THE MUSICAL CULTURE AND EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT IN THE TAVRIA GOVERNORATE IN THE SOUTH OF UKRAINE IN THE LATE 19th AND EARLY 20th CENTURIES

Abstract

The article examines musical culture and education formation and development in the Tavria governorate in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This period in the Southern region of Ukraine is characterized as an era of social and cultural uplift, progressive changes in the educational system, and enhancing the role and place of music and singing in students’ education. Moreover, it is marked by increased attention of the governorate residents to the problems of musical and aesthetic education of children and youth, the growth of public and private educational initiatives, and the formation of general and professional music education.
The article identifies the reasons for the greater intensity of the education system development in the Crimean districts compared to the mainland ones; it also provides statistical data on the people’s literacy and education rate in the Tavria governorate in the early 20th century. The article also explains the role of private musical institutions and the influence of the artistic intelligentsia, outstanding musicians and composers on the musical culture and education development in the region.
The article highlights that in the late 19th century, Yalta became – to a certain extent – a cultural centre of the Tavria governorate due to its well-developed concert and theatre infrastructure. Yalta and Simferopol have become a focus of establishing public associations with outreach, organizational, musical and educational functions. Activities of the members of these musical societies in Crimean cities resulted in the opening of music courses and classes and one of the first people's music schools in the Russian Empire with free-of-charge tuition. Besides, they arranged public concerts, music evenings, and tours of prominent composers and musicians.
The article provides a historical analysis of the establishment of branches of the Imperial Russian Musical Society (IRMS) in the Tavria governorate, the role of the IRMS in the concert, performance and educational activities, its impact on the cultural, educational and social processes in the South of Ukraine, in particular, the establishing the institution of a secondary level of professional musical education – the Simferopol Musical College.