Many Yaroslavl journalists came to see the new director of the Yaroslavl Regional Philharmonic, Leonid Fradkin, who came to us from Moscow.

LEONID Mikhailovich Fradkin is a blue-eyed Muscovite with a charming smile. Leonid Mikhailovich graduated from the Moscow Conservatory, double bass player, but has recently been engaged in music management, was the deputy general director of the International House of Music. Organized concerts of Placido Domingo on Red Square, Montserrat Caballe in Gostiny Dvor ... In Yaroslavl, of course, the scale is not the same, but Leonid Mikhailovich thinks on a European scale and, apparently, believes that Yaroslavl may well become Russian musical capitals. The most famous conductor Gergiev of the Lithuanian opera will come to us in the near future. The Kultura TV channel will record a program for children in Yaroslavl based on the symphonic fairy tale “Peter and the Wolf” performed by our orchestra. Philaramonia is not social security, Leonid Mikhailovich emphasized. The Philharmonic Society should become a powerful production company. The viewer is not interested in the mechanism of inviting famous musicians and actors, but their presence is important. Even maestro Murad Annamamedov with extensive musical connections was struck by the diverse creative contacts of Leonid Fradkin. He names such names of musicians and actors, whose arrival to Yaroslavl we never dreamed of before. Moreover, the ticket prices, as we were promised, will be quite acceptable for the creative intelligentsia and other poor strata. The new director of the Philharmonic is still living, as he put it, in a hotel-type hostel. On Friday evening he leaves for Moscow, and on Monday morning he arrives in Yaroslavl. And the very first one comes to work. While Leonid Mikhailovich is not going to move to Yaroslavl for permanent residence. Perhaps, when the grandchildren and wife Marina Markovna are born, she is a pediatrician by profession, she will leave her job, then ... The wife of the director was born in Yaroslavl, but lived here for only one month. Of course, many were interested in whether Leonid Fradkin was a relative of Mark Fradkin. It turns out not, Leonid Mikhailovich joked that he would prefer to be Fradkov's relative. In general, the new director shone with a sense of humor, when he called his cell, then, apologizing, he said that he had called Placido Domingo. So far, the contract with the new director has been concluded for a year. Whether the metropolitan manager will take root on our provincial musical soil, time will tell. Usually there was a reverse process, outflow. Yaroslavl was a launching pad for many conductors and directors, and then they invariably left for the capitals.

Members of the Ensemble have a rare opportunity to study the history of the country outside of textbooks. They are at the center of major events. Whether it is a party or Komsomol congress, a meeting of pioneers or the arrival of eminent guests!

Volodya Ionchenkov, Tolya Markelov and Vitya Goltsov. 1964 year

I remember the concert for the delegates of the World Youth Forum, which took place on September 19, 1964. After such concerts, the children stood for a long time near the Kremlin Palace of the Congress, waiting for foreign delegates, who always had badges, chewing gum, and souvenirs, to come out to them. Among them there were never elbows. Not! It was not a ban on approaching foreigners. Before one of the rehearsals, Loktev managed to explain to us what a sense of dignity is. And it worked invariably. Vladimir Sergeevich explained how to accept gifts, how a handout differs from a souvenir. It happens when you cannot refuse gifts so as not to offend a person. As, for example, in the situation in which I found myself in Bulgaria.

Once, after a concert in Plovdiv, I was presented with so many luxurious roses that I could not hold them all in my hands. And then a woman came up to me and began to give more flowers. I showed her with gestures that my hands were full. The woman was upset to tears and turned away. Loktev noticed this, came up to me and said:

- How dare you? This is an honored teacher of Bulgaria. You have not offended a person for anything. It was necessary to put all the roses at her feet, and take her bouquet and press it to her heart ...

The ensemble is a school where the correct relationships between people are brought up, a certain worldview is laid. Loktev understood that rehearsals and concerts alone were not enough for children. Human relationships develop in communication and they should begin from the first days of birth. Boys and girls, when they are united by common memories, experiences, common affairs, become more sociable, kind, tolerant of the shortcomings of others. Loktevtsy, real elktevtsy, will always lend a helping hand to each other, support not only in word, but also in deed.

Loktev, jokingly, ridiculed the shortcomings, knew how to find the right word for the guilty.

He noticed flaws, but few saw how he helped get rid of them. Along the way, the spoken word brought up.

At one time, boys and girls developed a strange habit of chewing blades of grass. Once on a tour in Siberia, our girls from the choir walked along the shore of Lake Baikal. One of them plucked a blade of grass, followed by another. They walk, talking among themselves through the blades of grass. Towards them - Loktev with the caretaker. Suddenly Vladimir Sergeevich stopped and ordered loudly:

- Michal Mikhalych! Look at the choir. Feed the girls well. Pay attention to Natasha. Give her two servings. Can't you see how the child is starving! Chewing hay day and night.

