Dead on takeoff

10.04.2017

Soloist of the Alexandrov Ensemble wrote about her colleagues on April 10, 2017, society, Sergey Taranov.

This material edition of “New Izvestiya” received, as they say, “by gravity” – from the former soloist of the Alexandrov Ensemble Natalia Ustinovich. At the call of heart and soul the artist remembers her friends and colleagues who died on December 25 in the crash of Tu-154 in Sochi.

Shortly after the incident, the horrific crash in Sochi on 25-th of December 2016, the year one of the journalists turned to me with a request to give an interview regarding the incident of the tragedy. Because of the surging grief, my answers were incoherent, I could not concentrate, I was choked with tears…

I remember that the last question to me in our conversation was the question of what I remember most of all after the years, working as a soloist in the Alexandrov Ensemble. At the same time, a flurry of memories flooded over me, and of such power that I only had the strength to answer: “I Remember everything! Life in the Ensemble is a very happy time!».

After this piercing sad interview time, days and nights went by, and memories of one of the most beautiful periods of my creative, and just life did not give me any rest… Pictures of life in the Ensemble were constantly standing in front of my eyes … Lines of sentences, one after another, lay down in my thoughts in straight rows, turning into the story below…

What did they leave in my memory, my colleagues, friends, comrades, now tragically departed from us?..

As if in reality now I see them young, beautiful, full of strength, full of plans for the future … How could all this happen?!…

I can’t believe…

Vladimir Brodsky

Honored. art. Russia Vladimir Brodsky (glasses)

I met with Vladimir Arkadievich when applying for a job in the Ensemble…

In appointed day and time I came in the building of the Ensemble, climbed on the second floor, as it was agreed with leadership of a famous Musical Group over the telephone. From some unknown door of the office a man with glasses on came up to me with a hurried step without much enthusiasm and offered to go to the rehearsal room of the Ensemble, while adding: “Useless idea. Women-singers, and good singers, also from musical theaters to audition for all the years came into the ensemble a lot, but the staff we didn’t hire anybody. However, one singer in the state we have in the ensemble still there, but she never sings with the orchestra and choir, never goes with the team on tour. She has her own individual creative program. Sometimes she’s singing pop backing, sometimes used by the master accompanist. (Later I met and became friends with this talented soloist and musician, a great man, Honored artist of Russia Tatyana Deryabkina.) Among the musicians, – continued Vladimir Arkadyevich, – we have essentially the same men: in the choir, and among the soloists, and in the orchestra – a strict male team. Only in the dance group we traditionally have women. As singers, we sometimes disposable to be included in their concerts or malagnini tour”. “And I’ll take it,” I smiled in the affirmative.

“Well, let’s hear it now,” he replied, looking at me in surprise over his glasses. I sang first a folk song, then a romance, then Opera arias … Vladimir Arkadievich wonderfully accompanied, scattering beads on the keyboard, lowering his head and not uttering a word. I didn’t know what to think. And suddenly he raises his head with glowing eyes and somehow stingy, business-like says:”Come on such a day, you will sing with the orchestra in front of the whole team.”

And, fortunately, that appointed day the collective voted for me unanimously!

And I came to the Alexandrov ensemble, loved and admired by me since childhood, because I am the granddaughter of Grandparents-Heroes, one of whom went to the front as a volunteer during the great Patriotic war of 1941-1945 despite the reservation. She was given to him because of his high leadership position. He had 2 higher education (a rare case for that time) and was needed to work in the rear. My Grandfather heroically died on October 2, 1941, when he raised the soldiers in the attack, protecting Leningrad from the Nazi invaders (as it is written in the “funeral”). The other Grandfather was in the military. Being a highly qualified specialist, he trained pilots, bomber pilots on high-speed 3-month courses. He finished the war with the orders (three of which –the order of the red Star) and numerous medals, such as the medal “for military Merit”, medals “for Impeccable Service”, medals for valiant work, medals for each Anniversary of the Victory over Nazi Germany and many others. Many other men from our big family gave their lives for their Homeland, and some of them returned with state awards on their chests!

Therefore, the family of our military songs loved, they sang and, of course, loved the Alexandrov ensemble. My work in the ensemble is a tribute to My Grandfathers-Heroes.

