Dear Colleagues,

Our Festival lives and functions, and is looking forward to hosting you again.
For the 18th time the founders discussed the life of Sviatky and thought about other important issues to discuss and live.

Interestingly, in many cases when addressing the reader we said "We have grown", "Definitely older" (12th festival), "The professional community has grown older" (14th festival), "We can do it as adults do" (17th festival).

Growing older goes through our life, ageing is experienced and lived through somehow. We find something not appropriate 'due to age" (getting married at the age of 16 is possible, while voting is not allowed yet).

Sviatky is 18. May be we could turn into music something that goes through our life, whether we want it or not.

We never choose our age, and this is our lot; yet we can take something and refuse something. Remember this: "Am I a trembling creature or do I have a right?"

It was not the Mother Committee's immediate decision to select the theme "THE AGED AND THE AGE-RELATED" from the other options suggested by the Academy; at first they wanted to change, somehow, their role in the Sviatky cook-house (some get the road, while some get the respect).

There was a struggle between the age-related, the aged, the childish; the old, the happiness, loses and acquisitions. However, this is our lot, and here is our will, the theme of the 18th Festival is "THE AGED AND THE AGE-RELATED".

What is what here, how it is experienced by whom, what kind of thing is Sviatky and how long it can grow older - all this, just like many other things we can put within the Festival boundaries and, both seriously and enjoying age-related fun, let's spend this time together.

Many know how the Festival goes, and new participants will learn it from their colleagues and from the booklet.

Marina Chmykhova,
On behalf of the Board of Founders

You can submit your application before December 1, 2011.

2012_application.doc