2007 November | Cambridge University Russian Society

Archive for November, 2007

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CURS End of Term Party

Too long waiting for CURS Vodka Party?

Too cold for staying sober?

Too much for studying?Fair enough, just come along to the CURS very special PARTY by which we celebrate our end of the Term!

WHEN: Thursday, 29 November, from 7pm till the latest possible time (around midnight)
WHERE: Akin’s bar (5 minutes walk from Sainsburies on the Sidney Street)

The map

Really inexpensive drinks, amazing offers for the Russian Society. LOTS OF VODKA, COCKTAILS, OTHER DELICIOUS DRINKS not to be missed!

Russian rock and pop music will be on!

Hurry up! Everybody is welcome!

facebook link

CURS Annual General Meeting, 18 November

This is the end of the year, and CURS Committee will proudly declare its grandiose success and its long hard-working way to Glory. The Fiery Battle for power (i.e. elections of the new committee!) will follow after announcing the results of…

Nabokov Essay Competition 2007

The Jury of the Competition:

Muireann Maguire, PhD Student at the Faculty of Modern and Medieval Languages (Head of Jury)
Polina Kimbel, Editor of Polyglossia (Cambridge University Modern Languages Journal), Student at the Faculty of Modern and Medieval Languages
Vladimir Orlov, CURS President 2007, PhD Student at the Faculty of Music
Anton Lokhmotov, CURS President 2006, PhD Student at the Computer Laboratory
Olesya Kryshevich, Student at the Department of Land Economy

cordially thanks all the Participants:

Dr Barry Uscinski
Yulia Kovarskaya
Svitlana Grytsenko
Lena Karl
Evgeny Butcher

all of whom will be rewarded by the Jury for their efforts by memorable prises and diplomas (and possibly a publication in Polyglossia)!

WHEN: 18 November, 7.30pm
WHERE: Auditorium Lounge, Robinson College (10 seconds walk across the court from the porter’s lodge)

First prise

The Jury has unanimously agreed that the winner of the Competition is Dr Barry Uscinski, whose work “Воспоминания Александра Осиповича Усинского” (”The Memories of Alexander Osipovich Uscinski”) is the work of a great historical and cultural value, and would like to thank Dr Uscinski particularly for his submission! Here’s his response:

I was surprised, but delighted, to hear that my Dad’s recollections have been honoured with the Nabokov essay prise. The thought that the memory all these events might be lost when I am gone had been troubling me of late. I am grateful to have had the chance to write them down and hand them back where they belong i.e. with the Russian people.

Special prises

The Jury has awarded special prises to:

Svitlana Grytsenko (the literary technique prize) for her work “Серость” (”Dullness”), and
Yulia Kovarskaya (the sympathy of the Jury prize) for her work “Отрывки из писем к себе” (”Fragments of letters to myself”)

Conclusion

We consider this competition as laying a foundation of an important Russian Cambridge tradition and look forward to your submissions in the next year!

CURS Formal Dinner, 17 November

Dear CURS Members!

We have finally arranged our Formal Dinner for this term, which will be held in the richest college in Cambridge – Trinity.

WHEN: Saturday, 17 November, 7:30pm
WHERE: Trinity College, Cambridge, St Johns street (main building)
HOW MUCH: 5 pounds

Please send your ticket requests to: dinner (at) russiancambridge.org before noon of November 14 (Wednesday). Please note that Society members will have a booking priority.

Wine is not provided. Gowns are optional (but it would be great if you could wear one)!

The “Valaam” Ensemble, 16 November

Organised with Cambridge University Russian-Speaking Society

SPECIAL CONCERT IN CAMBRIDGE

Valaam is a 5-strong male choral ensemble, established in 1993 by high-professional singers in St.Peterburg. Since then they became world famous, and currently they a major representative of Russian Orthodox Culture, named after ancient Valaam Monastery. Among their honoured guests are Russian Orthodox Patriarch Alexiy II and President of Russia Vladimir Putin.

Authentic representation of the Orthodox Music Tradition lived for several centuries;
Famous Russian a capella – outstanding Russian performance by overwhelming pure voices, without any instrumental accompaniment

“The purpose of our tour is to present to the British audience the rich and distinct tradition of Russian church and folk singing”

The Programme:

Magnification of the Nativity of Christ. Znamenny chant, arr. by M. Ruzanov

“Blessed is the man”. Valaam chant, arr. by M. Ruzanov

“O Theotokos and Virgin, rejoice”. Kartalin-kakhetian chant

“All the angels in heaven”. Znamenny chant, four-part editing

Troparion of the Nativity of Christ. Greek chant, arr. by M. Ruzanov

“Rejoice, O Isaiah”. Valaam chant, arr. by K. Nikitin

“Meet it is” (”Axion estin”). Byzantian chant, ison

A. Kastalsky. “Being set aflame with the fire of the love of the Lord God”.

P. Chesnokov. “Revealing to thee the pre-eternal counsel”.

A. Grechaninov. “Now lettest “.

G.Sviridov. “Hearken in the morning to my voice”.Interval

“Along the river” (Russian’s Pirates Folk Song)

“Lyubo, bratsy, lyobo” (Cossack Song)

“In the dark forest” (Russian Folk Song)

“I go out on a road” (Russian Folk Song)

“From beyond the wooden island” (Famous Russian Folk Song)

“The Night” (Russian Folk Song)

“Karelia” (A.Kolker – K.Ryzhov)

Part from the opera of M. Ippolitov-Ivanov “Asya”

“Evening bells” (A.Alyabiev – I.Kozlov).

