grebenschikov with “Aquarium”, and Zemfira. These are the forefathers of the Russia rock music – Makarevich and Grebenschikov, who are still the topical musicians nowadays; we also have the main star – Zemfira – according to the public’s attention, and to the box-office receipt. The renowned musicians of the West and the East who gathered full houses in the whole world will be represented in the festival, Patty Smith – a legendary woman in the rock-music, music coryphaei and new stars from Africa will also participate in the “Creation of Peace”.
Who will be the anchors of the festival?
A.M.: We have a stereotype that the anchors of any event should be a young beautiful woman and a young handsome man. We have decided to destroy it, we have chosen two young handsome men, but one of them is a little bit older. That one who is younger is Ivan Urgant, and that one who is older is Seva Novgorodtsev. I believe that that this duet should be very interesting.
How will the stages be equipped?
M.K.: The two stages of the festival will be equipped with video screens. When the musicians play in the first stage, the screen in the other is down and the video broadcasting in shown there; behind the screen the reorganization of the stage for the next performance is under way. All the up-to-date technical achievement will be used in the festival “Creation of Peace” in Kazan. What conditions will be offered for the festival guests?
I.M.: The free accommodation in the comfortable summer camps and recreation centers will be organized for 1000 rock fans from all Russia.
Is the “Creation of Peace” a rock festival or a music festival?
A.M.: I would not like the word ‘rock’ to be emphasized. First for 40 years of musical career I failed to understand where the line between rock and non-rock lies. Second our festival embraces more genres, rock musicians, ethno-musicians and ethno-jazz musicians are to participate in the “Creation of Peace”. Generally I do not like the limits of one genre, when a person tells me: “I hear only jazz rock and nothing more”, I have nothing to speak to him of.
Will the festival be broadcasted on TV?
A.M.: The First channel showed great interest to the festival. They will shoot the festival and then are likely to show it partially on TV.
Will the “Creation of Peace” have an international aftersound?
A.M.: International aftersound is very difficult to be planned. I think if everything runs as we expect the aftersound will appear by itself.
S.M.: All world festivals we know now were unknown before the day they took place for the first time.
A.Ch.: A number of authoritative influential correspondents from Great Britain and the U.S. are to come to the festival. The musician themselves are so powerful that their opinion can play a decisive role in the promotion of the “Creation of Peace”. I hope that the opinions of the musicians and the correspondents will form a good image of the festival and it will be easier to invite the musicians to the festival when it is held annually.
Ilsur Raisovich, is the “Creation of Peace” not your first project with Andrei Makarevich?
I.M.: All that we have done before, for example Aksyonov-fest, were accepted with admiration both in Kazan and outside it. That is why when Abdrei Vadimovich told about the idea of the festival I found power and together with festival partners financial capacity to hold it in Kazan. We are very much honored that the festival will take place in Kazan. The Tatarstan capital has recently won the bid to host the Universiade-2013. Sport unites people; 10 thousand participants from 168 countries took part in the last Universiade. We would like the “Creation pf Peace” would become the same uniting event. We hope it will get the status of annual tradition festival.
A unique international festival “Creation of Peace” is to take place on August 30 in Kazan in the Millennium square with the audience of 100 thousand people. The organizers of the festival told about the upcoming grand event in the press conference in RIA Novosti in Moscow on August 5. The organizers are the festival president Andrei Makarevich, the chairman of the organizing committee, the mayor of Kazan Ilsur Metshin, the general producer Sergei Mirov the art director Aleksander Cheparukhin, the technical director Mikhail Kapkin. The goal of the festival is to try to create a universal peace by means of the universal language of music. 25 groups and singers from various countries of different continents confirmed their participation in the event. The idea to overcome the interethnic and sectarian contradictions with the help of music united the world stars of various styles.
Andrei Vadimovich, tell us please, how the idea of the festival “Creation of Peace” appeared.
А.М.: The idea of the festival appeared about a year ago when I with Sergei Mirov discussed the situation in which the group “White flag” had found themselves. They have problems because the group comprises the citizens of Israel and Palestine. That is why they can work neither in Israel nor in Palestine. They have to work in Europe. At present the ventures on the religious and national basis take place very often. And we believe that it is music that can unite people. The second thing that brought the idea into our minds is that in the world there is a popular music and a true music. In the developed countries the representatives of both genres gather the full stadiums. In our country the popular music is dominant. Mass media contributes to this very much. We desperately want to change the situation. The musicians invited to the festival represent various styles but all of them create the true music. I think it will be very interesting. I am very grateful to the mayor of Kazan Ilsur Metshin for his support in the implementation of the project. The festival will take place in the very beautiful Millennium square which can house over 100 thousand people. Two big stages are to be constructed there in order the music to sound without intermission. The festival is to begin on August 30 at 12.00 p.m. and end at 11.00 p.m.
Ilsur Raisovich, to what extent is the Tatarstan capital ready to host the music event of the world level?
