They are really talented!

Last week Yevgeny Leykah, head of the American Branch of the All-Union Association

invited me to, as he put it, “to a concert of our children.” And for this

just like many times before in New York, I made another discovery for myself, amazed at the constantly versatility of its cultural life, throbbing without sleep and rest. This time I was amazed by the New York children, led by a four of quite grown-up people who are passionate about the idea of ​​finding and developing Our Talented Children. This is something like the most popular American Idol TV contest, which I try not to miss. Ten years have passed as the ideological leader of the competition "our talented children", poet, manager and producer Mark Kleiner, businesswoman and philanthropist Marina Lerner, teacher and head of the music studio Svetlana Plaksunova, in collaboration with composer Alexander Butov launched the project "Our Talented Children". The enthusiasts had difficulties in growth, course changes, their pets - young singers, boys and girls, were associated, as far as I know, with the competition of the Jewish amateur song "Golden Hanukkiah" and with the show group M, Generation ... But what I I saw and heard on June 23 in the luxurious hall of the Elite Palace restaurant (what do you mean by the name? No more, no less - Elite - and that’s all) there was no smell of any amateur performance anymore. . In fact, not the elite gathered in the spacious, elegant hall for the reporting, anniversary concert, but nevertheless the most talented children, who were selected and taught to sing by patient teachers and confident that their child is the most talented, naive parents. This fusion of cooperation between teachers and parents, under the leadership of a group of enthusiastic professionals, which, by the way, has not changed in composition for 10 years, has borne fruit. Most of the guys sing excellently and with pleasure. They are taught not only vocal technique, but also give lessons in performing arts - plastics, rhythm, the ability to dress and make up. To me, as a new person, all this was clearly visible from the outside. As it should be at large concerts, first there was a technical run, and only then the musical part itself began. In this short report I will not indicate the names of the concert participants, from the smallest four-year-olds to mature boys and girls who have turned into princesses; I’m afraid of getting confused - there were many participants, but I will try to get to know the unique program “Our Talented Children” and the singers themselves. Let my photos tell you about them for now. I’ll just say that on this day at the Elite Palace, mostly American, Jewish, Russian and Italian songs were performed well: - chanson, rock and roll, blues, and even one young creature, participating in the concert for the first time, performed something very similar to rap. All Russian-language channels, without exception, worked at the concert, many photographers and techies. There were interruptions, however, with sound and video, but who can do without them in our time? Moreover, the organizers, during the concert with a large number of artists, also widely used video accompaniment. On three large screens of the palace, shots from 9, 8, 7 years ago were shown quite appropriately and tastefully. I have been watching Nathan Kay for 8 years since I came to America. During this time he became a professional singer, and the most difficult song to perform is "Caruso", recently left this world singer and composer Lucio Dala, which Kay brilliantly performed at the beginning of the concert, honoring Lucio's memory, but also raising the bar for other performers. Ah, if Frank Sinatra would hear, how a naughty, lightning-like baby sang by the name of Mitchell Sapoff sang his crown hit "New York, New York"! And on the stage young Mitchell, taller than the average, is leisurely and lyrical singing with a guitar. I did not see the young beauty Jasmine Petrara at the concert, but it was impossible to listen to what Mark Kleiner told during the concert without excitement. Jasmine and “Our Talented Children” performed in Argentina during the anti-Semitic rallies and it was her Yiddish songs that especially supported the intimidated Jews. And the other guys sang their songs with dignity. Behind performances in Europe, in countries of South and North America. Ahead is a whole creative life.

It is good that the board of the Far East, where, as is well known, Marina Lerner is also included

joined in support of the “Our Talented Children” program. May be,

there are young talents also in the open spaces of Canada, Ukraine and Israel, where Anatoly Yasenik was distributed

activity foreground? And the final concert will be held in Jerusalem or in

in Kiev ...

Anatoly Yasenik

Photo by the author