Ministry of Education Releases Playlist of 37 National Anthems and Other Patriotic Tunes
In a bid to enhance the patriotic and moral upbringing of schoolchildren, the Russian Ministry of Education has prepared a list of 37 patriotic songs for study in schools. This list, intended for "Music" lessons, includes a variety of well-known and modern songs.
The list, which is now part of the curriculum for schoolchildren in Russia, includes songs such as "Day of Victory", "How Beautiful This World", "My Moscow", "Officers", "Forward, Russia" by Oleg Gazmanov, "My Russia" by Yaroslav Dronov, and "Motherland" by Sergei Trofimov.
Many people who learned singing lessons in Soviet times still remember the words to these patriotic songs, and it seems the intention is to keep this tradition alive. The expert jury that selected the songs for the list is composed of notable figures in the Russian arts and culture scene, including Russian People's Artist Valery Gergiev, rector of the Shchukin Theatre Institute Eugene Knyazev, Merited Artist of Russia Ildar Abdrazakov, and others.
Schools have the option to choose which songs from the list they will use in their curriculum. However, the list is meant to ensure that children have a knowledge of patriotic songs, as some children were found not to know the words to these songs. The use of patriotic songs in education is intended to foster a sense of national identity in children.
It is unclear at this time how many of the 37 recommended patriotic songs by students in Russia were incorporated into the music curriculum. Nonetheless, the list is a response to the need to instil a sense of national pride and identity in the younger generation.
In Soviet times, singing lessons taught patriotic songs, and it seems this tradition is being continued in modern Russia. The inclusion of modern songs like "Officers", "Forward, Russia" by Oleg Gazmanov, "My Russia" by Yaroslav Dronov, and "Motherland" by Sergei Trofimov in the list demonstrates a commitment to keeping the list relevant and engaging for today's schoolchildren.
