Copyright © 2024 Euromaidanpress.com

The work of Euromaidan Press is supported by the International Renaissance Foundation

When referencing our materials, please include an active hyperlink to the Euromaidan Press material and a maximum 500-character extract of the story. To reprint anything longer, written permission must be acquired from [email protected].

Privacy and Cookie Policies.

Hosting concert of Putin-supporting musicians in college in Boston “undignified,” alumni says

Protests against Putin-supporting musicians have been ongoing for three years already. Photo: Chiu Ng
Hosting concert of Putin-supporting musicians in college in Boston “undignified,” alumni says

On 2 June 2017, Russian artists, violinist-conductor Vladimir Spivakov and soprano Hibla Gerzmava, will perform at Boston’s Cutler Majestic Theater, which belongs to the renown communications and performing arts institution Emerson College. Like the performances of many other Russian artists worldwide over the last three years, the news of their appearance in Boston was received with protests. Spivakov and Gerzmanova, along with 511 other Russian cultural figures, signed a letter announcing their direct “support for the position of President of the Russian Federation regarding Ukraine and Crimea.” Dated 11 March 2014, days before Russia occupied and illegally annexed Crimea with the help of a sham referendum, it gave, and continues to give, Russian aggression in Ukraine an air of moral legitimacy. Among other famous signatories who regularly appear in the West are world-known musicians conductor Valery Gergiev, pianist Denis Matsuev, violinist Vladimir Spivakov, and saxophonist Igor Butman.

A notable protest against Spivakov’s performance took place at Harvard University in 2014, when an activist and alumni of the University disrupted the concert from the stage.

The protest group Arts against Aggression will meet concertgoers to Spivakov’s and Gerzmanova’s performance, who they call “War Boosters,” with reminders of Russia’s participation in the war in eastern Ukraine, which has killed over 10,000 and displaced 1.63 million people to date.

Among those protesting against this performance is an Emerson alumna Margarita Davydova, a citizen of Ukraine, who happened to be a former resident of the annexed Crimea and knows from her own experience what it is like to lose her home, business, and be separated from her own family. She graduated from Emerson in 2003 with a degree in Speech and Marketing Communications and is currently living in Kyiv. Her husband has gone to defend his motherland in the summer of 2014 and is now the veteran of this undeclared war of Russia against Ukraine.

Margarita has also worked at the charity fund “Save Ukraine,” helping the displaced people from Donbas and those who remained in the war zone in Eastern Ukraine.

As the group’s leader Dmitry Smelansky told Euromaidan Press, “very much disturbed by the undignified act of her alma mater and its indifference towards injustice, political crimes, and pain of millions of people, Margarita has written an open letter to the president, faculty and the whole community of Emerson College.”

We publish the letter in full.

emersonDear Mr. Pelton, As a proud Emerson alumna, a citizen of Ukraine and a former resident of the annexed Crimea, I am writing this letter to the President and Faculty of Emerson College, the whole Emerson community and the management of the Cutler Majestic Theater in regards to the upcoming performance of Vladimir Spivakov and Hibla Gerzmava on the stage of the Majestic Theater.

Emerson College has given me much more than just great education. It has also played a major role in shaping me as an individual, which I will always be deeply grateful for. Among the important things I have learned at the Emerson family are the core values and principles of a Person. Emerson College Mission Statement includes the liberal arts values that “seek to promote civic engagement, encourage ethical practices, foster respect for human diversity and inspire students to create and communicate with clarity, integrity and conviction.”

In February of 2014, armed and masked Russian troops took over the parliament of Crimea and, eventually, the entire peninsula. In March, the Russian army forces and the local terrorist organizations made an attempt to do the same in the Donbas region of Ukraine, which led to the war. Over the course of this war, continued by Russia until today, thousands and thousands of the Ukrainian people – civil, military, volunteers, medical personnel, men, women, children – have died, thousands have been wounded and held in captivity, whole towns and villages have been destroyed, over 1.5 million citizens of Ukraine have been displaced. I personally have been unable to see my family members and visit my abandoned house in Sevastopol for over 3 years, because my husband had to go to the war zone to defend his motherland, and because I communicate my views on Russia’s crimes openly with clarity and conviction, as I was taught at Emerson. I can simply be arrested and imprisoned for that on the territory of Crimea.