Friendship for life. Alumni of the Ensemble, Domrists Boris Mansurov and Vladimir Ionchenkov

He loved children very much

Ilyina L.A., pupil of the Ensemble of the 1970s,

Ensemble teacher since 1981

For the first time I heard the name of Vladimir Sergeevich Loktev under the most mournful circumstances. On that November day, the choirmaster of our regional choir came to class very sad. “Guys, said Valery Pavlovich, a wonderful musician, the creator of the famous ensemble of the city Palace of Pioneers, Vladimir Sergeevich Loktev, passed away yesterday. Vladimir Sergeevich was very fond of children and wrote many good songs for you. Today we will sing his songs. " The songs of Vladimir Sergeevich were well known, they sounded on the radio, they were sung at school. I knew many of them well, but on that day I especially felt how melodic these songs are, how pleasant it is to sing them.

Vladimir Sergeevich Loktev

“He loved children very much” - then these words were simply remembered, but later, when I was incredibly lucky to become a pupil of the Ensemble, by that time already proudly bearing the name of Vladimir Sergeevich Loktev, these words explained a lot in the life of this incredibly kind and friendly childish republic.

A.S. Ilyin's note

The ensemble has always lived a very stormy creative life. The classes, for which we tried not to be late and, moreover, not to miss them, were very interesting, and there were also consolidated rehearsals, concerts, tours ... All this filled life to the brim with great joy. Wonderful teachers Jose Petrovich Philippe, Zoya Ivanovna Zhukova, Anna Alekseevna Egorova, Raisa Andreevna Zhdanova, Olga Ivanovna Biryukova ... They taught us not only to sing, but also to behave correctly. Imperceptibly, little by little, they taught us the rules of good manners, taught us to always be benevolent and modest. And it was right. I remember with what joy and pride I announced at school that I was accepted into the choir of the Loktev Ensemble, and with what respect both teachers and schoolmates looked at me.

We were taught not only by the teachers of the choir. One glance of Elena Romanovna Rosse, an unsurpassed choreographer, made me stretch out in line. And the girls who were engaged in choreography are all beautiful women. They were so graceful and refined. So I wanted to be like them at least a little.

Victor Semyonovich Chunin is nervous, impetuous, very sensitive and very kind. Consolidated rehearsals under his leadership have always been a holiday, although we worked hard for them.

It was necessary to study well. For poor grades, they could be excommunicated from classes in the Ensemble until they were corrected, and missing 1-2 classes, even due to illness, seemed to be a big disaster. Indeed, for these lessons the choir could learn new compositions, could undergo a summary rehearsal or even a performance, and it would be very insulting to deprive itself of such joyful events.

In Sochi! 1963 g.

Vladimir Sergeevich Loktev, and then Alexei Sergeevich Ilyin, together with the teachers of the Ensemble, created a territory of kindness, where it was good for every child who came here to study. Over the years, it became more and more difficult to enter the Ensemble. There were a lot of children (and parents) who dreamed about it and it was already difficult to accept everyone. In the 80s about one and a half thousand children were already engaged in the Ensemble. But the tradition of Vladimir Sergeevich - every child who comes to the Ensemble, to try to find a job to his liking and ability - was continued by Alexey Sergeevich Ilyin. The seriously ill Loktev himself asked his colleague to become the head of the team. Alexey Sergeevich from 1945 to 1962 taught string instruments at the Ensemble, was the leader of the orchestra. In 1959, Nadezhda Sergeevna Nadezhdina, the creator and artistic director of the choreographic ensemble "Birch", invited him to create an orchestra, and until 1968 Alexey Sergeevich worked at "Birch". Wise Loktev knew that Ilyin would succeed, because Ilyin also loved children very much. I remember that every year during the reception, Alexey Sergeevich himself took part in auditions for choreographic classes, and then he gathered those guys who did not go into choreography and led them to audition for the choir or orchestra. He talked about instruments, brought the children together with their parents to the classes of instrumental teachers. “The main thing, Alexey Sergeevich said, is that the child likes to study with us, so that he wants to stay in the Ensemble.”

Alexey Sergeevich Ilyin

The Ensemble has many good traditions. One of them: laying flowers at the monuments of the fallen soldiers in all cities where the Ensemble came on tour. Flowers were laid solemnly. The choir always sang "Krinitsa" by Andrey Eshpai. The guys have always felt very keenly the importance of this moment.

We were in Khatyn. The monument, of course, shocked everyone. And one of our accordionists took off his pioneer tie, which he valued very much, and tied it to the monument. And he had a special tie, a very beautiful scarlet color. Such ties were not sold in the USSR.

And also - congratulations to the birthday person right on stage, if the birthday coincided with the day of the concert. The guys who are so lucky when the artistic director himself congratulates you on stage, and also the choir sings the Loktev congratulatory song, remember this event all their lives. Graduates told me that that birthday was the most extraordinary and joyful. The current leader of the Ensemble, Leonid Mikhailovich Fradkin, continues this tradition. I think that today's pupils also dream that their birthday falls on the day of the Ensemble's big concert.

The Moscow Palace of Pioneers cannot be imagined without the V.S. Lokteva. He is rightfully considered the pride of the Palace. Concerts of the Ensemble are always a holiday, both for the children-participants and for the listeners, since the children perform in a highly professional, soulful and touching manner. The ensemble has trained several generations of musicians. But the main thing is not even this, but the high common human culture that children carry when they leave the Ensemble team into a big adult life. We bring to your attention two materials dedicated to the Song and Dance Ensemble named after V.S. Loktev, written by his students. Thus, we begin a series of publications dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the Moscow Palace of Pioneers.

