Today St. Petersburg's Kazan Street has turned into a huge stage on pavement: the International Festival of Jewish Music

Participants and admirers of Jewish music   have been  welcomed by  Minister of Culture of the Republic of Tatarstan Airat Sibagatullin and  head of the Regional Public Organization "Tatarstan Jewish National-Cultural Autonomy" Mikhail Skoblyonok. "We brought this festival from Odessa. The first time I was there seven years ago and there was such a wonderful festival. And I liked it so much that we agreed with  President of the Republic of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov and the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Tatarstan that we will  hold such a festival in our republic. And the most interesting is that in Odessa the festival  ended its existence, and we have been holding it for six years already and only gaining momentum, "Mikhail Skoblionok noted.

"I want to say many thanks to the audience, because despite the weather, they came to the opening of this festival, to all those who are involved in this festival: Jewish autonomy, organizers, musicians. When one  listens to music, I deliberately came earlier today, you hear the emotions and the joy of the people there, you see the way of this people. I believe that such festivals should be and they will be. I want to say words of gratitude to the President of our Republic for the annual support of this festival, "said RT Minister of Culture Airat Sibagatullin.

Pianos and cymbals, cover bands and folk melodies, violins and double basses - on the open air stage until the evening for  residents of Kazan and guests of the city  11 different bands would play.

Musicians from 5 cities of Russia, as well as talented performers from other countries: Israel, Czech Republic, Belarus and Ukraine became guests of the festival this year.

The Festival itself will last three days and the final chords of the three days of Jewish music will be a gala concert at which  People's Artist of Russia Andrei Makarevich will perform with his famous songs and a new program "Yiddish Jazz".