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Friedrich Lips Presented "Order of Honor" – Russiaby Dr Herbert Scheibenreif Manager of Friedrich Lips Productions |
The Minister of Culture Olga Borisovna Lyubimova presented State awards at the Bolshoi Theater recently. For the third time, Friedrich Lips has received an important award by the Russian Ministry of Culture. After being honored in 1969 (1st prize at the Klingenthal competition) and 2001 (Order of Friendship), Lips now was presented the "Order of Honor", very special for an bayanist/accordionist. Lips speech: “Everyone said words of gratitude. After receiving the Order of Honor, I decided to say a few words. In short: “Over the years of my creative biography I have been at the reception of the Minister for the third time. The second was in 2001, when M.E. Shvydkoi presented the Order of Friendship, and for the first time was in the office of the Minister of Culture of the USSR with E.A. Furtseva in 1969, who invited us after winning an international competition in Klingenthal. Probably, some of the people in this room hadn’t been born then! (Reply of the Minister: I was not born then!). As a winner, I received a concert rate and the right to a solo concert. Then there were few contests. The laureate was a piece product. I had 50 concerts a year. There are many competitions and laureates now. The best young musicians should be touring. It is necessary to organize the work of Rosconcert on organizing tours of young musicians, to pay special attention to performers on the accordion, domra, and balalaika. We are talking about patriotism, and the instruments loved by the people are practically on the sidelines of musical culture. We performed not only in regional centers, but also in small towns. Today we have already lost the habit of solo concerts of musicians. It is necessary to restore the system of touring activities, as it was before. Not everything was bad during the Soviet period." The minister listened favorably and kindly. |