2009 The 3rd RACH-C International Children’ Festival of Russian Culture

2009 The 3rd RACH-C International Children’ Festival of Russian Culture

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June 6, 2009

RACH-C is proud to announce that the 3rd annual Children’s Festival of Russian Culture in New York was a huge success!

During the three days of the festival more than 250 talented Russian, Russian-American and American kids performed at different venues.

The opening day of the festival, May 30, 2009, took place at Lincoln Center with the concert of the Young Stars of the Young Century – the most talented kids from Russia and New York.

The festival would not have been possible without the support of our sponsors; we are particularly grateful to:

Russian Federation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Embassy of the Russian Federation to the USA, Consulate General of RF in NY, Permanent Mission of Russian Federation to the UN; “Russkiy Mir” Foundation; Russian Nobility Association in America; Department of Cultural Affairs, New York City; Department of Parks and Recreation, New York City; International Counsel of Russian Compatriots; News Agency “ITAR TASS”; News Agency “RIA NOVOSTI”; Global Advertising Strategies; Newspaper “Novoe Russjoye Slovo.”

On June 2, 2009 – the second day of the festival—RACH-C’s friends, sponsors, and volunteers gathered to celebrate the “International Children’s Day” in a Gala event at the Consulate General of the Russian Federation in New York—during the silent auction at the Gala, RACH-C was able to collect $3,000 to benefit Anya Guseva, a sick girl in Russia who is in need of a medical operation to save her vision. With the help of Countess Tatiana Bobrinskoy and other friends of RACH-C we are in the process of reaching out to the American Surgeons who can perform the needed operation.

At the Gala celebration, Consul General Sergei Garmonin awarded Dr. Olga Zatsepina, the president of RACH-C, with a Certificate of Honor for contributing to the consolidation and dissemination of Russian language and culture, and strengthening the ties for the Russian community in the US with Russia. The award was given from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, State Committee on Compatriots Abroad. Prince Vladimir Galitzine, in his speech about RACH-C’s achievements, highly praised RACH-C’s activities on consolidating Russian-American organizations, and saving and disseminating Russian culture in the U.S.A.

The third day of the festival, June 6, 2009, was a fantastic celebration of Russian culture in Fort Tryon Park, Northern Manhattan. That was a real Day of Russia in New York where about 200 Russian-American children were performing; dancing, singing, drawing, playing, and enjoying speaking the Russian language to each other.

View more photos: Reception, Spivakov Foundation Concert & Festival Photos

2010 4th Children’s Festival of Russian Culture

2010 4th Children’s Festival of Russian Culture

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We are proud to report that the Fourth Children’s Festival of Russian Culture that took place on June 5, 2010 in Manhattan was a great success!

As in previous years, our focus was on children performing for children.  Groups of amateur performers and guests – mostly families with children – gathered in Tryon Park. Over the years the Children’s Festival has been constantly improving, and has become both a tradition and an eagerly awaited annual event. We were very happy to see families who had previously attended the festival greeting each other like old friends, and to see children and parents meeting new friends. There was a very real feeling of community on the green Cloister lawn this year.

The young dancers and singers – many of them wearing beautiful national Russian, Ukrainian, Georgian costumes – performed traditional folk pieces, as well as popular songs from the era of  World War II. The audience was utterly delighted by the “Cranes” group  of 40 dancers, whose brilliant and virtually professional performance won the hearts of all the attendees.

The Honorable Andrey Yushmanov, the Consul General of the Russian Federation joined Dr. Olga Zatsepina, President of RACH-C in opening the festival. The distinguished guests included the Most Reverend Justinian, Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA;  Ms. Ludmila Kuzina, a representative of the  Moscow City Government, Mr. Adriano Espaillat, member of the New York State Assembly and others.

Major sponsors of the Festival were:  the Russkiy Mir Foundation,  the Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation to the United Nations,  the General Consulate of the Russian Federation in New York and the International Council of Russian Compatriots.

more photos

Event Press:

EthnicEvents.com, article by Maia Efrem (June 7, 2010)
(in Russian) MSRS, article (June 8, 2010)
(in Russian) Always Together, article
(in Russian) Novoye Russkoye Slovo (June 11, 2010)
(in Russian) ITAR-TASS, article (June 5, 2010)
(in Russian) Chanel 1 Russia (Russian Language Day at the UN + Children’s Festival

2011 The 5th Children’s Festival of Russian Culture in NYC

2011 The 5th Children’s Festival of Russian Culture in NYC

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June 4, 2011

In keeping with “practice makes perfect,” RACH-C’s “Children’s Festival of Russian Culture” has been getting better year by year. This year’s Festival definitely was a great success! We would like to most sincerely thank all the volunteers, performers, vendors and attendees for making this year’s Children’s Festival so memorable.

As in previous years, the Festival was held on the Cloisters Lawn at Fort Tryon Park in northern Manhattan to which we once again brought folk ensembles of children from around the US and Canada to perform Russian songs, music and dances.

Like all of our 2011 projects, the festival was dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the first human space flight by the Soviet astronaut, Yuri Gagarin. An exhibition displayed many of the entries from our international children’s drawing competition, “My Dream of Space.” The winners were announced from the stage.

We are grateful for the support of our primary sponsors: the Russkiy Mir Foundation; the Consulate General of the Russian Federation in New York City; the office of Andre Yushmanov, Consul General of the Russian Federation in New York City; the Russian Nobility Association in America; Council Member Robert Jackson; New York State Senator Adriano Espaillat; the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, and many others.