Began working days… Vladimir Arkadyevich did not depart from me, in everything helped me that it was easier and quicker to get used to collective, to learn and rehearse the necessary works for solo work. Aria Eboli from the Opera don Carlos by Giuseppe Verdi was orchestrated especially for me (thanks to Vyacheslav Alekseevich Korobko, chief conductor and hood. leader of the ensemble at the time) and other vocal works. Began rehearsals, concerts, tour. in General, – life in ensemble.

It should be noted that Volodya treated all the vocalists of the ensemble so paternally, especially the newcomers. Almost all the soloists are singers who started working in the ensemble as chorus artists. And this is a great merit of Vladimir Brodsky. He did a lot with them individually, helping them to hone their vocal skills.

Our working relationship with Vladimir Arkadievich has turned into a real creative friendship. We have developed a decent joint repertoire, which is sometimes used in the ensemble, for example, in one of the concert programs in the Cultural center of the Armed forces of the Ministry of Defense on its legendary stage.

He accompanied me sometimes in foreign trips (for example, in one of the trips to the Czech Republic), amazing the audience and listeners with his virtuoso performance, his incomprehensible talent of concertmaster, subtly feeling the individuality of each soloist. Once on tour, the accompaniment was in four hands with the participation of one great pianist. Such leaders are very few. Few internationally. And the team was incredibly lucky that one of them worked in the ensemble. A. V. Alexandrov. The success of the team as a whole largely depended on his professional, extremely talented activity.

And anyway, I’d like to add about Vladimir (since it mostly appealed to the team, I always continued to call him by name-a patronymic, not realizing the causes of this fact. Now, I understand, it happened at the subconscious level, in view of the deepest respect for this great Master and Man)

The life of Vladimir Arkadyevich is still interesting and the fact that he is not the first of the Brodsky family worked in this team. The first was his father, a soloist of the choir, who was employed by Alexandrov himself (!), so Volodya was one of the few hereditary Alexandrova and very proud of it, but not boasted. He could have made a world solo career as a pianist, but until the end he was devoted to this creative organization, treating it as a father’s home and as a native child at the same time. All events in the ensemble, his luck and difficulties took to heart. Always generated new creative ideas, was glad to the embodiment of original compositions as the child. The house of Vladimir Abramovich is a huge collection of CDs with the world’s unique masterpieces. He often gave me a chance to listen to some of them, for example, my favorite Opera singers…

And Vladimir Arkadyevich has a daughter Mashenka – a young promising pianist, a very talented girl who sometimes looked to her father for work. We know her. It is very good that she also came to the team of alexandrovites to continue the Brodsky dynasty in the third generation. Have Vladimir Abramovich and little grandson, who probably will say its a good creative word in the Twice red banner! Especially now it has become so significant…

Andrei Sonnikov

Deputy Director of the ensemble Alexandrova, Colonel Andrei V. Sonnikov.

Andrei V. Sonnikov … Deputy Director of the ensemble for educational work, Colonel. Intelligent, strict, and in some degree responsible for the job they do, self-possessed, reticent Russian officer, honest in the highest sense of the word… In the team he is very respected, and many feared, mean young kids aleksandrovets: so Andrey was a model of perfection in all – a wonderful family man (his wife is a former employee of the ensemble, its chief accountant in the past, Lydia A. Sannikova) and the service-professional.

Interesting and surprising for me was the fact that Andrei and I were countrymen born in the same city, our childhood city, a beautiful and beloved Kazakh city of Aktobe (now Aktobe). Lived there in the neighboring streets I was on the Avenue of Victory – street of Kirov and met, working in an ensemble. In the process, I learned Andrei Valentinovich, as a kind, gentle, somewhere a little sentimental person.

Once, being on tour abroad, I, as usual, was allocated a wonderful, very comfortable hotel room. But as it turned out, quite noisy. The windows looked out on a very busy roadway. A couple of days later, Andrei noticed that my eyes were somewhat swollen and turned red. He asked if I had caught a cold by offering to use drugs in the ensemble’s first-aid kit, if necessary. I reassured Andrew that everything is fine with me, admitting that I just do not get enough sleep because of the noisy hotel room. Andrew immediately immediately gave me a magnetic card (key)
from his number, taking my magnetic card to myself. Unlocking was useless. To my question “Andrei, how are you?”, Andrei Valentinovich answered: “Remember, first of all, the administration I belong to is necessary for organizing the work of artists, and not the artists for the work of the administration. This is an immutable law. Besides, I, after all, a man, – he smiled, – and, moreover, a military man, and most importantly – your countryman! Well, seriously, ”he continued,“ in relation to His Majesty the Woman, the old people and children are judged on the country as a whole, on the degree of its development and civilization, ”which means it is about respect for the country. Russia deserves it! And the soloist of Alexandrovtsi is the face of the ensemble! Men of the Red Banner must wear it in their arms! ”He laughed altogether.

