Ministry for Culture and Arts of Ukraine and regional State executive power organs in cooperation with public organizations involved in the process of art and culture development make their contribution into spiritual life of society. Musical art has its specific place among actions organized in the Year of Culture. This art lives and develops enriching all its forms and genres by new achievements and inventions.

Concert halls are packed, numerous musical competitions and festivals are held, premieres take place in Philharmonic halls, on the stages of chamber, organ music and other musical theatres. Composers and performers fruitfully work, they represent Ukrainian and musical art in own country and abroad, i.e. objective process of development and enrichment of national culture is going.

Various festivals and competitions international, national, regional etc. are held in Ukraine annually. They are aimed at improvement of performing professional skill and increasing artistic authority of Ukraine in the world. First of all, this is traditional M.Lysenko International Competition, Competition for Young Pianists in Commemoration of Volodymyr Gorovets, All-Ukrainian M.Leontovych Competition, different competitions for variety performers as well as such International festivals as "Musical Premieres of Season", "Kyiv Music Fest", "Forum of Youth Music", (Kyiv), "Contrasts" (Lviv), "Two Days and Two Nights of New Music" (Odessa)

Everybody, who has visited Odessa festival "Two Days and Two Nights of New Music", will agree that given forum has his own certain place at culture map of Ukraine.

9^th Festival had chamber character and it was less show as compared with the previous one: accent was shifted from theatre action on music experiment, on completely unusual combinations of instruments as well as artistic temperaments. There were a lot of "world premieres"; and pieces by Ukrainian composers were not worse as compared to works by foreigners. Active participation of women-composers is some more interesting characteristic of this year Festival. Although it is not surprising, because continuous leader of "Two Days and Two Nights of New Music" Karmella Tsepkolenko is fruitful working author, her new piece "Duel-Duo No.8" was performed by ensemble "Neue Flotentone" (Germany) in first evening.

Besides, CD-ROM "Candours of Mystery" (multi-media database of Ukrainian women-composers) was represented to guests of the Festival. It is really important good quality work realized by Association New Music headed by Karmella Tsepkolenko. Given disc has a great importance for professionals as well as for music lovers, since Ukrainian composers (of both sexes) are ignored completely by Ukrainian recording companies.

Performance by "Neue Flotentone" was accepted extremely warmly. Gifted musicians, and the main, especially artistic flutists Anne Horstmann and Dorte Nienstedt charmed auditory by relaxed style of performance as well as by impressive set of flutes.

Performance by duet of Elsbeth Moser (accordeon) and Nicolas Altstadt (cello) was a true peak of given action. Both are extra-class musicians, but moreover: lady Moser is a live legend of contemporary European performance art. Precisely she represented accordeon for Philharmonic performances, not only as a folklore music instrument.

It was hard to accept challenge from German duet for the next participants because they had to play not worse as compared to previous musicians. But order of performances was organized very precisely. The best musical forces were represented at the final part of maraphon. Violinist Noemi Shindler from France was not worse than musicians from Germany. She has managed to perform complicated and various program, where such unusual piece as "Macristalhias" for violine and type recorder was on proper place.

Performances by both Noemi Shindler and Moser's duet are characterized by formal refinement and high philosophic tense respectively, Swiss ensemble "Amaltea" (Barbara Bossert - flute, Andrienne Rychard - soprano, Eva Schwaar - piano) is recollected by its sensitive beauty of repertoire: "Maifeuer" and "Assedo" by Christian Henking, "Out of Gravitation" by Julia Gomelskaya on poems by Gwyneth Lewis, and the most impressive "Three watercolors" by Frangiz Ali-Zade by its refinement, specific, warm poetics, multiplied on respective performance, gave to audience almost physical delight.

Generally, it can be stated that in spite of all troubles (first of all financial, maybe, fate of all unusual initiatives) "Two Days and Two Nights of New Music" lives and evolves. It moves towards logics of cultural process in Ukraine: to be territory for artistic meeting from Ukraine and Western countries. Among Ukrainian festivals namely "Two Days and Two Nights of New Music" owing to its location in cosmopolitian Odessa has approched to this very close.

New music, which radicalism cancels all historical musical material, rebels against common, usual language, dealt first of all with new Viennese school (A.Shenberg, A.Berg, A.Webern). Alongside with new type of expression, its innovations gave strong impulse to the process of internationalization of music that according to outstanding art critic Theodoro Adorno has place simultaneously with the political collapse of national states. Intention to pass quickly through the information field of "alien" cognition in first years of Ukrainian State independence was realized within the forum for contemporary art "Two Days and Two Nights of New Music" founded in talented multi-national artistic media of Odessa.