Download the Festival’s Program Journal

Event Press:

Voice of Russian Radio / MSRS / ITAR-TASS /Russian Bazaar (No. 75)
“the Russian America” newspaper / Komsomolskaya Pravda / MTL Magazine
Samara Today” (July 5, 3011) / “Vyrastayka” Magazine /
“Komsomolskaya Pravsa” Canada / “Russian Express” (Weekly Newspaper, Canada)

2012 The 6th Children’s Festival of Russian Culture at Symphony Space

2012 The 6th Children’s Festival of Russian Culture at Symphony Space

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June 10, 2012

On Sunday, June 10, 2012 the 6th RACH-C international “Children’s Festival of Russian Culture” dedicated to the birthday of Alexander Pushkin went to Broadway — the Peter Norton Symphony Space theater at 95th Street.

More than 100 children in 7 Ensemble groups participated in what was generally hailed as a remarkable exhibition of talent, enthusiasm and just good fun. The transition from Fort Tryon Park, where the festival is generally held, to the indoor theater resulted in a different dynamic but an equally huge success. Participants rose in their seats to interact with performers in song and dance on numerous occasions and they and the performers left excited and in high spirits.

RACH-C is very grateful to our major sponsors, the General Consulate of the Russian Federation in New York City and Lukoil North America LLC., for their generous support and to our media sponsors ITAR-TASS and REPORTER for helping publicize the event.

We give special thanks to Consul General Andrey Yushmanov who has  encouraged us in so many ways including his presence at this event and his touching remarks to the audience.

Our overwhelming thanks to many volunteers without whom the Festival and all our work would not be possible. We cannot name all but we do thank each of you from the bottom of our hearts.

Time limitations forced us to reduce the number of groups that could be presented at the theater but we were able to select some who offered exceptional talent and unusual professionalism. It is important to recognize that their remarkable professionalism did not just happen, it was the result of their dedicated, able leaders who must be commended for helping the children embrace their cultural heritage and develop their personal talents. Besides groups from the New York Metropolitan area, we were joined by a group that traveled all the way from Toronto Canada  to join us.

Between acts, we had the wonderful Sasha and the Indulgents, a young bilingual singer-performer with a beautiful voice and a great repertoire.

The festival was greeted with a message by Willy Tokarev who sent his daughter Evelina Tokareva, to sing and introduce his latest composition, a song called “Children of the World.”

Press about the Festival (in Russian): Interview with Dr. Olga Zatsepina by New York Plus Plus / ITAR TASS / Audio Interview by Voice of Russia / Ruschurchusa.org / Video from TVC / Russian Bazaar / MSRS / Reporter.ru

 

Here are the names of the groups and their leaders in order of their appearance:

2013 The 7th Russian American History Month

2013 The 7th Russian American History Month

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April 2013 

“Russian-American History Month” draws the attention of American audiences to the history of Russian-Americans and the role they have played in the history of the US. Organizations across New York State held events honoring and celebrating Russian-American history, culture and heritage. As a part of the History Month, RACH-C held a number of events in New York City.

Press (In Russian):

Article in Komsomolskaya Pravda / Video and Article by NTD / Video and Article by Golos Ameriki / Article by ruschurchusa.org

April 27: 7th Children’s Festival of Russian Festival

RACH-C’s 7th Annual Children’s Festival of Russian Culture returned to the Peter Norton Symphony Space. This year, half a dozen wonderful Children’s Ensembles from NYC Boroughs, Houston, Boston and Canada, graced the Peter Norton Stage. Performances featured classic music and dances reaching back many generations from Russia, Ukraine and other locations of the former Soviet Republic.

2012, the first time the “Children’s Festival” was held there, resulted in a well attended, well received, fun filled afternoon with exceptionally talented children’s groups from as far as Canada. We are very gratified to have won the “Silver Archer” Award for our work with earlier festivals and we are confident that this year’s performances will also be prize winners.

This year the theme of the festival is “Proud to be Russian-American,” and we are privileged to be included in the celebration of “Russian American History Month in New York State”.

April 27: Russian Street Fair

A “Street Fair” celebrating “Russian-American History Month“  was held alongside the Symphony Space theater on 94th St. from Broadway to West End Avenue from 12 noon to 4pm on Saturday April 27.

Street Fair visitors were treated to music of Russian composers played by the senior orchestra of Roy H. Mann IS 78, from Brooklyn. Visitors also enjoyed Russian food, souvenirs and other delights. A special mobile lab provided oral hygiene exams and information by RADA, the Russian American Dental Association available free of charge for children.

April 9 & 12: Stalingrad: City of Steel

Natalia Narochnitskaya gave a lecture about her book “Stalingrad: The City of Steel.” The Battle of Stalingrad Through The Eyes Of British And American Newspapers” to students, faculty and members of the Foreign Press Centers. Hosted by the Russian Department at Hunter College and organized by RACH-C on April 9th.

The lecture was held again on April 12, hosted by Columbia University.

“The year 2013 marks the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Stalingrad, one of the greatest battles of all times and the most decisive battle of the World War II, which was crucial not only for Russia itself, but for all the Allies in the war against the Nazis. The current book is prepared by The Foundation for Historical Outlook and is addressed to a wide range of English-speaking readers. It represents the collection of articles from British and American newspapers, such as: The New York Times, The New York Herald Tribune, The Times, Chicago Daily Tribune, Daily Boston Globe, covering the events at the Stalingrad front in 1942-1943 as well as the latest developments in the rear, the actions of the Allies and of the enemy, the state of public opinion in Russia and in the world at the time of the Battle. The book contains more than 120 unique wartime photographs from both Russian and International collections. The current publication is indeed unique, as, until the present, there have been no attempts to use the British and American wartime press as a historical source and to republish its materials as a separate edition. Besides the press materials the book also contains the foreword written by Natalia Narochnitskaya, the President of the Foundation for Historical Outlook (Moscow), and the introductory article written by Igor Nogaev, the senior research fellow of the Institute of USA and Canada of the Russian Academy of Science.