I must say, on arrival, Lida, Andrey’s wife, highly appreciated the noble deed of her husband and was very proud of him. After this incident, we became even closer to her.

And on that day, on tour in Poland, our conversation continued … to admit, I was very pleased to hear such arguments of my countryman. He reflected: “In general, it’s very good that we have a singer in the state. It’s like a breath of wind, like a breath of fresh air for the ensemble. A female solo voice noticeably diversifies the concert repertoire of Aleksandrovtsi, moreover, when the soloist is as wonderful as you, he smiled, and the very presence of the girl soloist somehow mobilizes, inspires, keeps in tone all the strict male team. ”

Here I also added enthusiastically: “Andrei, after all, not only men, but also women, have defended the world in Russia for centuries. And how many artists have been on the front line with concerts for soldiers during the Great Patriotic War! Recall Lydia Ruslanova, Claudia Shulzhenko, Lyubov Orlova, and many, many other female singers. So, in the ensemble there must be soloists – women! – I reasoned with all vehemence, – And why, so far, the Red Banners did not have their full-time singer?

“So, the time has come right now, for the Aleksandrovites to have their own soloist. And it was you who managed to break this gap, it is you who are our first soloist, ”the deputy director of the ensemble significantly summarized.

I remember this conversation forever … A very important conversation, in my opinion. This topic is also important for today, when the Alexandrov Ensemble is holding a competition to fill the vacant positions of soloists and other artists after this terrible tragedy, after the crash of TU-154 in the Sochi region on December 25, 2016. I, as the first soloist in the staff of the ensemble, really want to believe that again the Red Banner will have a female soloist and maybe not one!

… I learned that Andrei was supposed to fly to Syria on the first flight that reached the destination safely, but this time he gave up his seat on the plane to a young man who had a birthday and he was in a hurry to go back home to Moscow to mark an event with the family. Andrey flew the second flight, which turned out to be fatal …

And this was all Andrew … He left an adult son and daughter.

Photographer’s comment: I, in my time, unfortunately, had to leave work in the ensemble. For family reasons. Worsened the health of the mother. Long touring was no longer for me. This decision was not easy for me, but … Mom is the most precious thing in the life of every person.

Life does not stand still, everything flows, everything changes, as they say. Some artists leave (for different reasons), others come, replenishing their ranks. But the Alexandrov Ensemble lives and will always live! On that we stand and we will stand! And there are no former Red Banners, they are always real, because “Aleksandrovets” is a constant quantity!

Victor Sanin

Victor Vasilyevich Sanin … Honored Artist of Russia … A wonderful, touching person, in a word, “The Sunman-person rolls into the soul”, as my grandmother used to say about very good people. The professional, the vocalist of the highest level, whose stage skills were fascinating, Victor was very modest, easy to talk to, incredibly charming. As a devoted friend, always came to the rescue. All to his last cell was woven from music. Records, headphones – always with you. In the buses, while on tour, I constantly listened to my favorite singers, the brightest vocalists of the world opera stage. I also let them listen to me, sharing my opinion on the features of the vocal technique of each of them. I remember once on tour in Poland, in early spring, after a regular concert, with our close soloists, as they say, the soloists, Vladimir Arkadyevich Brodsky, our irreplaceable accompanist, as always, with us, celebrated the birthday of Vadik Ananyev, the famous to the whole world “Mr. Kalinka.” Vitya revealed that evening also as a great connoisseur and lover of poetry. He told me that his twin sister, his beloved niece, and other relatives lived in Canada, which misses him very much, living in different countries … He spoke a lot about art … I felt then a kindred soul in him, I saw in him a deep and sophisticated man soul, kind and romantic, bright, absolutely devoted to music … 3 days after the disaster, on December 28, Vitya would celebrate his birthday … Victor has a wife, Victoria, whom he loved very much …

Ivan Stolyar

Сity of Brussels. Natalya Ustinovich with duet partner, soloist of the ensemble Ivan Stolyar

When I first heard Vanya Stolyar sing, I immediately understood: this is a worthy change for the soloist of the ensemble, the greatest bass of modernity (I say this without a shadow of exaggeration), Nar. art. Of Russia Gavva Valeriy Nikolayevich – a veteran of the famous team. His voice will enter the treasury of world vocal art. And how fortunate that this outstanding bass went to the Alexandrov Ensemble! Until now, listening to the recordings of Valery Nikolayevich’s performances, I don’t get tired to admire the beauty of his timbre, the power of his voice, his vocal technique, his stage skills!

