"Yoldyzlyk" ("Constellation") is one of the brightest annual events among the talented youth of the Republic of Tatarstan. For seventeen years this festival has been helping artists of the republic to get acquainted not only with the recognized talents of cities, but also to see diamonds that are not yet cut.
How did the festival come about?
"Constellation-Yoldyzlyk" has long become an integral part of Tatarstan's life. The festival takes its beginning back in 1992, when it was called "Young Star". Over the next eight years, he gained great popularity among talented youth. During this time, the organizers conducted a large-scale analytical activity, eventually identifying the main directions for working with gifted children.
In 2000, the modern name “Yoldyzlyk” appears. The "Constellation of Talents" begins its solemn march through the republic under the patronage of Mintimer Sharipovich Shaimiev, who at that time (until 2010) was the president of Tatarstan.
The festival, whose main goal was to prevent a large-scale outflow of talented youth to the capital of Russia, over the next few years received the status of a republican and was highly appreciated not only in the Republic of Tatarstan, but throughout the country. For example, in 2006 the Yoldyzlyk (Constellation) festival became one of the forty best projects in Russia, and in 2010 - the winner of the RF Government Prize in the field of cultural and educational development.
What does the festival mean for the Republic of Tatarstan?
For Tatarstan, this is a way not only to retain talented youth and stimulate its development, but also to increase the prestige of the teaching profession. The winners of the festival are worthy successors of the republic’s heritage. Diplomas and valuable prizes are awarded not only to talented children, but also to teachers, whose contribution to the development of today's children is often underestimated.
Every year, more than 50 thousand talented children aged 5 to 21 from the whole republic take part in the qualifying round of the festival. It is noteworthy that the festival "Yoldyzlyk" ("Constellation of talents") is attended by children not only from large cities, but also from remote settlements. And more recently, talents from other regions of Russia have been performing, including the capital of our homeland, Moscow.
To date, the festival is held in seven categories: from vocals and choreography to entertainment and poetry in various age groups. The most talented contestants not only receive prizes, they are invited to perform in the large-scale concert program “Constellation-Yoldyzlyk”. Kazan, as the main city of the republic, kindly provides its best concert halls for this event. For talented children, getting to the finals is already happiness, and becoming a laureate is a real ticket to life.
The future of the festival
Yoldyzlyk is a constellation of talents that shines brighter and brighter every year. In the first year of the festival, the number of applications barely exceeded 3 thousand, and this year this figure increased to seventy thousand. By the way, the number of participants over the past year has grown by as much as 20%.
The festival began as a regional event, and turned into an event of all-Russian scale, because it’s not just like this that it has been held for several years with the support of UNESCO.
There is not a single person in the whole Republic of Tatarstan, especially among those who are somehow connected with vocals, choreography and even poetry, who would not hear about this annual event unique to Tatarstan. And the dream of every budding singer, dancer, leading from the age of 5 to 20 years - to be among the stars of this incredible constellation of talents.