Odessa represented first in Ukraine "private", i.e. Author's festival. Famous Ukrainian composer Karmella Tsepkolenko and German conductor Bernhard Wulff are creators. Director of the Festival Aleksandr Perepelytsya provides organization success. Everybody interested in contemporary art knows about unique character of this forum in Odessa. Snow-slip of experiments, which scandalized our audience at firsts editions is now decreasing and it is right time for attentive listening of creative process itself. Conception of this year Festival is original musical OIKUMENE demonstrating that there is a star which name is Ukraine. From the firsts steps the Festival intended to prove that Ukrainian music is innovating, integrating in European musical context. It is known, that musicians overcome borders between countries more successfully as compared to politicians. Last Festival has demonstrated brightly: Ukrainian music is integrated in European space and European music meets the Ukrainian one. Now foreign performers are glad to include scores by Ukrainian authors in concert programs.

The adaptation process to the new music language is rather complicated. It can be concluded that for 9 years "Two Days and Two Nights" audience grew up and they can percept and understand and to assess contemporary music.

Analysis of the Festival as a specific phenomenon of contemporary European art is required. "Contemporary", because the music is modern, new, but not innovatory one. "European", because it is popular and respected, it is known in Europe. "Phenomenon of culture", because the fact of its existence is precedent and, at the same time, it reflects many typical peculiarities of the state of culture in Ukraine.

Common opinion is that this night watch of "vanguard" music, because meaning of "vanguard" is different, therefore waiting-displeasures are different as well.

This year "2D2N" was very calm and it could be correctly referred as a "meal", but not as a "banquet". "Meal" means confidential communication between friends, without excess and demonstration of self-will morals and manners appropriated to banquets. Therefore most of all this time more severe auditory and professionals were satisfied and all architectonics was constructed at emotional-intellectual (if you like - soul-spiritual) cognition of the new music ART.

When we talk about impressions (post taste) and what remains with you, when your participation in action is forgotten, then it should be said, that residue is both important and various. It was once said to me by wine-makers that taste of the high quality wine is changing 18 times; the one substance, but it can contains wealth of diversity and it is good wine. Thus for me personally the Festival "Two Days and Two Nights of New music" was and is a single and various as well.

But the unique character of 2D2N consists in the specific atmosphere resulting from the direct closeness of musicians and auditory. There are no borders between performers and auditory, music lovers can see process of origin, creation of the music miracle, it is like cooperation. And what do you think about opportunity to observe work is carefully hidden usually? One can observe the preparative process, the tuning, the tuning of mood, the breath, catching of even performer's inner rhythm. It is very interesting to follow the changing mimics of musicians. It always goes ahead of musical phrase. And a numerous discoveries are waiting on audience in future. Can you imagine mystery of creation of wonderful and lofty which is done in your presence?!

"Two Days and Two Nights of New Music" is the Festival of vanguard, post-vanguard and post-modern art, generally, exhibition of novel creative ideas, novel by time of creation as well as by musical-grammatical and musical-semantic backgrounds. "Art of break" sounds mainly here, art symbolizing striving for drafting new shape of culture. Some accent on works from Ukraine was noticeable, and there were large team of musicians from Germany. As to me personally, I can say that all best performed pieces were dealt namely with the Ukrainian composers and it is direct indication on the renaissance of the Ukrainian creativity. It is important that the festival program includes chamber compositions, sometimes namely musical, sometimes close to musical, with decisive or accompanying participation of music. This is set of strictly elite intonation ideas. The most important things: let's imagine hall with the stage in the center. There were approx. 500 seats, which were occupied during 24- hours. In some cases two persons occupied one seat. People were sitting on stairs, standing in gangway. Part of audience changed by rotation principle, another part stoical endured marathon. The age of majority audience was somewhere between 16 and 25 years old. Attention of people in the hall was particularly concentrated. They waited and wanted. And they found. All reactions were very precise. All original and truthful works met warm applauses, artificial ones - received rare praise to fussy performers, external and empty pieces were merry whooped, "approved for courage". It is seen, that auditory is interested in process, it is interested in the selection and appreciation. And it proves that new elite is born.

We used to that the youth is consumer of mass culture first of all. Surely it is neither stadium or multi thousands hall. But for such idea there were maximum loading. And it is appeared: young people are main consumers of novel music! And it is seen, that there are not only those who has professional attitude to music. Of course there are a lot of musicians, but at the same time there were different people. However atmosphere is perfect. Silence was kept even at very disputable and evident doubtful moments. Patience of auditory is impressive: it stoical endures the most, as it seemed, intolerable demonstrations of "artistic egoism" dealt with extreme persistent tautologies, with provocative buffoonery. Everything meets politeness. Shortly, in reaction of auditory there is some similarity to "academism", i.e. educated attitude to everything proposed to their attention.

