IT'S ALWAYS INTERESTING TO MEET WITH A HUMAN, THE HIGH CREATIVE POTENTIAL OF WHICH HARMONIOUSLY COMBINES WITH THE ORIGINAL TALENT OF THE ORGANIZER. I AM SURE THAT MARINA ZAMFIR, DIRECTOR OF MUSIC SCHOOL "ELITE MUSIC INSTITUTE" IN ABU-DABI, IS EXACTLY SUCH A WOMAN.
We sit in the green well-kept courtyard of the school, drink coffee, and Marina talks about herself. She comes from the glorious Russian city of Voronezh. Her mother dreamed of a career as a pianist for her daughter, so Marina began to study music at the age of six, and after the eighth grade she entered the Voronezh Musical College named after Rostropovich is one of the oldest and most prestigious secondary professional institutions in Russia.
A lot of good remained in the memory of that time - participation in competitions, tours and an unforgettable first performance, accompanied by the Voronezh Chamber Orchestra.
Her teacher at the school was O.D. Milman, a representative of the old Russian piano school. For many years in his classes, he helps students not only master the technique of playing the instrument, but also always tries to reveal their personal creative potential and find an individual style of performance. And most importantly, what he teaches beginner musicians is professionally related to work, to be able to set goals and achieve them.
It was thanks to her mentor that Marina Zamfir realized how wonderful it was to discover the wonderful world of music for children - a multifaceted, vibrant and wonderful world. After graduating from college, she remained working as a teacher in the music school of her native city. In parallel, she was educated as a lawyer, and then His Majesty Chance abandoned her in Abu Dhabi.
The world of music for children!
In the UAE capital, Marina taught at a local school for several years. Over time, she realized that the standards of music education in the Emirates are very different from those adopted in Russia. Endless reflections on how to change this system, how to help talented children realize their giftedness, led her to a new goal - to create a school, teaching in which will be modeled on Russian schools.
Having finally decided, Marina Zamfir began to look for all possible ways to implement her idea, she was simply obsessed with this idea, went to bed with her and got up every morning. The first step to promoting your dream is to obtain a license to open a music institution, and then find a suitable room, and again a happy occasion! In April 2006, she was offered to head a music school, whose financial affairs were in a deplorable state. And so, three months before the end of the school year, the first lessons of Marina at the Elite Music Institute took place. At that time, the school had only 15 students and only one teacher - she herself. Nevertheless, in early June, a reporting concert was held, after which it became clear that Marina was on the right track.
The next academic year, 54 students began to take classes, and it was a real success! And then the most difficult began, it was necessary to prove to both children and their parents, and officials of the Ministry of Culture, that in addition to regular classes in the specialty, such items as solfeggio, choir, music literature are an integral part of full-fledged music education. It took three years, but the result was worth it. Now a full seven-year course in music education has been introduced at the Elite Music Institute, which distinguishes it from all similar educational institutions in Abu Dhabi, in addition to the piano, classes for playing the violin and guitar have opened.
Talents and fans
At present, over 100 children of different nationalities are studying at the school, most of which remain faithful to it from the very moment of its foundation. We managed to achieve a lot. Pupils regularly take part in various competitions, including international ones (for example, the F. Chopin Competition in Kuwait). A great achievement for one of the pupils of Marina Zamfir was the first prize at the Young Talent Competition, held in the UAE.
Following its principles, it organizes trips to Russia for the most talented students to the Summer School at the Moscow Conservatory. P.I. Tchaikovsky, where famous Russian teachers conduct master classes. At the end of the training, a traditional gala concert is held, the participants of which always include children from the Abu Dhabi music school.
A special event happened a few years ago - for the first time, young musicians from the Elite Music Institute had to play accompanied by an orchestra, and now the school principal annually invites the Voronezh Folk Instruments Orchestra to the United Arab Emirates, accompanied by her students. Another such concert was held at the National Theater on December 1, 2011 and was dedicated to the 40th anniversary of the UAE.
Marina Zamfir expresses special gratitude to her colleagues - teachers Lyudmila Ramadan (piano and choir), Zulimina Gritsenko (piano), Liliya Ostapchuk (violin) and Peter Davidovsky (piano). With their help, she was able to go this way and achieve such results.
In 2011, the Elite Music Institute celebrated its fifth anniversary, and, looking back, Marina thinks that much of the planned has been realized, but no less awaits her ahead, because she dreams of creating the first state music school in Abu Dhabi. And I'm sure she will succeed!
