Musicians Are Struggling to Adjust to the New Working Environment Since the Collapse of the Soviet Union
1/26/01

The collapse of the Soviet system is presenting new challenges to musicians in Central Asia. Under the Communist order, officials placed strict limits on the ability of musicians and composers to express themselves. These days, the main obstacle is connected with economics. Creativity is limited by the dire financial circumstances that most musicians face. For those who have the resources, however, new technologies are expanding musical possibilities. Vladimir Gusev is the director of Music Hall, a creative association in Kyrgyzstan dedicated to producing new musical works. One of Music Hall’s most recent projects is the production of a compact disk – in collaboration with the Soros Foundation Kyrgyzstan – called Kyrgyz Musical Instruments. The CD is a sampler of folk instrument sounds [to see some of the instruments and hear music, click here]. Gusev spoke to EurasiaNet about the challenges of making music today in Central Asia. The text of the conversation follows.

EurasiaNet: What are the major difference between working as a composer today and working in Soviet times?

Gusev: There are some differences. In the past the state not only controlled the creative work of composers, it also was responsible for our social welfare. Nowadays composers are left to their own resources. If someone can work, he works and can have success. Yet, if one cannot work he disappears from scene. What is taking place now scares some of the composers because this is a time when everyone has to think about his own life independently.

With the help of the Soros Foundation in Kyrgyzstan, a studio called "The Laboratory of Sound" has been in operation for the past two years, allowing musicians to record music and refine it using computers. Furthermore, we can make audio tracks and CDs. …

EurasiaNet: Is it a difficult for you to create music?

Gusev: It is not a problem for me at all. Moreover, there is no need to work on paper. Still, I do the major part of work traditionally, sitting at a piano and using a pencil. For the last two years, however, I have been trying to experiment with new methods of making music. … I believe that if you do not develop your own skills you will lag behind other artists.

EurasiaNet: Is it difficult to find necessary equipment?

Gusev: Not really. Much of the equipment we need to make music is manufactured in Asian countries. There is no problem with the quality of the equipment that we use. It also is not so difficult to make a disk or CD.

EurasiaNet: Where do you obtain the disks?

Gusev: We receive the disks from China, Korea, and Japan. Some of the disks we buy cheaper than others. Generally speaking, we do not have any problem with it. … We also started making chronicles of the musical events of the country. For instance, if an event takes place today we are capable of developing a disk the next day. … There were three festivals last summer organized by the Soros Foundation in Kyrgyzstan, the Association of Composers, and the "Mark" production center. We recorded the festival on the digital equipment during the performances. Again, the Soros Foundation helped us to purchase this equipment.

EurasiaNet: Is it easier to work now, relative to Soviet times?

Gusev: I do believe that the time we live in is difficult. It was easy to survive in the past. I would say that even though life is much more difficult, it is still more interesting to live now than in the previous time.

EurasiaNet: Do you think that it is easier to generate ideas today than it was in the past?

Gusev: Yes, of course because we do not have any ideological constraints. Although, I have to say that it is unfortunate that the young generation in general, including my two young sons, have no [state-funded] organizations anymore through which they can refine their talents.

EurasiaNet: But do you believe that the young generation has more options today?

Gusev: Without a doubt yes. They have more of a chance from the beginning of their lives. They start out with many more possibilities than before. They also know more than did my generation because information is more easily available. However, they do not study as hard as we did in our time.

Email this article
Posted January 26, 2001 © Eurasianet
http://www.eurasianet.org

	The Central Eurasia Project aims, through its website, meetings, papers, and grants, to foster a more informed debate about the social, politcal and economic developments of the Caucasus and Central Asia. It is a program of the Open Society Institute-New York. The Open Society Institute-New York is a private operating and grantmaking foundation that promotes the development of open societies around the world by supporting educational, social, and legal reform, and by encouraging alternative approaches to complex and controversial issues. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent the position of the Open Society Institute and are the sole responsibility of the author or authors.