From the book by Vladimir Nikolaevich Ionchenkov “Song and Dance Ensemble named after V.S. Lokteva "

Ionchenkov V.N., graduate of the Ensemble of the 1960s, now Honored Worker of Culture of the RSFSR, Honored Artist of the Russian Federation, professor, head of the Moscow Balalaika virtuoso quartet

- You, Leonid Mikhailovich, in your repertoire do not throw words to the wind. They promised Plisetskaya and Shchedrin - they came. Gergiev, Bashmet with orchestras - please. Our readers know that your intentions to join charitable programs, and above all for children, are not an empty phrase. Already twice at the Yaroslavl concerts of the Russian-American Youth Orchestra, disabled children received computers.

- Our project "Debut" with the new director of the Philharmonic Society Irina Trofileva has some connection with this orchestra. About seven years ago, RAMO was looking for a performer for the Violin Concerto of Karol Szymanowski. They called Novosibirsk, whose violin school brought up Maxim Vengerov and Vadim Repin. An essay of the highest complexity, and there is only a month left in stock. “There is such a boy,” Professor Arnold Katz replied. It was 13-year-old Misha Simonyan.

- Did you justify your hopes?

- And how. The glory of this amazing virtuoso began with a world tour with RAMO. Mikhail's debuts have been compared to the dazzling early start of the prodigy Yehudi Menuhin's career. Simonyan studied in Philadelphia, won several international competitions in a row. And then, on the friendly advice of Valery Gergiev and under his influence, he returned to his homeland.

- So we're talking about Debut ...

- At the opening of the project on October 17, Mikhail will appear in front of Yaroslavl in three roles: performer (solo and in duet with Muscovite Tatyana Porshneva), conductor of the Yaroslavl Chamber Orchestra, formed on the basis of the string group of YaAGSO, and artistic director of the entire Debut project.

- What is the idea of ​​the project?

- To release a product that is competitive throughout. Well, so that domestic stars, regardless of age, imagine how Russia lives outside the capital's Garden Ring and St. Petersburg's Nevsky Prospekt. And listeners, and especially young ones, could be convinced that Bach, Mozart or Tchaikovsky in a concert hall sound completely different and much more interesting than in their mobile phones. Once we were driving through the city, saw the inscription “Do not litter” on the fence, and under it a hefty pile of what is supposed to be thrown into trash cans. I suggested that we should unite at least in order to help cleanse, and above all, naturally, in the souls of people. Mikhail and another project participant - a young conductor from Moscow Renat Bektashev happily nodded their heads.

- As you can see, the new project will be your debut as artistic director of the Philharmonic. How is it that you, without any noise, suddenly took and moved from the spacious director's office to a much more modest one?

- Only not at all "suddenly." Not because, for no reason at all, I didn't like it. I don’t feel like a business executive who would be able to remotely control (my family lives in Moscow) two halls - Sobinovsky and Gigan-tom - with big construction problems.

- Were you going to say goodbye to Yaroslavl?

- Yes, and kindly. With this I came to the department. And I heard from the director Yuri Ivanov a question that sounded more like a business proposal: what role do I see myself in so that I would like to stay in the philharmonic society?

- And what did you answer?

- That the position of artistic director would suit me perfectly. For I consider myself a creative leader to a much greater extent than an economic leader. Based on this, we at our hour shared responsibility with the new director, invited by the department.

- What, for example, did you agree on?

- Among other things, we agreed to discuss my projects together, as was the case with Debut. I am convinced that the modern philharmonic society should be a kind of production company, knowing what the people will come to and how funding for these projects will be found. All my efforts will continue to be aimed at inviting world-famous stars to Yaroslavl, on the capital and foreign tours of the governor's orchestra. All this is necessary for the orchestra itself to create a normal competitive environment.

- Does it bother you?

- And seriously.

- You never spoke about it openly.

- I didn’t say it, because as a director he considered it unethical.

- And now?

- Murad Atayevich and I are two creative directors, we are on an equal footing, and I’ll say bluntly: it’s abnormal when an artist sits in a smoky office all day, when he performs with other orchestras from time to time, and the names of the guest performers in concerts of his orchestra, as a rule, are they say little to real connoisseurs of art.

- But how can the chief conductor not want to invite the stars?

- The darker the night - brighter than the star. We need new conductors and performers. Moreover, there is no financial problem.

- Were there any obstacles?

- There were no obstacles as such. But the entire season of YAGSO is completely filled with events, to put it mildly, unimpressive. Give an example?

- It is good to.

- Neither as a musician, nor as a listener I am not satisfied with something called "From the Odessa Kichman" on the poster of a serious orchestra - there was such a concert recently, if you remember, in the Sobinovsky Hall. There is a colossal difference between the Philharmonic and the Chanson radio. To add a line from a thieves' song to the name of a symphony orchestra's program is at least indecent.

- Maybe the whole problem is that, as always, “finances sing romances” in our country?

