Music teacher

2023-2024

Musical instruments suddenly and unexpectedly entered our family when my son turned 15. He went and enrolled in a music school, these were two eventful and interesting years in his life. He had wonderful teachers and a great desire to learn to play. This is how my acquaintance with music teachers began. 

The photo project “Music Teacher” was filmed in the municipal music school of the city of Dubna, which opened in 1956, in the music rooms where classes are held every day. The project involved teachers who dedicated their entire lives to teaching, who raised several generations of musicians. The majority of teachers in music schools are of retirement age, their professional career began in Soviet times and they still teach children music and singing. 

Each has their own class, small, always flowers from concerts, candy for children, wooden footstools for babies, lots of sheet music, portraits of great composers on the walls. Traditionally, music teachers in Russia have been women since Soviet times. Having a huge teaching experience, they continue to work after retirement, acutely experiencing that work is undoubtedly an important part of their lives. The connection with students is lost, but the memory of the most talented ones remains. 

On the walls of the offices, next to the portraits of great male composers, there are photographs of students from concerts, fakes and letters of thanks.