This is my opinion shared by Ivan. We talked a lot about the performance skills of Gawwa, talking with Vanya, when he went from solo to choir soloists, began singing in concerts of the ensemble already solo, and in some concert programs we began to sing a duet. Ivan eagerly tried to learn from the stage experience of the senior master. And it was his most talented follower! He had not only excellent vocal, a beautiful timbre, reminiscent of Shalyapinsky, polished vocal technique, but was also very emotional, authentic on stage! Without a doubt, Ivan Stolyar is a rare talent, long-awaited joy for music lovers and connoisseurs, for spectators and listeners of the most respected and prestigious concert halls of the world! His singing was fascinating! He wanted to listen and listen! I want to hear this soulful voice now. Well, that left a record …

I was lucky to learn Ivan not only as a great performer, partner in the scene, but also just as a great guy, a good friend. Jokes, laughter, humor – over the edge! I learned that he and the perfect family man. I was … I will not forget how the three of us, with Vanya and Zhenya Smirnov, an artist of the choir, in Belgium, Brussels, on the day of the ensemble’s departure by evening plane after the tour, having talked, decided to walk around the city and go shopping, so as always, to buy Relatives and friends to remember something about the beautiful hospitable capital and other cities of the visited country. How Vanya chose gifts for his beloved wife, other family members, as he was looking for the best toys for his little son, with what interest and with what love! This was a must see!

Now Ivan already has three sons. They can be proud of their Dad …

Pavel Zhuravlyov

Ensemble soloist Pavel Zhuravlyov

We met Pavel in the Moscow State University of Arts and Culture (today IPCC), the vocal faculty of which both graduated. There we took part in student concerts of the University, sang with his orchestras. He sang his repertoire, I sang. Communicated. Pavel was a unique vocalist, the owner of the richest baritone with a velvet timbre. The strongest voice. And vocal technique! Restrained, intelligent manner of performance. He was a very competent musician, besides, an excellent pianist – accompanist. They say about these: “Fount of knowledge!”

I am sure that such a vocalist would get the best opera houses in the world with pleasure. And he chose an ensemble. Paul, in essence, was a very modest guy, about becoming famous, did not think, it was not his end in itself. It was very pleasant to communicate with him. As a musician, Pavel Zhuravlev was a very erudite person, he knew a lot, could tell a lot, could argue, prove his case. As it turned out, among the mezzo-soprano, his favorite performer was the American opera singer of the 20th century (1897-1993) Marian Anderson, who had a real contralto in the lower register. To me, this opinion of Pasha regarding low female voices was especially important and interesting, because my voice is also mezzo. Pavel admired the interpretation of this dark-skinned singer of her works, her phrasing and the nuance of the vocal line. We talked a lot, besides that, Paul knew how to be a caring friend …

Undoubtedly, Pavel Zhuravlev is the pride of the vocal faculty of MGUKI (now IPCC), his immature fledgling in the past, fostered with love within the walls of our native alma mater and, as a result, turned into a proud, majestic bird – a magnificent crane … Paul highly appreciated as vocalist, and Head of the Department of the Vocal Faculty of the University, People’s Artist of Russia, Mikhail Ivanovich Demchenko (in whose class I received a higher vocal education). Pasha was loved and respected by both faculty and students. He will always be remembered! By decision of the Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation Vladimir Medinsky in memory of Pavel Zhuravlev and 13 other graduates and students of the IPCC (MGUKI) who died in the TU-154 crash near Sochi, a memorial plaque was installed and opened on the building of the university on February 2, 2017.

Viktor Mikhalin

The soloist of the ballet ensemble Viktor Mikhalin, the famous “story

Another graduate of our University (now IPCC) is the soloist of the dance group of the ensemble Aleksandrova Viktor Mikhalin. You do not need to be a professional in the field of ballet and dance to understand that the guy was incredibly talented. He shook the viewer with his solo numbers, his famous “raznozhka” (twine in the air) with an inimitable highly jump.

When he was 15 years old, he was accepted into the studio of the State Academic Folk Dance Ensemble of Russia named after Igor Moiseyev, where he was noticed and invited to cooperate by Mikhail Lavrovsky himself (!), And Viktor chose the Aleksandrov ensemble.

