On Thursday, February 16, Penza State University hosted the opening of the XII International Competition Festival of Musical Performance "Silver Lyre". Competitive auditions will last until February 18.

Olga Surina, Director of the Institute of Teacher Education, addressed the audience with a welcoming speech.

"Silver Lyre" is held in four categories: instrumental performance, vocal performance, conducting and accompanist skills.

The competition festival is attended by musicians-performers from different parts of Russia, neighboring countries and China, from beginners to professionals. According to the results of the competition, participants are awarded diplomas of laureates.

Participants are evaluated by a highly professional jury, which this year includes:
— Elena Krasovskaya, Chairman of the Jury, Professor of the Department of Musical and Performing Arts of the Institute of Fine Arts, Moscow Pedagogical State University, Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences (Moscow);
— Victor Demidov, Professor of the Department of Academic Singing, Saratov State Conservatory, solo performer of the Saratov Opera and Ballet Theater, Honoured Artist of the Russian Federation (Saratov);
— Marina Osenneva, Head of the Department of Methodology and Technologies of Pedagogy of Music Education, Institute of Fine Arts, Moscow Pedagogical State University, Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences, Associate Professor (Moscow);
— Tatyana Shipilkina, Head of the Department of Music and Methods of Teaching Music, Institute of Teacher Education, Penza State University, Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences, Associate Professor (Penza).

Within the framework of the XII International Competition Festival of Musical Performance "Silver Lyre", a scientific and methodological seminar was organized on the topic: "Theoretical and methodological aspects of training students of the People's Republic of China in conditions of higher musical and pedagogical education", where the topical issues of teaching Chinese students were considered in detail in the system of Russian musical and pedagogical education. Colleagues from Moscow State Pedagogical University shared their experience on this topic with the seminar participants.

Boris Iofis, Elena Krasovskaya and Marina Osenneva made presentations. Boris Iofis, Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences, Associate Professor, Head of the Department of Theory and History of Art at the Institute of Fine Arts, Moscow Pedagogical State University, member of the Union of Composers of Russia, member of the editorial board of the scientific journal “Musical Art and Education”, presented the topic: “Musical-theoretical and musical-historical training of Chinese students”.

Elena Krasovskaya covered the topic: "Instrumental-performing (piano) training of Chinese students." Marina Osenneva speculated on the topic: “Theoretical and methodological aspects of training Chinese students in the conditions of musical and pedagogical faculties of universities of the Russian Federation”.