In 2016, the Zykina’s state academic folk ensemble “Russia” and the Cosmonautics Museum launched the annual experimental laboratory for composers under the leadership of the outstanding contemporary composer Dmitry Kurlyandsky. The project is called “Open space”.
The mission of the laboratory is to support the creativity of young composers through the formation of a tolerant attitude to the creative personality and promote its artistic realisation in the modern world, as well as the popularisation of works created for national orchestras. The purpose of the composers participating in the laboratory is to combine the tradition of Russian folk performance and the search for the avant-garde. The theme of the laboratory is space in contemporary art. It becomes an impulse for creating an original piece of music. Participants of the laboratory are invited to find an object or sound among the exhibits of the Cosmonautics Museum, which will serve as the basis for a future musical piece. The composers present their works annually in the performance of Zykina’s state academic folk ensemble “Russia”.
At first glance, the combination of the national Russian instruments, experimental searches of composers and space themes seems paradoxical. In fact, the cosmos, being the central idea of XX century in Russia, and folk art are equal components of the Russian national cultural code. Thoughts about the Universe has always fascinated the figures of the Russian avant-garde, as well as the ancient folk culture.
Such a contrasting connection of the national Russian instruments and space (composers are invited to fantasise about cosmic phenomena, discoveries and technical achievements, philosophical ideas of cosmism, etc.) should encourage the laboratory participants to search for individual compositional solutions and discover new opportunities for playing national instruments.