Ilsur Metshin: “The capital of the “Good Wave” is Kazan”

(KZN.RU, November 30, Alsu Safina). Today, there is a gala-concert of the All-Russian festival “Good Wave” in Kazan. In addition to Kazan, the project that launched last year was joined by another 8 cities: Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Yekaterinburg, Krasnodar, Sevastopol, Vladivostok, and Kursk. Ilsur Metshin, the Mayor of Kazan, noted today at a press conference in the City Hall that thanks to the project, there are more caring people in each city.

Opening the press conference, the Mayor of Kazan thanked all those who helped to implement the project of the “Good Wave” festival, as well as their colleagues: the mayors of the cities where the qualifying rounds were held this year.

“It all started with the project “Good Kazan”, the fair of good. Today, the festival is going on all over Russia in great good waves”, said the Mayor. “I hope that these good waves will reach every corner of our immense country”.

Ilsur Metshin expressed his gratitude to the sponsors, Rustam Minnikhanov, the President of Tatarstan, the Fund for Presidential Grants (thanks to the grant it became possible to expand the geography of the project), and all concerned people who are growing in each city. “I am glad that today we will see talented big and small guests together with you”, said the Mayor.

For the second year in a row, a gala concert of the festival is held in the capital of Tatarstan. To the question of journalists about what would happen if, over time, the final of the “Good Wave” was moved to Moscow, Ilsur Metshin replied that the capital of the festival was Kazan.

“Wherever it is good, let it be”, believes the Mayor. “We would like the final to always be held in Kazan. But if the festival strides to go not only in Russia, but also abroad, we will be happy not only to watch how these waves go further but also to take part in it. But the capital of the “Good Wave” is Kazan. And we will always be glad that the first waves were coming from here”.

One of the participants of the gala concert in Kazan was the 11-year-old Valeria Saikova from the Chassovsky settlement of Moscow. Two weeks ago in the press center of the newspaper “Arguments and Facts”, the composer accompanied the young actress who performed the song “Draw”. With the same composition, Igor Krutoy and Valeriya performed at the “Good Wave” regional tour in Moscow, where she won the grand prix. On the eve of the gala concert in Kazan, Igor Krutoy, the general producer of the festival and a composer, wrote a song for her. “Her whole life is now filled with other colors. We will perform this song today”, announced the composer.

According to the general producer of the festival, it is planned that next year the geography will expand even more, and the number of the “Good Wave” participants will grow. He marked that the winners and participants of the festival will not remain without attention in the future. Branches of the Popular Music Academy of Igor Krutoy were opened in the cities where qualifying rounds were held. The children have the opportunity to develop their talent. Stella Khachanyants, the general director of the Academy, noted that the organizers cooperate with the children in the future. For example, the winner of the grand prix of the festival from Kazan will be preparing for the national qualifying round of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest. There are those who will be invited to the parade in Moscow next year, someone will be helped in treatment and rehabilitation.

“Everything connected with Kazan is a part of our lives, starting with the Universiade, the World Swimming Championships”, said Igor Krutoy. “In August of next year, we will open and close the world championship for working professions”.

Stella Khachanyants, the general director of the Igor Krutoy Academy, told about the qualifying stages. “It was difficult to carry them out, because they are special children and special parents. All the burdens fall on them, and all this is serious for them. They expect a lot from us”, she noted. “We are trying to do what depends on us, give them and pay maximum attention. Imagine when such children perform, how can you choose the best of them and distribute places? Of course, it is difficult. But we worked in a different mode than the jury at regular competitions. We looked at the children in terms of their exploits. Not just singing is hard to them, even to breathing is. But they went on stage, sang, recited poems, and played instruments”.

“They chose the most talented ones. Those children who are not included in the number of laureates are also talented. We hope that in the coming years, it will be possible to bring these children to Kazan for this holiday”, added Stella Khachanyants.

At the press conference, the name of the first winner of the “Good Wave” festival grand prix was announced. This was 12-year-old Vyacheslav Proskurin from Novosibirsk. The award to him was a statuette with a picture of a wave. It was presented by Yulianna Karaulova, the singer and the festival's ambassador.

Vyacheslav Proskurin said that he likes music since childhood, he likes to sing karaoke with his father. “I liked it very much. I had a children's synthesizer and played and wrote music. Now I am professionally engaged in music, I love to play the synthesizer”, he said. “I wanted to present the festival with my own song”, added Vyacheslav. In the future, he wants to become an artist, a singer, now he is engaged in the Igor Krutoy Academy of Popular Music in Novosibirsk. Vyacheslav advised novice artists not to be afraid, first of all. “You imagine that you are sitting at home and rehearsing that this is not a concert. The most important thing is not to worry, and everything will work out for you”.

At the end of the press conference, the star participants laid a new tradition. They left their autographs on the photographs, which will later become lots at charity auctions, and the proceeds will be used to treat children.