The whole civilized world condemned the crimes of Russia’s president and its government. Yet, there was a number of Russia’s leading artists, who signed an open letter, hailing Vladimir Putin’s actions. Vladimir Spivakov and Hibla Gerzmava were among those, who also supported this crime against humanity. Thus, in relation to Emerson’s liberal arts values, I can say that with their acts and “firm” declaration of “support for the position of Russia’s president on Ukraine and Crimea,” Mr. Spivakov and Mrs. Gerzmava encourage utterly unethical practices and support the system that not only doesn’t have respect for human diversity but never had respect for humans and their basic rights.

Moreover, they support the violation of international conventions, the unlawful annexation of another country’s territories, and the war itself. Politics do not exist without us. When people make art, they cannot make it without thinking about the world around, about the children, about the future.

Art is not an isolated part of culture. It assimilates the values of morality, religion, science, politics and law, and then projects them on the public consciousness, transforming them into art forms.

Politics serve the interests of certain groups of people and prevent the unity of humanity. Politics are always connected to a specific group’s egoism, while the real art is usually politically selfless and is driven by love towards humanity in general. Unfortunately, due to their huge power over the masses, people of art empowered with talent often become a tool of political manipulations, and it is about their moral choice to allow that or not. One of Emerson’s listed values is moral courage. Wikipedia defines it as “the courage to take action for moral reasons despite the risk of adverse consequences.”

I deeply hope that my Alma mater will preserve its values and dignified reputation.

Sincerely, Margarita Davydova (Class of 2003)

[hr]

Related:

You could close this page. Or you could join our community and help us produce more materials like this.  We keep our reporting open and accessible to everyone because we believe in the power of free information. This is why our small, cost-effective team depends on the support of readers like you to bring deliver timely news, quality analysis, and on-the-ground reports about Russia's war against Ukraine and Ukraine's struggle to build a democratic society. A little bit goes a long way: for as little as the cost of one cup of coffee a month, you can help build bridges between Ukraine and the rest of the world, plus become a co-creator and vote for topics we should cover next. Become a patron or see other ways to support. Become a Patron!

To suggest a correction or clarification, write to us here

You can also highlight the text and press Ctrl + Enter

Please leave your suggestions or corrections here



    Euromaidan Press

    We are an independent media outlet that relies solely on advertising revenue to sustain itself. We do not endorse or promote any products or services for financial gain. Therefore, we kindly ask for your support by disabling your ad blocker. Your assistance helps us continue providing quality content. Thank you!

    Related Posts

    January 1: President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko congratulated the citizens of Ukraine in Crimean Tatar, Russian and Ukrainian languages

    Maidan Community Sector, Lviv: Dear friends!

    January 1 – No Ukrainian military have died, 3 were wounded in the ATO area in the last 24 hours. The enemy has intensified their attacks and shelled Ukrainian military 23 times, – informed NSDC spokesman Andriy Lysenko.

    January 1 – President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko congratulated the citizens of Ukraine on the occasion of New Year in Crimean Tatar, Russian and Ukrainian languages.

    January 1 – A half-year presidency of Serbia in the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) starts on January 1st, 2015. Serbia often acts as Russian ally.

    January 1 – The militants shelled Ukrainian military with artillery weapons twice near the town of Debaltseve; they used mortars in Granitne village and mortars, grenade launcher and multiple rocket launcher "Grad" near Chornukhine village, – informs ATO press center.

    January 1 – National Television and Radio Council must immediately consider a license withdrawal for "Inter" TV channel as the one leading an information war against Ukraine siding with Russian Federation, – said the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Oleksandr Turchynov. "On New Year's Eve, when the nation stood united, "Inter" TV channel" traditionally acted against Ukraine by broadcasting the people who abused our country, supported terrorists, and welcomed the invasion of Crimea and Donbas", – Turchynov said.