“Along Piterskaya Street” (Famous Russian folk song)

WHEN: Friday, 16 November, 8pm,
WHERE: Jesus College Chapel, Cambridge

TICKETS: 5 pounds concessions and CamRuss? members, 8 pounds otherwise
RESERVATIONS: please write to Dr Tatiana Yurasova: yurasova(at)physics.org
Facebook event link

CURS goes to the Cinema, 15 November

Dear CURS Friends! You are cordially invited to the most outstandingly horrifying (but very ridiculously funny) film of the last thousand years about Russian criminals in the UK, Eastern Promises! Go and enjoy the new repugnant mythology about Russians. Plenty of violence, nudity and abusive language (happily, their Russian is extremely bad and unclear) guaranteed. We invite you to this event in order to prove the point of how different from these images we are! Come with us and have an unforgettable fun!

WHERE: Picturehouse on Downing Street, 38-39 St Andrew’s Street, Cambridge CB2 3AR
WHEN:* Thursday, 15 November, 9:20 pm

Please see the map

Everybody is invited to a pub afterwards!

CURS Executive Committee 2008 – Call For Nominations

CU Russian Society has opened a Call for Nominations to the Executive Committee 2007-2008! Don’t be shy, go ahead and sweep off the symbols of the old regime! Realise and follow your supreme intentions for doing all the best for our society’s welfare and prosperity!

If you, like Mikhail Lermontov, feels the immeasurable power of yourself (”чувствую в себе силы необъятные!”), please send us your manifesto for the position you would like to hold. This manifesto should consist of 1-3 paragraphs expressing your wish to become a member of the Committee and explaining why you think your experience and character are appropriate for holding a Committee position of your liking (you can find last year’s manifestos here)!

Closing time: Thursday, 15 November, 23:59.

The e-mail for correspondence (enquiries and questions as well): vladimir.orlov (at) russiancambridge.org!

Вперёд, к новым победам и свершениям!!!

Talk by Dr Rowan Williams

ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY

“The Icon and the Mouse: Sacrilege and Revelation in Dostoevskii”

The Fifth Dame Elizabeth Hill Memorial Lecture Department of Slavonic Studies

WHEN: Thursday, 15th November 2007, 5 pm
WHERE: Lady Mitchell Hall, Sidgwick Site, Sidgwick Avenue

CUEUS Food Fair, 14 November

CURS cordially invites you to an evening of cross-cultural gaiety and merriment at the 2007 European Food Fair. Come to sample back-to-back food from the Central European, Cypriot, French, and Russian societies. The Union bar will be open for our use and free Fez International Night tickets will be given out at the end of the evening for those who want to finish the night off in style, Wonderful food and a chilled, friendly and diverse crowd awaits you at the now legendary European Food Fair!

WHEN: Wednesday, 14 November, 7:30 – 10pm
WHERE: The Union Building

HOW MUCH: in advance: £4 for members of participating societies, £6 for non-members

On the door: £5 for members of participating societies, £7 for non-membersAny questions please email Leanne Sheen (lms62 at cam.ac.uk).

Talk on the Soviet Girl, 13 November

RUSSIAN GRADUATE SEMINAR GROUP TALK

Poster of a Girl: Soviet propaganda & combatants of the Great Patriotic War (1941-45)

By Claire Knight (MPhil student)

Nearly one million women fought with the Soviet Red Army during the Second World War. How can we explain this unprecedented phenomenon? Did wartime propaganda have anything to do with it? During this, the second talk in the Russian Grad Seminars series, we’ll examine the representation of women in wartime films and propaganda posters to determine whether they may have inspired the enlistment of ‘Red Army girls’.

WHEN: 13 November, Tuesday, 5pm
WHERE: Faculty of Modern and Medieval Languages, Graduate Suite, Raised Faculty Building, [Sidgwick Avenue CB3 9DA] top floor

The talk will be followed by a discussion during which wine will be served.

Talk by Fr Deacon Alexander Tefft

Organised by the CU Orthodox Society

PHYLETISM: A MODERN HERESY Talk by Fr Deacon Alexander Tefft

WHEN: Friday, 9 November, 7pm
WHERE: Old Common Room, Wesley House, Jesus Lane, Cambridge, CB5 8BJ (TBC)

Following the talk and discussion, we will have bring-and-share dinner.

Abstract: Phyletism is the concept of a national church, that is, a church limited to a certain nation or ethnic group. Condemned as a heresy at the Synod of Constantinople in 1872, in response to a parallel diocese for ethnic Bulgarians only in the city, it is widespread in the so-called Orthodox “diaspora”. In the US alone, there are approximately 20 major and perhaps 30 minor jurisdictions, formed along ethnic lines: “Greek”, “Russian”, “Ukrainian”,”Macedono-Bulgarian”, etc. Phyletism is not only completely incompatible with the canons but, by redefining the human identity in ethnic rather than doctrinal terms, undermines the Gospel itself.