Brest music school was opened in 1939. The lessons were organized in two specialties: piano and mandolin. 75 people were enrolled. The graduate of Leningrad conservatoire Shubik Grigory Yefimovich was the first headmaster of the school, and Demchenko Nikolay Alekseyevich who had studied at Warsaw conservatoire was the first head of the curriculum department.

Excellent teachers came to Brest: Ye.M. Dobrotvorskaya, F.M. Sergeyenko, V.M. Assing, G.I. Baumstein, N.N. Karinski, I.Ya. Shubskaya, M.Ye. Minster, B.N. Kandisbrat, N.M. Sheyko. New instruments were mastered. Classes of violin, bayan, violoncello, accordion, guitar, and domra were opened. A special group for g i fte d children and a pre-school group for 5-6-year children were created.

A . Kh. Alekseyenko was at the head of the school in 1950, and in 1951 it was headed by M.G. Solopov, now an honored culture worker of the BSSR, an honored art worker of the Republic of Belarus, a professor of the Bclarusian academy of music.

Children's teams began their artistic path: an orchestra of folk instruments, an orchestra of bayan-players, a string unison, a string orchestra, instrumental bands.

A new stage in the school's development began with the coming of the talented musician, the graduate of Tbilisi conservatoire, the honored culture worker of the BSSR Manucharov Konstantin Leonidovich, who was at the head of the school for over 25 years. According to the professional training level of its students, Brest music school was found one of the best in the republic. The concerto activity was widening. New children's teams were organized: a wind orchestra and a symphony orchestra.

Nowadays, Brest children's music school No. 1 numbers 450 students and 56 pedagogues. 16 specialties are taught in 8 departments. 50-60 students graduate from school every year.

Many graduates devote their life to music and continue musical education in secondary special and higher educational institutions of art.

Many brilliant individuals who have left the school walls have gained reputation by their remarkable art. These are the laureate of the 2nd International Tchaikovsky competition, the

honored artist of Russia Anatoliy Gololobov; the people's artist of the Republic of Belarus, composer Eduard Khanok; the laureate of the 2nd All-Union M.I. Glinka vocalist competition, a participant in the 4th International Tchaikovsky competition, the honored artist of the Republic of Belarus Valeriy Kuchinski; the people's artist of Buryatia, the honored artist of Russia Boris Petiuk; the winner of the prize of the Lenin's Komsomol of Belarus, the composer Vasiliy Kondrasiuk; the composer and performer of popular songs Igor Korneliuk; the laureate of the state prize of the Republic of Belarus, the composer Vladimir Soltan; the laureate of International competitions in Poland and in France Rostislav Krimer and many others.

Brest music school No. 1 is a center of the city's cultural life. School's students and teachers carry out extensive extracurricular concert activity. Children are frequent guests at enterprises, military units, schools, and kindergartens. The school was more than once awarded diplomas and prizes for active concert activity. The school organizes its own traditional feasts: "Initiation of the first-formers", "Open House", topical evenings dedicated to the art of different composers, and festivals. School's summary concerts have become a true feast in the city.

The school is renowned for its music collectives, 5 of which bear the title "Children's Model Collective". These are the high school choir of the piano department (leader: Voytiuk L.A.), the choir of the choral department (leader: Borisiuk S.A.), the folk music group "Vyachorki" (leader: Fen' I.G.), the orchestra of folk instruments (leader: Litvinenko N.V.), and the percussion band "Tambourine" (leader Nerez'ko N.N.).

The model choir of the choral department was a laureate (1 st. place) at the International festival "Victory Salute" in Vologda (2000) participated in the choral festival "Brest Tuning Fork" (2002), was awarded a Diploma at the Republican competition о choral teams in Svetlogorsk(2003).

In 2003, the model choir of the piano department went to Moscow, where it performed at the Gnesins' Russian music academy. The choir was awarded a Prize and was highly appreciated by Moscow professors.

In 2004, the model choir of the choir department took part in festival devoted to Glinka's 200 lh anniversary in St.Petersburg. The performance was a great success and it was recognized on the Russian TV. Also the choir performed in the Hermitage National Museum о f Russia.

The school's students have successfuly performed in Belgium, Holland, Poland Germany, Russia, the Ukraine, and the Baltic States.

Throughout its entire artistic path the school has received renowned musicians. The book о honorable visitors contains the inscriptions made by the composers Dmitry Shostakovich, Mikhail Shneiderman, Nikolay Aladov, Yevgeniy Tikotski, the musicians-performers Svyatoslav

Rikhter, Lev Oborin, Dmitry Bashkirov, and Leonid Kogan.

Unforgettable meetings with talented musicians, pedagogues, artistic collectives have become traditional. Over the recent years, Children's music school No. 1 has hosted the people's artist of the USSR and the Republic of Belarus the composer Igor Luchenok; the people's artist of Russia, composer Vladimir Komarov; the people's artist of the Republic of Belarus, Professor Evgeniy Gladkov; the honored artist of the Republic of Belarus, Professor Nikolay Sevryukov; the honored artist of the Republic of Belarus, Professor Galina Osmalovskaya; the people's artist of the Republic of Belarus, Professor, rector of the Belarusian state academy of music Mikhail Kozinets.

The main thing that determines the dignity of an educational institution is the level of professional mastery. Nowadays, a big artistic team is working at the school. These are highly qualified pedagogues and concertmasters, who were more than once awarded Diplomas of the department of culture of the city executive committee; of the administration of culture of the regional executive committee; of the regional executive committee and the city executive committee; of council of people's deputies; the Ministry of culture of the Republic of Belarus, and the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus for the excellent results in the training and educational work.

Today's artistic image of the school is made up by the pedagogues Adamenko L.I., Borisiuk S.A., Voytiuk L.I., Denisiuk L.I., Kulieshova T.V., Laskovich Zh.V., Makarevich Ye.S., Masiuk T.I., Morikh I.B., Nerez'ko N.N., Novikova O.A., Sapronova I.N., Tomilchik S.V., and the entire school team whose members make their feasible contribution to the common cause of aesthetic education and professional training of children.

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For the great contribution to aesthetic education and professional training the school team was awarded a Diploma of Brest regional council of deputies, a Diploma of Brest regional executive committee (1999), and diplomas for high achievements as the best team between the cultural institutions of Brest in 2002 and 2003.

According to the results of 2002, the school was found the best music school between the children's music schools of the Brest region, and in 2003 it was awarded a Diploma of the Ministry of culture of the Republic of Belarus. In 2001, by decision of the Council of the Fund of the President of the Republic of Belarus for supporting culture and arts, Brest music school No. 1 was allotted a grant for purchasing music instruments.

The whole team of Brest children's music school No. 1 are true enthusiasts in working with children, people devoted to the cause of music education and professional attitude.

Address: 224000 Belarus, Brest, Lenin st., 37, Children's Musical School ?1

Tel./fax: 205054

Tel./fax: 8-016-2-205054 (Belarus )

Tel./fax: ( 375 ) 162-205054 (International)

E-mail: solo1-2006@yandex.ru

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