Abstract: The study focuses on the unique features of music teachers' professional identity. The theoretical framework is based on J. Marcia's identity status theory and L.B. Shneider's approach, which considers professionally differentiating features as markers of belonging to a community. The research hypothesis is that the professional identity of a music teacher is constructed through a system of specific professionally differentiating features: command of specific terminology, use of a specific professional lexicon, values and norms, professional myths, perceptions of alma mater, one's teachers and professional predecessors, professionally important qualities, professional skills and abilities, as well as professional superstitions. A specialized questionnaire was used as the method, aimed at identifying the specifics of professional terminology, jargon, values, norms, professional myths, the role of alma mater and the teacher, professionally important qualities, and rituals. The sample consisted of 52 teachers from the South Ural State Institute of Arts named after P.I. Tchaikovsky, representing all educational levels. The study revealed a complex, multicomponent structure of the professional identity of music teachers, formed at the intersection of three key roles: the craftsman (bearer of technique and school), the artist-interpreter (working with artistic images), and the psychologist-motivator (building personal contact with the student). A strong axiological foundation for the profession was identified, with humanistic and educational values dominating. Distinct professional markers were also discovered: specific terminology, developed professional jargon, veneration of alma mater and the teacher, a regional pantheon of "professional heroes," and a set of professional rituals. Thus, the scientific novelty of the work lies in the comprehensive empirical study and verification of the structure of the music teachers' professional identity through a system of professionally differentiating features, revealing its specificity as a synthesis of pedagogical, artistic-creative, and socio-psychological elements.

Keywords: professional rituals, alma mater, values, professional jargon, professionally differentiating features, professional community, music teacher, professional identity, professional hero, music pedagogy

Abstract: The subject of the research is the operatic art of the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries. The object is the operatic performance creativity of the singer Giovanni Ansani. Giovanni Ansani (1744–1826) was an outstanding tenor of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He began performing primo uomo roles in opera seria during the years when castrato singers still dazzled on theater stages. Ansani proved himself to be an excellent singer and a talented teacher. Despite the scale of his personality, many facts of his creative biography remain unstudied, and the role of the singer in the development of tenor art has not been revealed, which defines the relevance and novelty of this work. The goal of the research is to present Giovanni Ansani as a universal tenor, a representative of the old Italian bel canto, whose activity significantly influenced the formation of the tenor's role at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries. The predominant method of research is historical-biographical. The tasks of the research are to characterize the operatic-vocal and pedagogical activities of Giovanni Ansani, as well as to examine the melodies of the operatic roles performed by the singer. The main conclusions of the research are that the brilliant performances of Giovanni Ansani undoubtedly had a significant impact on the elevation of the tenor and his establishment in the status of a performer of leading male roles (primo uomo) at a time when the influence of castrato singers was still strong. Thanks to the emergence of operatic performers like Giovanni Ansani, his successor tenors (including Manuel del Populo Vicente Garcia or Manuel Garcia the Elder), who previously performed secondary roles in opera seria, managed at the beginning of the 19th century to rise to the same level in the vocal hierarchy as the castrati, and eventually completely displaced them from the opera stages, winning the hearts of numerous audiences.

Keywords: tenore, castrat, opera, vocal technique, performing style, parte, creative activity, vocal, vocal melody, voice type

Abstract: The study is dedicated to reviewing the main trends in the development of Russian and foreign (European) choral art, analyzing the manifestation of such trends within the framework of the Petersburg choral school and its peculiarities, which becomes important in connection with the global cultural dialogue at the present stage. In the "age of the individual," it is important to consider the role of the choirmaster, the organizer of the choir, particularly in Petersburg, to gain a deeper understanding of the trends in contemporary art and culture, and their prospects in light of the need for the revival of national culture and overcoming a large-scale cultural crisis. We view Y. G. Gurbo as a "typical" and productive figure of the choral school in Petersburg at the present stage, with his magnificent achievements in the field of choirs, which meet the true needs of the time. The methodology of the research is associated with a psychological-biographical perspective, emphasizing the role of the individual, the creative personality—relevant in our time. Such an approach is all the more important in relation to the Petersburg art school: by maximally combining Russian and European influences, it is distinguished by personal and aesthetic subtlety, allowing for the achievement of exceptional results. The Petersburg choral school, on the one hand, reflects the all-Russian features of deep spirituality (even outside the strictly religious sphere), great musicality against the backdrop of the significant achievements of Russian music, and important aspects of sociality; on the other hand, it is more "susceptible" to European trends of secularism, diversity, psychological depth, and experimentation, as well as manifestations of individuality—all of which are vividly expressed in the work of Y. G. Gurbo as a master of his time. Having served in responsible positions in the choral field even during the Soviet period and being deeply connected with predecessors, Gurbo in the post-Soviet period, on a community basis—which is generally characteristic of the choral field—develops a high level of contact with foreign colleagues through the Choir of Saints Peter and Paul, while preserving all the important features of Russian, Petersburg choral art; he emphasizes the breadth and significance of the repertoire and its vivid presentation. In the era of globalization, this leads to a noticeable activation of attention to Russian culture, as well as to the productive popularization of choral art in Russia. This universal strategy emphasizes the character and significance of the Northern capital and its figures in the evolving paths of world culture.

