In Ryazan, Protests Against The Dismissal Of The Director Of The Music College

On 23 June 2024, the employment contract of the director of the Ryazan Music College named after G. and A. Pirogovs, Alexander Egorkin, expired and was not renewed. The name of the new director is still unknown. The college administration reports that the current situation creates a lot of technical difficulties in working with documents.

But students, teachers of the college - as well as all people who are not indifferent to the cultural life of Ryazan - are not only concerned about it. Over the past two years, other cultural institutions of the city have found themselves in the same situation: the Art Museum, the Philharmonic Society, and a new Minister of Culture has been appointed.

A petition has been created in support of the director of the College, at the moment it has been signed by more than three thousand people. Among them are not only students and teachers, but also graduates of the College living in different cities, artists, teachers of various music universities, city and regional music schools. From their point of view, Alexander Egorkin meets all the requirements that may be imposed on an applicant for such a position.

The petition (unfortunately, posted on Change.org and not on similar Russian resources), which is also an open letter to the governor of the Ryazan region, Pavel Malkov, states in particular:

"It is very unfortunate that recently there has been a tendency to perceive cultural institutions (including educational ones) only as suppliers of show programmes.

Our college suffers from a huge number of extracurricular activities in the last year, and we cannot influence it. Meanwhile, the true work of raising and educating our youth takes place far from the stage - in classrooms, offices, in long rehearsals, discussions, reading literature, creating methods, in the joint creativity of teachers, students and accompanists.

This painstaking work is not visible and uninteresting to officials".

The college fears that the change of director will inevitably entail the destruction of the microclimate that has been formed over the years, and that this will adversely affect the quality of education.

"The businesslike and, at the same time, creative atmosphere of the college requires attentive, sensitive and flexible professional leadership, not just a manager in the place of the principal."

Colleagues of the sacked principal note his exceptional leadership and human qualities. Being a musician himself, he understands well the specifics of music education and is sensitive to problems arising in the educational process.

Alexander Vladimirovich has been working in this position for 13 years, and during this time the quality of education has been repeatedly confirmed by the results of final examinations, admission to major universities, the results of students' participation in competitions at various levels, as well as by annual feedback from the chairmen of state examination commissions - professors of the Tchaikovsky Moscow State Conservatory. Professors of the Tchaikovsky Moscow State Conservatoire, the Gnesin Russian Academy of Music and other leading musicians. Gnessin Russian Academy of Music and other leading music universities of the country.

The college has repeatedly hosted events of different levels (including international), is constantly working to improve the quality of education and cultural development of the Ryazan region (providing the necessary equipment and musical instruments, repair of a large concert hall - now it is the best acoustic hall in the city, the opening of the Regional Children's School of Arts at the college, etc.).

The appeal to the governor also came from the Ryazan local organisation of the All-Russian Society of the Blind.

"Alexander Vladimirovich introduced inclusion in the process of education, in which every person, regardless of the existing physical features of health, is given the opportunity to study at the college. Thanks to him, blind and visually impaired students were able to receive musical education.

Alexander supports his talented graduates, employs people with disabilities, helping them to realise their professional potential".

The correspondent of ClassicalMusicNews.Ru sent an enquiry about the reasons for non-renewal of the contract with Alexander Egorkin to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Ryazan region. At the time of publication of the material there was no response.

Teachers of the college, students and many Ryazan citizens are closely following the news and hope for support from the governor and the regional ministry.

It should be reminded that in April of this year, despite numerous objections from artists, staff and spectators, the contract with Dmitry Stepanov, the director of the Opera and Ballet Theatre of the Republic of Komi, was not extended.