- I am ready to invite truly gifted people of world renown to YAGSO programs. Moreover, the payment of their labor is my concern as a contract manager, not an orchestra. But when - if we are talking about money - in an interview with your newspaper on September 29, Murad Atayevich laments that at the last Sobinovsky festival “everyone except the governor's orchestra was paid for participation,” such words are not just incorrect. The maestro is not the owner of his own entreprise, and his displeasure, honestly, looks ridiculous.

- The maestro believes that his orchestra is ordered to conduct all affairs "autonomously."

- Now all this does not bother me as much as it used to be when I was a director. But still I will say: according to the regulations on the orchestra, its interests are represented by the director of the Philharmonic Society. Unless he decides to entrust such authority to the chief conductor. When I was director, I did not give such an order to Murad Atayevich. And further. I am a direct opponent of broadcast ambition and inspirational demagoguery.

- What do you have in mind?

- For example, these are the words of the chief conductor in the same September interview: I, says your interlocutor, “gladly blessed Irina Trofileva to reign”. And I don't like it if in this context someone is called a musician "by the will of God."

- You don't like that expression at all?

- When you write about Gergiev or Rozhdestvensky, my taste withstands this. Which of us "by the will of God" is known by comparison. For this, the very competitive environment is needed. No contract provides for the functions of the Lord God for the artist.

- If I ask you a question from the heading of our last year's publication about philharmonic passions-muzzles “Will former classmates light the pipe of the world?”, What would you answer?

- I will answer what I have always said: I am open for a constructive dialogue. And, perhaps, in the tone of the question I will voice such a project of reconciliation. We must fire both of our own free will. Then invite us to speak publicly with our programs for the development of the concert business. Compare them ...

- Who will compare?

- Colleagues from the Philharmonic will do it best. Let the winner be chosen by secret ballot.

- Thanks for the great joke. But maybe, Leonid Mikhailovich, the music itself will judge?

- What do you suggest?

- Something to remember from the events of the past season. After all, nothing prevented Annamamedov's orchestra from shining in the contracts you signed: the star program of Gergiev's Moscow Easter Festival, in Yaroslavl and Moscow concerts with the clown Melvin Tiks, in the Don Pasquale performance of the Helikon-Opera theater at the Sobinovsky festival. For the first time in all its sixty years, the orchestra went not just abroad, but to Germany, the homeland of Bach and Beethoven. Whatever one may say, but the strongest arguments for what exactly the listeners expect from the Philharmonic are given by her, her Majesty's music.

- Here I completely agree with you. You can't argue with her.

Song and Dance Ensemble named after V.S. Lokteva of the Moscow City Palace of Children's (Youth) Creativity - the winner of the Lenin Komsomol Prize is known not only in our country, but also abroad. How much joy and cheerful enthusiasm each performance of young artists gives the audience! And how many adults, respectable people, looking at the stage, remember their happy childhood - the childhood in which the Ensemble was!

Thousands of young Muscovites passed through the life-giving, kind hands of the Ensemble's teachers. Many have found here the main work of their lives, and the rest, if they did not become artists or musicians, have forever preserved in their souls a love of beauty.

Ensemble them. V.S. Lokteva is the first, and at the time of its creation - the only children's collective in our country that united a choir, orchestra and choreographic groups into a single creative collective. Subsequently, following the example of the Ensemble, more than four hundred such groups were created in the USSR.

How did it all begin?

In the fall of 1936, the newspaper Pionerskaya Pravda published an appeal to the head of the Song and Dance Ensemble of the Red Army, Alexander Vasilyevich Aleksandrov, with a request to create a children's song and dance ensemble in the Moscow City House of Pioneers and Octobrists in Stopani Lane, house 6. A.V. Aleksandrov accepted the offer.

On April 18, 1937, Pionerskaya Pravda published a message: “A pioneer song and dance ensemble is being organized at the Moscow House of Pioneers. Professor-order-bearer A.V. Aleksandrov took over the ensemble. The ensemble accepts pioneers and schoolchildren (no older than 16 years old) - the best musicians, singers and dancers of amateur art circles. The admission to the girls' group has already been completed. We have now continued admitting boys. ”

Already in the first months of its work, the Ensemble united 250 schoolchildren from Moscow. A painstaking, systematic work full of finds and discoveries began. Six months later, on October 16, 1937, Pionerskaya Pravda reported again: “The Pioneer Song and Dance Ensemble, organized this spring at the Moscow House of Pioneers and Octobrists, is preparing to perform on the 20th anniversary of the Great October Revolution. This will be the first public performance of the ensemble. The collective, numbering 250 people, is divided into groups: a choir, an orchestra and a dance group.

The choir and the orchestra are learning "The Pioneer Drum" by A. Belov, "By the Fire", "Life Has Become More Fun" by Professor Aleksandrov, Russian, Ukrainian, Georgian folk songs. The dance group rehearses Russian and Ukrainian, Red Army and Red Navy dances. The artistic director of the pioneer ensemble is People's Artist of the USSR, Order-bearer, Professor AV Aleksandrov. "

In November 1937, the first concert of the orchestra took place in the Column Hall of the House of Unions. The children's performance made a great impression on the Muscovites. This was noted by the publication in the newspaper Vechernyaya Moskva in early November 1937: “Yesterday at the House of Unions a concert of children's creativity took place, dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the Great Socialist Revolution. 500 students of Moscow music schools in the combined choir perform "Internationale". This is how the evening began, in which the greatest impression was made by various children's musical ensembles: a wonderful ensemble of pioneer song and dance, under the direction of the People's Artist AV Aleksandrov ... ".