Vitya was wonderful, somewhere a bit shy, bright person. All hung up with photo-video equipment on tour, always helped me to deal with mine, explaining when and what buttons to press, sometimes even repairing something on the go. Such he was: “Vitya – Golden Hands and Golden Heart”. This will always be in our hearts!

Vitya has a young child …

Sergey Kotlyar

Artist of the choir of the ensemble Sergey Kotlyar

Vladislav Golikov

Ensemble soloist Vladislav Golikov

We became friends with Sergey when we both served in the NI Sats MGADMT.

When we recruited new singers for the vocal troupe of the theater and auditioned on its main stage, I, being in the auditorium with my colleagues, from a multitude of applicants, noted him, Sergey, as a highly skilled talented singer with a very beautiful voice. As a contestant, Seryozha sang then Onegin’s aria from the opera by P. I. Tchaikovsky “Eugene Onegin” and classical romances. And it was an impressive performance!

Other artists of the theater expressed the same opinion. I even remember what Sergei looked like that day – it was a tall, well-built, very, well, very thin young man with pitch black hair over his shoulders and a white sweater with a high collar (in the ensemble, Sergey already looked like a dense, powerful physique as an adult man , quite unlike that timid boy in the walls of the Temple of Arts on Vernadsky Avenue). Everywhere there were replicas of artists, especially theater artists: “What a beautiful guy and how beautiful she sings!” When Sergey was accepted into the troupe, I was very glad that this voice would now be heard on the stage of our legendary theater, which was founded by the outstanding woman Natalia Ilinichna Sats.

Work has begun. We talked a lot with Sergey, talked about vocal technique, sometimes we worked together in rehearsal cabinets, left for our favorite singing, and sometimes we talked. We were bound by the tender friendship of two colleagues who fanatically loved the vocal art. I want him to become a good singer. And he did it! His mother can be proud of her son! Vladislav Golikov, whom I, unfortunately, didn’t meet. Vladislav Golikov came to the ensemble after me. I do it on television and they make a deep impression on me. Kakafa from the opera Turandot by Giacomo Puccini is worth something! Without a doubt, Vladislav was a very successful change to the soloist of the ensemble of the older generation, Nar. art. Russia to Vasily Ivanovich Stefuz, our beloved tenor, a veteran of the ensemble who explodes from enthusiastic sources, applauded the entire planet for 40 years from his work in the Alexandrov ensemble. His star-high, endlessly long top note in the same Calaf seemed to pierce the skies and shake the public’s imagination. Aleksandrovtsy with their concert programs, met and escorted Vasily Ivanovich on the stage standing. I had to repeat in my fate …

Sergey and Vladislav were married people. They have two small children left.

Lyubov Guzhova

Hong Kong. Costumers Alina Ivashko (lost) and Lyubov Guzhova

About the Good Hostess of the ensemble, costume, Honored Worker of Culture, the lead singer of the ballet ensemble in the past, Love Guzhova can talk for a long time and endlessly … What an amazing, kind-hearted man it was! I want me to look irresistible! I love to take care of every artist. They just adored! How did our Lyubushka-Golubushka-Magic Pens tried and did everything so that the ensemble would look both on the stage, and on the video, and on the photo superbly, in the best light!

Lyuba was a gentle, romantic, smiling and very modest man. How many times we went on tour and back home, to Moscow … We talked about everything, laughed, laughed …

It is important to add that Lyubov Alexandrovna is a representative of the great friendship of Alexander’s family, which lost in the terrible TU-154 crash, even as part of one of their relatives, members of the national dynasty and director of the ensemble, People’s Artist of Russia Vyacheslav Yermolin. For many years of fruitful creative work, for his contribution to the development of culture and professionalism, President of Russia Vyacheslav Ivanovich Yermolin was awarded the Order of Friendship state awards, and was also awarded a large number of medals and thanks. His daughter Xenia, the soloist of the dance group of the ensemble, wrote about her father: “He loved his profession very much. Versus truly served his beloved ensemble until the end of his days. And all this was written in the ensemble, first by the soloist of the ballet, and then by the costume of the outstanding collective. He continues to work now. In this December tragedy of 2016, Lena lost both her sister and husband, with whom he lived all his life, and his life, and his daughter, Ksyusha, a talented dancer, with whom her husband (also Alexander) and two young children, one of whom Born Two months before the tragic events … Lyuba still has a daughter, Katenka (soloist of the group’s ballet) and beloved grandchildren … I believe that the Alexander dynasty of a wonderful family, wonderful people will be replenished by new generations!

