A childrens music festival was held in Irkutsk, bringing together schoolchildren, World War II veterans, and young talents for a bright gala concert. Participants performed and competed in contests on the history of music and instruments, and the luckiest received prizes and scholarships. The organizers turned the contest into a true celebration with gifts, tea, and thanks to teachers.

The gala concert was attended by primary school students from School No. 23 in the city of Irkutsk, as well as veterans of the Great Patriotic War. The schoolchildren took an active part in contests on knowledge of the history of music and musical instruments. The luckiest and most quick-witted received commemorative prizes.
The festival opened with a performance by accordionist Danil Serov. At the age of 7, a first-grade student at the regional music school had already become a scholarship recipient for 2012.
Boris Rozhansky, General Director of Asia Music (the company that founded the children's festival):
- Everyone sitting in the hall today has their own talents and abilities. This does not necessarily mean an interest in music and success in this field. But today everyone can see those who are making an effort and achieving results. We very much hope that this example will give you strength for your own achievements.
In the concert program, it was possible to hear “Pepita’s Song” from Isaac Dunayevsky’s operetta “The Free Wind” twice. First performed by Tamara Gyulmamedova, then sung by Kristina Ravenkova. In the end, both girls, with this well-chosen piece, became scholarship recipients, receiving the same number of points from the jury. The audience also greatly enjoyed the theatrical performance by the guitar ensemble of Children’s Music School No. 5.
Despite the fact that the festival is, in essence, a competition, the organizers try to make every concert a celebration for all participants. The festival begins with candies on the registration table and balloons in the assembly hall. After the performances, there is a traditional tea party, a set of music notebooks as a gift, and a certificate for a cash prize for each participant. The organizers also noted the efforts of the teachers: they were presented with letters of appreciation for preparing the musicians for the festival.
Based on materials from the press service of the administration of the city of Irkutsk