In 1938, the collective of the Ensemble was headed by Vladislav Gennadievich Sokolov, in those years the organizer and artistic director of the children's choir at the Institute of Art Education, later People's Artist of the USSR, professor at the Moscow Conservatory. Children's concerts have always amazed with their harmony. Poems, music, dances performed by young artists complemented each other so much that "it seemed that they never existed apart."

The Great Patriotic War began. There was a forced break in the work of the city House of Pioneers. But already in 1942, as soon as the enemy was driven back from the walls of the capital, the House of Pioneers resumed its active work. And in December 1941, a 5th year student of the music and pedagogical faculty of the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory, a Stalinist scholar Vladimir Loktev, appeared in the city house. His professional experience is 6 years of work at the Variety Theater for Children as an accompanist and head of the musical department.

V.S. Loktev was looking for children in Moscow courtyards, approached the children on the streets and in public transport, asking them one question: "Do you want to sing?" A person with inexhaustible optimism, charm, kindness, loving children, easily found a way to the hearts of schoolchildren. He dreamed of filling the lives of children in the harsh front-line Moscow with music, light, joy.

The choir, from which the Ensemble began, consisted of 37 schoolchildren. Vladimir Sergeevich managed not only to create an ensemble by organizing the work of children and teachers, but also to provide children with food, vocational training, and a new topical repertoire. “It seems like a miracle. Near the front. Air raid sirens sound almost every evening. In an unheated room in Stopani Lane, steam is coming out of open mouths, guys in mittens, but the piano sounds - and everyone is singing - in defiance of the siren - singing about Victory, about the Motherland. " (V. Kryuchkov Let’s know you!, 1967)

Very soon, the guys already performed in front of the wounded in hospitals, became members of complex front-line brigades, which included young singers, dancers, masters of artistic expression. The first performance of the Ensemble took place in the winter of 1942 in the active army near Smolensk on the Kalinin front. They gave concerts for wounded soldiers in hospitals, for workers in factories.

Since that time, the ensemble often performs on the radio. All programs were broadcasted directly on the air. And how many times they were interrupted by air raid signals ... In the last year of the war alone, the Ensemble gave more than 100 concerts in hospitals, military units, enterprises, recruiting centers.

At the end of the war, the Ensemble received a letter from the active army: "Immediately after the victorious battle, turning on the radio, we heard children's voices - this was the dearest greetings from the Motherland and congratulations on the final Victory." Signature, date 02.05.45 - the day of the capture of Berlin.

25 members of the Ensemble, including the artistic director V.S. Loktev, were awarded the medal "For the Defense of Moscow". And in October 1947, Vladimir Sergeevich was awarded the Order of the Red Star.

The hard times passed, young Muscovites returned from the evacuation, and already in the first year of peace, the ensemble united more than 250 schoolchildren in its ranks.

Close to Vladimir Sergeevich Loktev worked highly professional teachers and specialists, such as ballet masters E.R. Rosse, V.S. Konstantinovsky, A.V. Kurilov, choirmasters A.V. Manucharova, L.M. Andreeva, O. Biryukova, Yu.S. Dyachkova, Z.I. Zhukova. “Vladimir Sergeevich turned rehearsals into fun and exciting activities, vigilantly noticed flaws in performance, costumes, and demeanor. If the dancers danced sluggishly, out of place, Loktev, not at all afraid to drop his authority, portrayed a dying swan to the friendly laughter of the chorus and orchestra. But after a few minutes the orchestra made a mistake, and then the good irony was addressed to the orchestra members. But it was impossible to take offense at everyone, because "the form should give pleasure and joy by its execution."

In 1955, by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR, V.S. Loktev was awarded the high title "Honored Artist of the RSFSR".

In 1962, a new Moscow City Palace of Pioneers and Schoolchildren was opened on the Lenin Hills. The Ensemble moved here from Stopani Lane along with the rest of the ensembles. In the new Palace, an entire floor was allocated for him with bright large rehearsal rooms, changing rooms and dressing rooms for the choir, orchestra and choreography. Now the Ensemble has the opportunity to invite guests to their concerts in the modern concert hall of the Palace.

In 1967, the Song and Dance Ensemble of the Palace was entered in the Book of Honor of the Central Committee of the Komsomol, Vladimir Sergeevich Loktev was awarded the Lenin Komsomol Prize, and in 1976 the Ensemble was awarded the title of the Lenin Komsomol Prize Laureate.

For more than 25 years, the Ensemble was led by the Honored Art Worker of the RSFSR, laureate of the Lenin Komsomol Prize, Professor Vladimir Sergeevich Loktev. In 1968 he was gone. By the decree of the Council of Ministers of the RSFSR on February 5, 1969, the Ensemble was named after V.S. Loktev.

