National Unity Day

Lecturer: Mikhail Bryzgalov, Director General of the Russian National Museum of Music.

On November 7 at 19:00, the Russian House in Brussels invites you to a lecture by Mikhail Bryzgalov, Director General of the Russian National Museum of Music, Honored Artist of the Russian Federation, President of the Association of Music Museums and Collectors, member of the Presidential Council for Culture, and member of the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation.

The lecture, titled “Russian Music: Pages of History”, will explore selected chapters from the history of Russian music, covering the period from the mid-19th century to the present day.

The narrative unfolds as a series of short stories about great Russian composers and musicians — some serious, others with a touch of humor and irony — each revealing in its own way the grandeur of Russian music.

Guests will learn fascinating facts about the lives and creative paths of outstanding Russian masters of musical culture: Mikhail Glinka, Pyotr Tchaikovsky, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Sergei Prokofiev, and Rodion Shchedrin.

Another story will be devoted to Leonid Kogan’s participation in the Queen Elisabeth International Competition — particularly timely as 2026 marks the 75th anniversary of the violinist’s triumphant victory in Brussels and the 10th anniversary of “ExpoMusic”, a unique joint project of the Russian National Museum of Music and Radio Orpheus.

The lecture will be accompanied by photographs and audio recordings from the collections of the Russian National Museum of Music.