First explanation for such phenomenon is perfect guessed form. The "non-stop" principle and transfer into night, accent on pieces, with the unexpected elements, all these are really inviting moments for young souls. But it is not rather good explanation of stable filling of the hall by young music lovers first of all. According to the traditional classification, art could not be free of nation. Does this idea correspond to vanguard or postmodern of second part of XX century? It is hardly. Mass culture is a symbol of globalization. But vanguard and post-vanguard intentions as well are products of globalization intentions. Universal character of methods leads to continental level and further - to meta-continental. New product of European continental culture takes planetary spreading. And it also could be explained as response to requirements of "new conformity". And representatives with a large forehead, first of all, young elite searches for its cultural space in this side...

But here again we had to solve a problem of the ratio "civilization culture". In other case it is impossible to understand this Odessa phenomenon of "Two Days and Two Nights". Evidently that young intellectual elite searches for his «comfort of conformity» in new art. In vanguard, really, there are aggression and sensitivity. But there are third part as well - hermetical reservation of themselves, complete repulsion of practical life reflection (such imperfect and vicious) in forms of life itself, high level of abstraction, opening of individually colored fantasy. Hermetic vanguard means principal going away off old culture, declaration of belonging to new. But this declaration is hasty. Hermetical is lacked of fixation enzyme in the sense of artistic constant, prolonged and intensively claimed by time. It is supposed that all "hermetical" is required by certain moment in the transition process. And young elite feels (instinctively) its inclusion in the course of great cultural mutation.

Grandiose International Festival of modern art "Two Days and Two Nights of New Music" involving hundreds of composers and performers from different cities of Ukraine, former USSR and many foreign countries as well as thousands lovers of vanguard music, takes place in Odessa every April during eight years. Precisely this Festival became noticeable event in the World artistic space and it has no enough time predetermined for it. A lot of people wish to participate and to perform a numerous music pieces at this unique music holiday. Undoubtedly, Festival "Two Days and Two Nights of New Music" is one of noticeable international achievements of young Ukrainian State.

"Spoiling and playing" on wide space of different culture languages, our rioters and bullies prove that art is able to live without instructions, expanding cultural space of freedom. There are places for "left" or "right" person who has a talent. Model of such free World of music is represented at "Two Days and Two Nights", where is high spirit of antique Menippos: old dogmas are rejected with laugh, genres and styles are mixed, slapstick is neighboring with serious, virtual - with real and all truth and values are disputable. And let's repeat words by Jean Cocteau about spirit of creative work, which is the highest manifestation of creativity, is not it?

This year almost maximal number of Ukrainian musical works performed by Ukrainian and foreign musicians were represented. According to Karmella Tsepkolenko: "West is already used to the fact, that contemporary Ukrainian music exists. Only three names: A.Shnittke, E.Denisov and S.Gubaidullina were known before". Therefore now a lot of Ukrainian composers create their works specially for "Two Days...", where their music is premiered by colleagues from Western countries.

Festival is expanded year from year. Two days and two nights are not enough. There are master-classes and creative laboratories besides "preludes" and "postludes". Folklore (mostly authentic) is represented alongside with the contemporary music and improvisation moments are included. This Festival has his own festivals-satellites, in particular "Wandering Academy of Music". Audience prepared to the perception of new art is expanded year by year. A lot of music by Ukrainian composers is performed at Odessa forums. It is extremely important: being tested here these works enter in the World music space. "Two Days and Two Nights..." is only one Ukrainian musical festival, which releases and distributes CDs all over the World.

New music, composers and musicians, who compose and perform such music, are required. There is no need to prove necessity of such reflection of World and oneself in it. One of the most complicated tasks of contemporary art is an attempt to harmonize chaos, to control it creatively, at emotional level. It means to clear oneself. It is true happiness, when many people have a gift to play music.

The audience of "Two Days and Two Nights..." is probably the most surprising at this Festival. It is difficult to imagine at some another festival and, moreover in another city - all day and night jeans "nonformals" with ear-rings, thick-set bald-headed citizens in leathern jackets, respectable bourgeois and motley Bohemians listen music which is complicated for perception (to put is mildly) with bated breath. It is understandable that citizens of Odessa like this Festival. Completely unique atmosphere that is extremely far from standards of philharmonical estrangement is also important. Naturally, it is a merit of founder and permanent leader of the Festival Karmella Tsepkolenko, composer from Odessa. Her relationships, non female purposefulness and love of new art maintain this Festival at good level almost ten years. Original format of this action, unusual for academic performance as well, favors to this fact also: two large-scale concerts, beginning in early evening and finishing in the small hours, with the break for sleep and meal. Every concert consists of thematic blocks-parts and has clear dramaturgy. Namely in the context of Eight Festival it could be said that it is dramaturgy in direct meaning.