Aleksey Sergeevich Ilyin, who has worked in the team since 1945, took over the leadership of the Ensemble. Anna Alekseevna Egorova (now the chief choirmaster of the Ensemble) was invited as the choirmaster on the basis of a long-standing personal recommendation of V.S. Lokteva.

Led by Alexei Sergeevich, the Ensemble delighted spectators with its sparkling art not only in the central halls of our country, such as the Bolshoi Theater, the Concert Hall. P.I. Tchaikovsky, Column Hall of the House of Unions, Concert Hall of the Institute. Gnesins, All-Union House of Composers. The guys had a chance to perform in front of the sailors of the Pacific and North Sea fleets, in front of the Antarctic whalers, the builders of the Bratsk, Divnogorsk and Krasnoyarsk power plants. They were applauded in the Baltics, Central Asia; in Ukraine, Karelia, the Caucasus; their art was admired by Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Hungary, Germany, Holland, Egypt, Italy, Norway, Poland, Syria, USA, France, Finland, Czechoslovakia, Sweden, Japan ...

The Ensemble donated funds from the concerts to the Peace Fund. Tours abroad have always been a huge success. It is not without reason that the World Peace Council awarded Loktev residents with the Honorary Jubilee Medal "For Contribution to Peace", the first among children's amateur groups!

The ensemble has always been a “pioneer lead singer”. Many famous authors trusted the Loktevites for the first performance of their works. And a happy fate awaited them: subsequently, other children's groups willingly included them in their repertoire. Especially great friendship tied the Ensemble and the famous composer D.B. Kabalevsky, who not only wrote specifically for the Ensemble, but also conducted research in the field of children's musical culture on the basis of this group.

The repertoire of the ensemble is great: songs, dances, musical works of Russian and foreign composers, different peoples of the world.

The following composers wrote specially for the Ensemble: R. Boyko, A. Minkov, A. Ostrovsky, A. Pakhmutova, T. Potapenko, E. Podgaits, G. Podelsky, M. Protasov, A. Flyarkovsky, M. Fradkin, I. Frenkel, O. Khromushin, Y. Chichkov, A. Eshpay, and poets: S. Baruzdin, S. Bolotin, O. Vysotskaya, A. Zharov, N. Zavyalova, K. Ibryaev, V. Kryuchkov, M. Matusovsky, L. Oshanin , A. Prishelets, J. Smelyansky, A. Tverskoy, G. Khodosov. More than a hundred songs for the Ensemble were created by V.S. Loktev. The Ensemble successfully performs works by I. Brahms, A. Verdi, F. List, S. Glazunov, I. Dunaevsky, A. Sviridov, P. Tchaikovsky, S. Chernetsky ...

Over the years of the Ensemble's creative activity, tens of thousands of Moscow schoolchildren have gone through its school. Some of them, having received higher pedagogical or special education, returned to the ensemble as teachers.

Among the pupils of the Ensemble are outstanding musicians, conductors, singers, dancers, directors, art critics, teachers, artists of professional groups such as the Bolshoi Theater, the Igor Moiseev Ensemble, the Berezka Ensemble, the Song and Dance Ensemble of the Russian Army named after A. A. Alexandrov, orchestra of folk instruments named after A. Osipov, orchestra of folk instruments under the direction of N. Nekrasov, State Academic Russian Choir. A.V. Sveshnikov, choir chapel under the direction of V.Polyansky, Russian folk choir named after A.V. Pyatnitsky, the Dances of Russia ensemble, soloists of the world's opera houses.

The ensemble is proud of its students. Among the most expensive are Vladimir Vasiliev, Natalya Bessmertnova, Tamara Sinyavskaya, Lyubov Bogdanova, Stanislav Gusev, Nikolai Nekrasov, Nikolai Kalinin, Vladimir Ionchenkov, Elena Zaitseva, Marina Zhukova, Tamara Lukyanova, Tatyana Rachmaninova ... As part of the ensemble they took their first steps on the stage Rolan Bykov, Nina Moleva, Alexander Pashutin, Mark Pekarsky kept their gratitude to him and his teachers for life ...

The ensemble is still an active promoter of musical art and children's creativity today. They are supervised by: Fradkin L.M. - artistic director, A.V. Averyanenko (pupil of the ensemble) - chief choirmaster, Egorova M.I. (pupil of the ensemble) - chief choreographer, Safronov A.S. - chief conductor.

This ensemble is very famous in Russia. He is the hallmark of Russia abroad. He is young with his artists, but his history goes back 80 years. The name of this group is the Song and Dance Ensemble named after V.S. Lokteva. The artistic director of the ensemble Leonid Fradkin spoke about the life of the creative team "MP".

- Leonid Mikhailovich, Song and Dance Ensemble named after V.S. Lokteva is one of the most famous and oldest children's groups in Russia. At its origins was the head of the Song and Dance Ensemble of the Red Army, Alexander Alexandrov. This is obligatory.