I.M.: Kazan hosts the cultural event of such a level not for the first time. The festivals named after Nuriyev and Shalyapin took place in Kazan. Kazan has centuries-long cultural traditions. If you look at the architectural ensemble of the Kazan Kremlin, you will see that the Kremlin has the Cathedral of Annunciation and the mosque Kul Sharif near each other. The festival “creation of Peace” will be held with them in the background. We are getting ready to holding the festival and hope that the first pancake will not be a mess. The festival is dated to the Day of the city and the Day of the republic. This is a new format of the holiday but I believe that the festival will be a success, and will become a good tradition.
Who of the musicians are to come to the festival?
S.M.: One of the tricks in the festival is the jam sessions when the musicians will play and sing with in duet. Those musicians who are invited to the “Creation of Peace” are capable to sing in duet practically without rehearsals. They communicate in the language of music. The American star Patty Smith is to sing with Zemfira. When I tried to count the number of countries participating in the festival I lost count… For example the group Rishad Shafi consists of the musicians from Russia, Turkmenistan, Germany, and India. And I am very happy that we managed to implement the idea of opening the festival “Creation of Peace” by the representatives of the five world religions: Islam, Orthodoxy, Catholicism, Buddhism, and Judaism.
What music genres will be represented in the festival?
A.Ch.: I am very glad that my dream comes true. Many musicians will finally meet in the world festival “Creation of Peace”. And it is great that the festival takes place in our country, such event is held for the first time in Russia. And it is very pleasant that it is held in Kazan. I am not worried because I am confident in all parts of the project: in musicians, and in technical part. The musicians invited to the festival can cooperate with each other in a natural, smart, interesting and spiritual way. And our plan is that the end of one act will be the beginning of the following act. The musicians will present various ethnic cultures and music genres, so that the festival will be multiethnic and multicultural. Russia is represented by Andrei Makarevich with “Mashina Vremeni”, Boris Grebenschikov with “Aquarium”, and Zemfira. These are the forefathers of the Russia rock music – Makarevich and Grebenschikov, who are still the topical musicians nowadays; we also have the main star – Zemfira – according to the public’s attention, and to the box-office receipt. The renowned musicians of the West and the East who gathered full houses in the whole world will be represented in the festival, Patty Smith – a legendary woman in the rock-music, music coryphaei and new stars from Africa will also participate in the “Creation of Peace”.
Who will be the anchors of the festival?
A.M.: We have a stereotype that the anchors of any event should be a young beautiful woman and a young handsome man. We have decided to destroy it, we have chosen two young handsome men, but one of them is a little bit older. That one who is younger is Ivan Urgant, and that one who is older is Seva Novgorodtsev. I believe that that this duet should be very interesting.
How will the stages be equipped?
M.K.: The two stages of the festival will be equipped with video screens. When the musicians play in the first stage, the screen in the other is down and the video broadcasting in shown there; behind the screen the reorganization of the stage for the next performance is under way. All the up-to-date technical achievement will be used in the festival “Creation of Peace” in Kazan. What conditions will be offered for the festival guests?
I.M.: The free accommodation in the comfortable summer camps and recreation centers will be organized for 1000 rock fans from all Russia.
Is the “Creation of Peace” a rock festival or a music festival?
A.M.: I would not like the word ‘rock’ to be emphasized. First for 40 years of musical career I failed to understand where the line between rock and non-rock lies. Second our festival embraces more genres, rock musicians, ethno-musicians and ethno-jazz musicians are to participate in the “Creation of Peace”. Generally I do not like the limits of one genre, when a person tells me: “I hear only jazz rock and nothing more”, I have nothing to speak to him of.
Will the festival be broadcasted on TV?
A.M.: The First channel showed great interest to the festival. They will shoot the festival and then are likely to show it partially on TV.
Will the “Creation of Peace” have an international aftersound?
A.M.: International aftersound is very difficult to be planned. I think if everything runs as we expect the aftersound will appear by itself.
S.M.: All world festivals we know now were unknown before the day they took place for the first time.
A.Ch.: A number of authoritative influential correspondents from Great Britain and the U.S. are to come to the festival. The musician themselves are so powerful that their opinion can play a decisive role in the promotion of the “Creation of Peace”. I hope that the opinions of the musicians and the correspondents will form a good image of the festival and it will be easier to invite the musicians to the festival when it is held annually.
Ilsur Raisovich, is the “Creation of Peace” not your first project with Andrei Makarevich?
I.M.: All that we have done before, for example Aksyonov-fest, were accepted with admiration both in Kazan and outside it. That is why when Abdrei Vadimovich told about the idea of the festival I found power and together with festival partners financial capacity to hold it in Kazan. We are very much honored that the festival will take place in Kazan. The Tatarstan capital has recently won the bid to host the Universiade-2013. Sport unites people; 10 thousand participants from 168 countries took part in the last Universiade. We would like the “Creation pf Peace” would become the same uniting event. We hope it will get the status of annual tradition festival.
"Tatar-Inform" Agency, August, 28 2008