Alina Ivashko

Nikolaev have the brightest memories … I would like to tell the main mom of the ensemble about this. He was very serious, ready to discuss, to keep women at ease. I remembered Alina as a very kind, emotional person capable of cordial frankness … Later, Alina Nikolaevna moved to the position of costume designer. Her son also works in the ensemble.

Andrey Savelyev

Andrew … angelic soul man! A guy with creative ambitions, talented! A generous man, with exquisite manners, incredibly tactful and charming. For a period of time, Andryusha left the Ensemble, built his solo career. And it succeeded! Having a powerful voice (tenor) of the most beautiful tender timbre and possessing amazing vocal technique, he was the soloist in many Opera Theaters of Russia, as well as in the near and far abroad, collaborated and communicated with many Stars of the world opera stage. Everything was great! But, nevertheless, the soul stretched back to its native ensemble … Everyone loved him … Andrew had a teenage son, Daniel, a magnificent professional figure skater …

Natalya Ustinovich with artists of the choir and soloist of the ensemble Andrey Saveliev (dead) to her right

Anatoly Sokolovsky

Tolya … A wonderful guy, a merry fellow, an unmatched friend who can support both in word and deed of a friend in a difficult moment. Great driver, virtuoso driver! I know this firsthand. And, of course, the vocalist is a professional, totally devoted to the military music theme. Tolya had a light character, it was a pleasure to communicate with him. I remember, on tour, it happened, it would suit me, I would embrace fraternally and with a daring voice say: “Natalia! Uh-uh! Hang on, our beauty! ”Once, in Hong Kong, we talked after the concert … Tolik admitted that he misses his home, his family, his beloved wife and his beloved sons – he hadn’t seen them for almost a month. He said to me with such a warm, radiant smile on his face: “Natasha, and you know what my wife is, what kind of boys … I will never give me any offense! Sometimes, the youngest will run up to his wife, pull her hand and demand: “Mom, do not hurt pa-a-pu! He is GOOD with us! ”And we both laughed … Yes … it was … Actually, Anatoly was very gentle, kind, I would even say, a shy person, very decent and honest. They say about such people: “I would go out with him in reconnaissance …”

Hong Kong. Natalia Ustinovich with choir artist Anatoly Sokolovsky

Dmitry Babovnikov and Oleg Korzanov

Friends – do not spill water, even though they worked, as they say, in different creative workshops. Dima was an artist of the choir, and Oleg was an artist of a dance group. At first, I even thought that Dima was also a ballet dancer, because he was often surrounded by our favorite dancers, moreover, he was so wonderfully built … Sometimes, on tour, he would run up to help me with a travel bag … Such a Soul-Boyfriend! (I have to thank many and many Aleksandrovtsy guys for such help-care, some of them, unfortunately, are no longer among us …)

Hong Kong. Choir Artist Dmitry Babovnikov

Once, on a tour in China, before the evening concert, an interesting conversation ensued between the three of us, we wandered around the most beautiful area around the hotel where the ensemble lived, and did not notice how we were at the pools. The guys, of course, did not pass by. I accidentally had a camera with me, and I photographed my friends. Here they were so … funny, mischievous, with an open heart for good deeds. And most importantly, they loved Life, loved Art, loved their Ensemble, loved their Homeland!

Hong Kong. Ballet Performer Oleg Korzanov

Together with Oleg, his wife Katya, also a ballet dancer, died in a plane crash. Now their four-year-old son will be raised by a grandfather …

Dima has a preschool daughter left …

Valery Khalilov

I would like to express my admiration, infinite respect, say a lot of warm words to Valery Mikhailovich Khalilov, an amazing Person, an eminent Musician, a unique Person with whom I was lucky to be familiar, communicate through work and even in an informal setting at the holiday table, celebrating Victory Day with the staff of the Moscow Military Conservatory., where I worked. A lot of very good words about him are written in the press, said from television screens, the best ones and you will not find … but still, nevertheless, all the same …

Khalilov brothers

What a Man it was! Man – Lump! Man – Giant!

I remembered Valery Mikhailovich as a man of iron will, exceptional decency, endurance, gentlemanly courtesy, an indisputable leader and, at the same time, an incredibly charming, smiling, with sparkling eyes, boyishly gambling …

So I left it in my memory… And I will always remember all this!