- You are absolutely right. The initiator of the creation of the Ensemble was Alexander Alexandrovich. And this is a great honor for us. We consider ourselves the younger brothers of the famous ensemble named after him. Although, I would say that the Loktev Ensemble is the child of several fathers at once. We must also remember the outstanding conductor, a great connoisseur of children's choral music, professor of the Moscow Conservatory, People's Artist of the Soviet Union Vladislav Gennadievich Sokolov, who made a huge contribution to the development of choral art. A wonderful children's choir group in Rybinsk is named after him. This ensemble is now called so - " Rybinsk sokolyats". Now it is headed by our great friend, a talented choral conductor and, I'm not afraid of this word, an ascetic, Sergei Shesteryakov.

And with the arrival of Vladimir Sergeevich Loktev, whose name the collective now bears, to the Ensemble, we created both an orchestra and a choreographic group, led by the famous and outstanding teacher Elena Romanovna Rosse - an absolute legend in this direction. Vladimir Sergeevich invited the famous music teacher Alexei Sergeevich Ilyin, who for many, many years led this group and brought it to incredible heights. It was with him that the team traveled not only the whole country, but the whole world. And I believe that the years of the leadership of Alexey Sergeevich Ilyin are the years of the dawn of our team. And it was under Alexei Sergeevich that the Ensemble received the title of laureate of the Lenin Komsomol Prize.

- A large musical group, which, of course, is the Loktev Ensemble, is famous not only for its leaders, but also for its performers. Children's musical group - graduates. Surely you can name them too.

- Our graduates are a matter of special pride for our team. Perhaps many people know that the now legendary dancer, choreographer, artist and writer Vladimir Viktorovich Vasiliev began his journey in our collective. This is a person who has all the titles that are possible in our profession. He is a People's Artist of the Soviet Union and a laureate of various awards. Vladimir Viktorovich is a Legendary Man.

Our famous singer, also People's Artist of the Soviet Union Tamara Ilyinichna Sinyavskaya, came out of our collective. The list is endless. These are the people who brought glory to our country, our musical culture. And I am very pleased that the current members of the Ensemble really want to be like them. For our children, these people are the standard of creativity, to which they sincerely and conscientiously strive.

- What would you call a highlight of the Ensemble? What only you have?

- Our main, as you put it, “zest” is our traditions. They also include our traditional performance in the format that has developed historically in the Ensemble. It is a simultaneous performance of choir, orchestra and choreography. We, I'm not afraid to say about this, are the only ones in the world who perform at concerts with such a large united team. There are, perhaps, no analogues.

The Loktev ensemble becomes a family not only for children and teachers, but also for their parents. We have a category of parents who call themselves “mommies on duty”. They invest all their time and energy, their warmth and love not only in their children, but also in all the children of the Ensemble.

- Before joining the Loktev Ensemble, you directed other musical groups, the same Yaroslavl State Philharmonic Society. Were one of the leaders of the Moscow International House of Music. Why did you suddenly find yourself in the Loktev Ensemble? What is it for you personally?

- At first it was just an unexpected proposal for me. Now I get real pleasure from my work, which cannot be compared with anything. After all, before my arrival at the Loktev Ensemble, I had never worked with children. I take a lot of advice and communicate with my colleagues, who have devoted many years to children's musical creativity. And the longer I am inside this large and unique team, the more I admire both teachers and students. Children are so arranged - they react to everything lively and sincerely. And this childish sincerity creates a very special creative atmosphere. She cannot but infect with her energy, not give a powerful impulse so that I, for my part, as a manager, create projects in which children realize their potential at the maximum level. These children are still small, but they are already great artists.

- But for this, the Ensemble must also have a very experienced teaching staff ...

- On this topic I can talk endlessly. The Ensemble employs very talented and enthusiastic people whom I love and admire. I call my colleagues “people with only one entry in the work book”. Almost all of our teachers came to the Loktev Ensemble as children. These are our main choreographer Marina Igorevna Egorova, our choreographer Denis Yuryevich Berko, our choreographer Anna Averyanenko. At first, they received their first education here, then they graduated from the leading universities in the country, and then returned back to their children. Marina and Denis, for example, danced in the Moiseev Ensemble, Anna Averyanenko graduated from the Gnessin Academy of Music. The Ensemble still employs Anna Alekseevna Egorova, who was invited by Vladimir Sergeevich Loktev himself, as well as Olga Ivanovna Mitrofanova, who has been teaching children the choral art for many years. And it is largely thanks to them that the connection between generations is preserved in the Ensemble, without which its further development and achievement of new creative heights is impossible.

Almost all of our teachers had a relationship with the team in the past. They either started their life here, or someone first brought their child here, and then, when a vacancy appeared, he himself became a teacher. And they have been working here for decades. There are also young teachers who once learned from their current colleagues. We are all children, their parents, teachers - one big family.

- I cannot but ask you a question, as a person who worked with adult groups and now works with children. Based on your experience, which statement is correct? Are they born or become talents? How do you determine whether a new Vasiliev or Sinyavskaya will grow out of a child, or not?

- To be honest, a talented person, after all, is born. This is definitely. But talent needs to be developed. And this requires a lot of work, which allows our children to achieve serious results. And, frankly, our task is a little different. We do not strive to make all children, without exception, famous artists and musicians. We have no jealousy of other educational institutions. When we see very talented children, we ourselves tell the guys: “ Guys, maybe it makes sense for you to make this your future profession?"And then they go to the competition at the Academy of Choreography of the Bolshoi Theater, at the Moiseyev Studio School, at the Academy at the Mariinsky Theater, or at a special music school. There were already quite a lot of such children in my memory.

