Russian Carillon Foundation (RCF)
Saint Petersburg | Russia | June 7, 2024
Summer Concerts in St. Petersburg
In St. Petersburg, a new summer season has started, and the weekly Sunday concerts, which run all year round, now begin at 5 pm.
On May 12th, an international carillon concert took place featuring students from the Department of Organ, Harpsichord, and Carillon at St. Petersburg State University, namely, Kallinika Medvedeva (Belarus), Haitao Lin (China), and the department's teacher Olesya Rostovskaya.
The carillon of St. Peter and Paul Fortress in St. Petersburg is regularly involved in concerts that include bells tolled in the Russian tradition, otherwise known as Zvon. As part of the three-day festival "Chimes of the Northern Capital," such a concert was held on May 19th, featuring Nadezhda Volnenko, Irina Kozlova, Olesya Rostovskaya, and bell-ringers from St. Petersburg, Novgorod and Moscow.
Preparations are underway for the summer festival "Music Over the City", which traditionally takes place during the White Nights period in St. Petersburg.
Saint Petersburg | Russia | March 8, 2024
Commemoration concert for Elizaveta Rulyova
On January 21 a commemoration concert for carillonist and organist Elizaveta Rulyova (1988-2021) took place in St. Peter and Paul Fortress, St. Petersburg. Elizaveta had graduated from the Department of Organ, Harpsichord and Carillion of St. Petersburg State University and was one of the most active members of the Russian carillon guild.
Having conquered cancer herself, Elizaveta (Liza) volunteered for the AdVita Foundation which supports cancer patients. "If I can give people support, I simply cannot help doing so", she used to say. She has played many concerts, both in Russia and abroad until, unfortunately, the Covid-19 pandemic broke all her plans.
Sunday concerts in St. Peter and Paul's Fortress take place all the year round in all weathers, and every year in late January we play a concert to commemorate Liza. This year, taking part in the concert were Olesya Rostovskaya, Maria Lobetskaya and Irina Kozlova.
Also, every year we include a commemoration concert for Liza in our summer festival called 'Music over the City'. Liza's family members make a point to attend, to stay close to the carillon which she used to play and spend time with her friends. Elizaveta was a great friend and we miss her greatly.
Saint Petersburg
The carillon of the Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral has 51 bells.