    January 1 – Almost 82% of people in Ukraine do not recognize the legitimacy of "People's Republic of Donetsk", neither do 55% Donbas residents. These are the results of public opinion poll conducted by Kyiv International Institute of Sociology on December 4-19, 2014.

    By Jim Yardley and Jo Becker

    How Putin Forged a Pipeline Deal That Derailed

    P.S.: Please spread this appeal as much as possible.

    January 26: Russia is trying to force Ukrainian authorities to negotiate with terrorists

    January 26 – 7 Ukrainian military were killed and 24 injured in the ATO area in the last 24 hours, – informed the spokesman for the General Staff of Ukrainian Armed Forces Vladyslas Seleznyov

    January 26 – During a meeting on Monday, PACE Bureau (governing body of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe) has by a majority vote decided to recognize immunity of the member of Ukrainian parliament Nadiya Savchenko, -informed PACE President Anne Brasseur. Russia is now obligated to free Nadiya Savchenko. As usual, Russia is ignoring the whole thing and refuses to act.

    January 26 – Artillery spotter who was involved in attack on Mariupol confirms that the shelling was done by Russian artillery battery. Spotter's last name is Kirsanov and he is a citizen of Ukraine. He was detained and the video of his interrogation was shown to journalists at Security Service of Ukraine. Russian officer (aka "Pepel) was in command of the unit, which carried out the shelling."

    January 26 – Russia has begun using its military aviation near the border with Ukraine more often, – informed Deputy Head of Information and Analytical Center of the National Security and Defense Council Volodymyr Polyovyi. Aviation is needed only if Russia plans for a large-scale offensive.

    January 25 – Russia is trying to force Ukrainian authorities to negotiate with terrorists, – stated Andrei Illarionov, former Adviser to the Russian President, when commenting on latest events in Mariupol.

    January 25 – Dnipropetrovsk oblast, which is neighboring Donbas, is going to operate according to a special regime in order to ensure safety against the backdrop of a worsening situation in the ATO area, – informed Deputy Head of the Administration Svyatoslav Oliynyk.

    January 25 – Ukraine is initiating an urgent meeting of NATO-Ukraine Commission to discuss current situation and further actions – President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko.

    January 25 – Terrorists were planning to start a massive attack on Ukrainian forces on January 17th, but the actions of Ukrainian Armed Forces prevented this from happening – President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko.

    January 25 – More than 1200 terrorists were disabled (805 killed and 405 injured) since terrorist groups decided to attack ATO forces, – informed Minister of Defence Stepan Poltorak during the National Security and Defense Council meeting on Sunday, January 25th.

    January 25 – National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine has instructed the government to start the appeal procedure at Hague Tribunal on crimes against humanity committed by terrorists against Ukrainian citizens in 2014-2015 and on recognizing "People's Republic of Donetsk" and "People's Republic of Luhansk" as terrorist organizations.

    January 25 – Russian President Vladimir Putin urged former President Viktor Yanukovych to "very powerfully strike" Maidan in order to suppress mass protests in Kyiv, – said Marshal of the Polish Sejm and former Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski in his Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung interview (German newspaper).

    January 25 – The Chief of Staff of the 58th Army of the Southern Military District of Russia, Major General Sergey Kuzovlov is himself leading pro-Russian militants and Russian soldiers in their offensive against Ukrainian Armed Forces near the rayon city of Popasna, – informs ATO press center. Moscow curators of "People's Republic of Donetsk" and "People's Republic of Luhansk" have observed the inability of these groups to withstand organized actions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, decided to strengthen these groups with regular Russian troops.

    January 25 – NATO Defense Ministers will meet in February to discuss possible nuclear threats on behalf of Russia, – reports Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung.

    January 25 – On Thursday January 29th, the EU Council will hold an extraordinary meeting concerning the escalating situation in eastern Ukraine, particularly in Mariupol, – informed EU High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy Federica Mogherini.

    The Fate of Ukraine

    Mariupol: a strategic symbol

    WAR explodes in Ukraine

    P.S.: Please spread this appeal as much as possible.