Apogee Awards 25 Prizes and Grants to the Rising Stars of Russia's Music World at the Crescendo Festival in St. Petersburg

The Apogee Foundation, an international nonprofit dedicated to the development of human excellence in the performing arts, has awarded prizes to more than 20 of Russia's most gifted young musicians at the premier festival featuring the nation's next generation of musical talent in St. Petersburg, and has implemented its Excellence Award programs at the leading music training institution in the region.

New York, April 18, 2006 (eMediaWire, PRWeb and PressBox) – The Apogee Foundation has awarded prizes to more than 20 of Russia's most gifted young musicians at the Crescendo Festival in St. Petersburg. The Crescendo Festival is the nation's premier event demonstrating that the celebrated "Russian School of Performance" continues to thrive and produce world class musical talent among the country's younger generation.

Violin prodigy Dmitrij Smirnov in his prize winning performance during the Crescendo Festival on the stage of St. Petersburg's Philharmonic Hall. On the basis of his extraordinary musical talent, an Apogee jury awarded Smirnov the Foundation's Rising Star Award as well as an Apogee Merit Scholarship for the 2006/2007 academic year. Click image to enlarge

Recognizing and supporting the stars of tomorrow today has been the core of Apogee's mission and activities around the world for nearly a decade. This series of awards at the Crescendo Festival are the first fruits of a strategic partnership between the Foundation and its sister institution Noviye Imena, a Russia based organization promoting young musical talent. This unique, international partnership is designed to identify and promote the rising stars of Russia's music world throughout the nation. The awards were presented by Apogee President Kenneth Schneider on stage in St. Petersburg's Philharmonic Hall before a full audience on 13 April 2006.

At the conclusion of the concert cycle, an Apogee jury additionally selected violin prodigy Dmitrij Smirnov as the outstanding performer of the event, entitling him to receive a special edition of Apogee's Rising Star Award as well as an Apogee Merit Scholarship in support of his continued training at the Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory Music School, the leading institution of its kind in the St Petersburg region. Each of these awards carry with it ongoing financial, educational and career support from The Apogee Foundation. Exactly one week later, Smirnov won First Prize in the 1st David Oistrakh International Violin Competition in Moscow, once again proving Apogee's unaparalleled abilities to identify and foster the world's most gifted performing artists from the earliest stages of their careers.

Apogee President Kenneth Schneider with Valentina Fedoseyeva (right) and Natalya Ushakova (left): the Director and Deputy Director of the Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory Music School in St. Petersburg, Russia. Apogee collaborates with the world's premier performing arts training institutions to help gifted artists achieve their fullest potential. Click image to enlarge

Immediately after the conclusion of the Crescendo Festival, Apogee President Kenneth Schneider and Apogee's Regional Representative for the Russian Federation, Boris Egorov, met with the administration and faculty of the Rimsky-Korsakov School, where Smirnov studies. After touring the facilities, observing performances and consulting with the School's directors, the Foundation agreed to immediately begin implementation of its full program of Excellence Awards for the school's top students and instructors.

Noviye Imena President Ivetta Voronova said: "We are delighted to partner with The Apogee Foundation in identifying and fostering Russia's most promising musical talent. Our organizations share a common vision and record of success in developing artistic excellence, which can be amplified by this partnership."

Apogee President Kenneth Schneider (center left) with Noviye Imena founder and president Ivetta Voronova (center right) at the 2006 Crescendo Festival press conference, together with representatives of the Government of St Petersburg, the Philharmonic Hall and event sponsor Coca Cola. Apogee forms strategic partnerships with public and private agencies around the globe to fulfill its mission of promoting world class excellence in the performing arts. Click image to enlarge

Apogee President Kenneth Schneider said: "Our Foundation is privileged to have these opportunities to recognize and support such gifted individuals who represent such rich traditions of excellence. We are particularly honored to do so in collaboration with institutions of the caliber of Noviye Imena and the Rimsky-Korsakov School. Investing in these awesome talents and legacies is certain to create a better future not only for Russia but for the entire world."

For more information in English on Apogee's award programs, please see the Foundation's website: http://www.ApogeeFoundation.org/awards/index.php

To view this news release with full photographic content, in printer friendly format, and to obtain translations into other languages as they become available, please refer to the Foundation's website: http://www.ApogeeFoundation.org/awareness/2005-2006/rising_stars_music.php

About The Apogee Foundation ®

The Apogee Foundation began activities in Russia in 1997 and was incorporated in the United States in 2004 as a New York based not-for-profit corporation. Apogee is dedicated to the development of human excellence in the performing arts. It supports cultural institutions and individual artists, providing administrative, promotional, and financial support to help talented individuals achieve their full potential, and enabling this potential to be showcased to the world.

© The Apogee Foundation ® Achieving the Potential of Human Excellence in the Performing Arts

Contact
Kenneth Schneider, Apogee President
1001 Avenue of the Americas, 12th Floor
New York, NY 10018-5460 (USA)
+1.646.233.4350 or +1.888.APOGEE.8
Fax: +1.646.292.5101
www.ApogeeFoundation.org

Direct newswire links
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PressBox (UK): http://www.pressbox.co.uk/detailed/Arts/Apogee_Awards_22_Prizes_and_
Grants_to_the_Rising_Stars_of_Russia_s_Music_World_at_the_Crescendo_Fest_69042.html