- But, for sure, you have graduates who did not become famous musicians, but became successful in other spheres of human activity?

- It is very interesting for me to observe where our children go. And you know, they enter the most serious universities. Because from childhood they get used to it seriously and work hard. Even though we are a non-professional team in terms of status, we work and deal with children exactly as with professionals. We cannot be called a circle. We have a very serious preparation, we perform at large venues. And this obliges us to be professionals.

The long-term practice of our teachers and vast experience allows us to almost accurately determine what kind of musical creativity the child has a great inclination to. As you can imagine, the same choreography has its own specifics. The child must have appropriate physical development, for example. To participate in a choir, some fundamentals of musical ear must be observed, which can then be developed. It's the same with the orchestra. But I want to note that my colleagues have such a gigantic set of professional knowledge and skills that allows them to reveal the talents of almost every child and do something interesting and bright with him.

- How do you manage to maintain a balance in which studying at the Loktev Ensemble does not prevent children from getting education in other subjects, does not distract from them?

- It's very difficult to tell here. This is a must see. Our rehearsals begin after 15:00. Before the start of classes, the children themselves sit and do their homework in the corridors. It seems to me that such a work and such a regime just teach them to work with maximum perseverance and correctly allocate their time. And judging by the fact that we have practically no outflow, but, on the contrary, there is a very serious inflow to us, it means, probably, the lesson in the Loktev Ensemble is not very harmful to school. And, perhaps, rather, even the other way around. After all, most successful people are also musical. Music structures thinking, makes it deeper. She teaches not only to play musical instruments or sing, but also to analyze. And this helps to study in other subjects at school.

- In January you will have a big concert at the State Kremlin Palace. Not every musical group is honored with such an honor - to perform at one of the main stages of the country. Please tell me what to expect for the audience? What kind of concert will it be?

- It will be a very interesting story. The concert is called “Link of Generations”. We want to make a holiday for all generations of those who have gone through our Ensemble. There will be a choir of alumni and many other surprises. We will try to give the opportunity to everyone who is related to the Loktev Ensemble to show themselves on this stage. This will be a holiday not only for the current composition of the Ensemble, but also for all graduates. I do not want to reveal all the secrets. I can only say that we have prepared an interesting program and invite everyone to watch it.

- Will those who, for various reasons, be unable to attend this concert, will have the opportunity to see your team next year at some other venues?

- Undoubtedly. We regularly perform on the best stages in Moscow and other cities. You can regularly see us at the Moscow International House of Music, where we have a concert in the "Best Songs for Children" subscription, and, traditionally, in May at the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall. We have a lot of concerts throughout the year. Including touring.

- Ensemble named after V.S. Does Lokteva like to tour?

- In principle, any collective loves to tour. Children may love even more. For them, this is a new experience, a sense of freedom. They are artists, they have come to another city or country and the audience is coming to see them. This is a real event. It is necessary to see how they prepare for such concerts, worry, try to overcome internal tension. How upset if something doesn’t work out and sincerely rejoice when everything works out. It is even interesting to watch them play football or tennis during such trips, or do their school homework.

It would seem that they went on tour, you can forget about school matters. It was not there. Tours only discipline them, make them more collected and serious. And here I again want to express my admiration for our teachers. When they work with children on stage, they are 100 percent choirmasters, choreographers, conductors. And when they are on a trip with them, or when there is pre-concert rehearsals, accommodation, etc., they are very caring, but at the same time demanding educators.

- The last question, Leonid Mikhailovich. Your Ensemble has long established its own audience. These are people who try not to miss a single concert or performance. How would you characterize these people? Who are they?

- Parents always come to our concerts. friends of children, friends of their families. We can say that we are to some extent such a family club. The guys who have completed their studies in our Ensemble are coming. They bring their children and relatives. Sometimes they themselves perform in such concerts. Although we have children under 18 years of age, the Ensemble has several performances, where older guys who are already studying at universities and who are happy to come and take part in concerts take part. Finally, just lovers of good quality music and choreography come to us. There are many spectators who came to the concert just out of simple curiosity, but then do it over and over again to enjoy the performances of our children.

- What do you think: does your team manage to preserve the charisma of the Loktev Ensemble, which was originally incorporated into it?

- But this is our absolutely unshakable rule. In all our concerts, we try to meet the bar that our founding fathers set for us. And the upcoming concert, which will take place in the Kremlin Palace, will not be an exception.

Mona Platonova.

Young musicians from the Children's Music School named after E. Grieg will demonstrate his performing skills at the New Year's reporting concert on December 26.
District Prospect Vernadsky JSC
25.12.2017 On Tuesday, December 19, at the Academy of Choral Art on Festivalnaya Street, an open concert will take place in the form of a creative meeting of the choral groups of the Popov Academy of Arts and the Schnittke State Institute of Music.
Molzhaninovsky district of the Northern Administrative District of Moscow
19.12.2017