Keywords: choir school of St. Petersburg, Russian trends, European trends, personality, specifics of Modern times, global cultural dialogue, achievements of Yuri Gurbo, phenomenon of the choir, contemporary choir, public initiative

Abstract: The subject of this article is the suite Seven Tunes Heard in China by Sheng Zongliang (Bright Sheng), examined in two aspects: as one of the outstanding works of contemporary Chinese composers for cello and as an example of musical multiculturalism. Particular attention is paid to the synthesis of various stylistic influences, which is manifested in all components of the musical language of the work: modal organization, rhythm, texture, timbre, and performing technique. The authors of the article analyze the methods and techniques for working with musical material borrowed by the composer from both Chinese traditional music and a number of European styles and movements. They also examine the cultural connotations of the composer's expressive means (in particular, the symbolic significance of imitating the guqin's sound and associative "references" to the music of J. S. Bach). The multicultural nature of the work under study prompted the authors to employ a comparative cultural method. A holistic analysis of the musical work was also employed. The scientific novelty of this article lies in its detailed, comprehensive analysis of various aspects of the work under study, reflecting their synthetic, multicultural nature, which manifests itself at all levels of the composition—in musical language, the structure of the cycle, and musical and aesthetic principles. The conceptual and symbolic function of Bach's stylistic features and the imitation of guqin playing in Sheng's suite are revealed; conceptual parallels are drawn between Sheng Zongliang's Seven Tunes Heard in China" and Tan Dun's Ghost Opera. The authors conclude that Seven Tunes Heard in China played a significant role in the development of Chinese cello music, as well as the mutually enriching nature of the intercultural interaction embodied in Sheng Zongliang's suite. Specifically, applying Western methods of polyphonic development to traditional Chinese melodies reveals new expressive possibilities. At the same time, the introduction of sound production techniques borrowed from traditional Chinese instruments into cello music enriches the cello's technical arsenal and timbral palette, and contributes to the rapidly expanding range of performance techniques in avant-garde music.

Keywords: extended performance techniques, imitation of traditional instruments, musical multiculturalism, cello glissando, suite for cello, Chinese cello performance, Bright Sheng, Sheng Zongliang, erhu, guqin

Abstract: This study considers the role of music in developing creativity in school-aged children and adolescents. The concept of "reframing creativity teaching" in music education at the secondary level represents a significant shift in how educators understand creativity itself and their role in its development in students. The subject of this study is the work of educators with children whose musical abilities have not yet been identified and are not readily apparent. Throughout the world history, music instruction has been used to develop character, a sense of rhythm, perseverance, and good manners. Students may not become great composers or performers, but the skills they acquired in music lessons would help them in future life and creative work. Even in Ancient Greece, the beneficial effects of music on the health, students’ mental and physical development, as well as the profound psychotherapeutic effect of music lessons, were noted. Ancient philosophers and educators (Pythagoras, Plato, Aristotle) noted that music serves not only an educational but also a harmonizing function, developing and deepening the emotional sphere of the individual. They considered music a powerful educational tool, capable of shaping ethics, harmonizing the soul, and even healing the body. Music was seen as a reflection of cosmic harmony (the cosmos), influencing the emotional state and "purifying" (catharsis) spiritual passions, fears, and despondency. The research methodology, the approaches employed, and the music teaching methods all indicate that creativity is not an internal, mystical gift. Rather, it is an ability that can—and should—be cultivated through specific educational strategies and technologies. Creativity education is based on Ronald Beghetto's three-dimensional model, which includes creativity knowledge (understanding concepts, models, and definitions), teaching for creativity (using educational strategies to develop students' creative abilities), and, finally, teaching with a creative approach (translating theoretical knowledge into creative teaching practice). This three-dimensional model can be a useful tool not only for students but also for teachers to reframe and reevaluate their professional knowledge.

Keywords: creativity, the role of music, correcting potential, harmonization, content of knowledge, complexity, multifaceted character, music pedagogy, intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motiovation