Precisely this year "Two Days and Two Nights..." is specifically focused on theatre, which is inherent, as it appeared, in contemporary music completely.

Odessa Festival "Two Days and Two Nights..." is a bright example of event that can organize only one person owing to own talents. Yes, surely, there are a number of people, who assisted and assist to Karmella Tsepkolenko, permanent manager of this action. Although, precisely purposefulness and composer's gift of this charming and strong woman had transformed this musical forum created by her on worthy "factor of influence" within both Ukraine and Europe. Status of the Festival as a laboratory for contemporary art, allows new and new performers be involved every year (it should be noted that most of them are representatives from Western countries).

Another important fact is that Karmella Semenovna is able to compose Festival Program. "Two Days and Two Nights..." has rather attractive structure. Unique marathon of performance follows after three evenings of preludes and concerts. Actually, non-stop contemporary music sounds from early evening until late night in the Festival hall that looks like a ring with the circle of chairs. Marathon consists of units-parts with personal title and meaningful soundings, and generally everything looks like constructed piece as a symphony.

Generally this Festival is a magical fair action, where atmosphere of total creativity predominates. It has been included in the world art space as original work of art. In order to produce such unusual action, it is required to be a personality. Namely such persons are authors and organizers of this Festival President Bernhard Wulff, Director Oleksandr Perepelytsya and Artistic Director Karmella Tsepkolenko. The President is wonderful musician, gifted conductor and great original-enthusiast. Somebody makes collections from postage stamps, somebody - paintings, and professor Wulff - collects festivals for new music founded by him: in Ukraine, in Mongolia "Roaring Hoofs", in Kyrgyzstan "Gold silk sound way", in Vietnam "Bamboo Crash"...The soul and the first lady of "Two Days and Two Nights", is incomparable Karmella she is like "fountain of creative ideas", true workoholic with the permanent charm and, in high style words sample of fanatical devotion to art. One can ask: And what about financial providing? And it is the truth, because without this authoritative "prose" the fair tale ship with red sails will never arrive. Fortunately, Odessa festival has influential friends and supporters: Swiss Foundation PRO HELVETIA and its Ukrainian Branch, International Renaissance Foundation, Foundation Ernst von Siemens (Germany), Ministry of Culture and Arts of Ukraine and Odessa State Administration.

It seems, that we were concerned by the question whose requirements is new music? After my visit in Odessa - wonderful dream city (do you remember song "There is a city, which I see in my dreams" from the repertoire of famous Odessa singer Utiosov?) - answer has become not complicated: besides above-mentioned persons, there are lots of people, who can not even imagine their life without this music. Among these persons there were students, specialists and common citizens, who two days and two nights were in the hall, where dream Theatre performed its intriguing action of mysterious Music. And be sure this was not the dream...

Every Festival is like a unique art work. The Festival breaks all conventionality of traditional apprehending of music: stage is replaced by arena in the centre of a nightclub, the stalls on the bar tables and counters. Proceeding from the ideal of free art development, the Festival moves forward innovatory trends in contemporary music; style, ideological or other frames do not restrict it. Hundreds of the best composers and performers all over the world this is acquisition of seven Odessa musical springs.

The Festival "Two Days and Two Nights of New Music" with every year becomes more popular in the world, it attracts attention and interest of specialists as well as music-lovers. Outstanding musicians and composers aspire to visit Ukraine with the aim to demonstrate creative achievements.

Surely, for many people it is too hard to hear unusual music during two days and nights, but such active "attack" of new art gives possibility to immerse in it completely. It is not secret, that our cognition had to adapt, to make it usual, and only then interest and understanding is being appeared. At the Festival of new music all participants and guests are in single musical-information space, and every musical hour is given to new performance more or less traditional concert or theatre action, combined with the actions and installations of performer, visual multimedia and synthetic arts. Untraditional actions require and untraditional situation in concert-hall: special equipped space in the centre of hall instead of common stage and audience, which is sitting in the bar or at the table, can feel itself rather relaxed. Several hundreds of foreign and Ukrainian musicians participated in this Festival for the years of its existence, and its annual audience numbers thousands of Odessa citizens and guests from other cities of Ukraine and worldwide. The best records from 1-3 and 4-6 festivals have been produced on CDs, which were copied in Germany. And 7^th International Festival of modern art "Two Days and Two Nights of New Music" it is a new records, a new impressions, a new ideas and a new its realization.