11 Oct MUSIC20 Summit for G20 Summit 2022, Indonesia Speech
My speech at the Music20 Summit in Indonesia
Svetlana Melentieva
Ph.D., pianist, piano educator
President of WPTA-Russia
“Dear distinguished colleagues and fellow musicians from G20 counties gathered today under Indonesian G20 Summit presidency. Thank you for this great opportunity to share my vision of a role of music in today’s world.
It is great honour and responsibility to represent Russia today, at the Music20 Summit, on behalf of Russian Music union, as a President of WPTA-Russia and a passionate piano educator. I would like to mention 3 points.”
Music: unity in diversity
Russia – a multinational county of rich musical traditions – has given the world great composers, musicians and teachers working now across the globe – in Russia, Europe, the USA, South-Eastern and Eastern Asia.
Russian music is deeply connected to West-European traditions, North-, South- American rhythms, rich Indian and Asian vocal traditions. We all are connected thru music – diverse and united – which we created together.
Together shall we take care of its future for a better world in peace. And M20 initiative of Indonesia can become a powerful movement which I wholeheartedly support.
MUSIC EDUCATION AS CULTURAL IMMUNISATION OF SOCIETY
I would like to draw attention of authorities in the world to the importance of wide and accessible music education. Recent pandemic and current geopolitical crises Russia and other countries are facing today – emphasize the vital importance of human values.
Compassion, kindness, understanding, intellect, creativity, love. Listening, making and learning music together enhances these values.
Thus we may speak of “collective music-immunization” in our society and future generations. On behalf of Russian Music Union and World Piano Teachers Association in Russia I call all of you to continue discussion devoted to the effects of music learning and raising awareness of music education for children and adults – in a conference we can organize together.
TRIBUTE TO MUSIC TEACHERS
And my last but not least word tonight stand for teachers. Teachers by Vocation. Often humble and quiet, sometimes strict but always loving, hardworking, creditable and courageous – true workers of art who plant the seeds of culture in their class-rooms every single day – at a piano, in music theory or singing class, in orchestra or school choir. Those of you who met a teacher like that – feel blessed, and carry in your heart the spark of love for music, love for what you do.
I call the authorities to pay tribute and respect to the teachers; create better financial conditions and social security for teachers of music.
I would like to finish with the words of a Chinese teacher and philosopher Confucious who said: ”It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness”. In M20 we have at least 20 candles. That’s a lot of light. As we say in Russia – “В добрый час”. And God bless all of us. That’s all I have to say tonight, thank you.
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