The Library of the Belarusian State Academy of Music presents the thematic exhibition “Evgeny Tikotsky: musician, teacher, creator”, dedicated to the 130th Anniversary of the composer’s birth, People’s Artist of the Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic and Soviet Union (12/26/1893–11/23/1970).

Evgeny Tikotsky is one of the founders of the Belarusian school of composition. As the creator of opera and symphonic works, the composer received deserved recognition. He is the author of one of the first Belarusian operas – the folk and heroic drama “Mikhas Podgorny” (1939), as well as the heroic and patriotic opera “Alesya” (1944).

He also wrote the oratorio “Liberation”, the heroic poem “Petrel”; overtures “Holiday on Polesie”, “Glory”; operettas “Kitchen of Holiness” (1931), “Anna Gromova” (1969).

The composer wrote many vocal and choral works to the poems of famous Belarusian poets Ya. Kupala, M. Tank, V. Dubovka and others. He created the vocal cycles “Altai”, “My Land”. He wrote many chamber instrumental works, as well as music for radio plays, dramatic performances and films. He arranged dozens of Belarusian folk songs.

The composer’s first major work, a symphony written in 1929, is one of the first works in this genre in the history of Belarusian music. In total, E. Tikotsky created six symphonies, the last of which was dedicated to G. Shirma.

1. Tikotsky was active in musical, social and political life. He was a member of the Union of Composers of the USSR, a member of the board of the Union of Composers of the Belarusian SSR, and a Deputy of the Supreme Council of the Belarusian SSR of the Fourth and Fifth Convocations. From 1950 until 1963 he was a Chairman of the Board of the Union of Composers of the Belarusian SSR. He worked as a composer at the Belarusian Radio (1934–1940), and artistic director of the Belarusian State Philharmonic Society (1944–1951, 1953–1957).

He is also one of the founders of the Bobruisk Music School (1927), where he worked for 14 years.

1. Tikotsky was awarded the Order of Lenin (1944), two orders of the Red Banner of Labor (1940, 1949), and the Order of the Badge of Honor (1964) for the Merit to the Fatherland.

In 1972, the Bobruisk Children’s Music School was named after him, and in 1974, a street in Minsk was also named after the composer.

The exhibition presents books, monographs, music and critical articles from scientific works, collections and magazines, reference and teaching aids on the history of Belarusian music, music publications, anthologies on Belarusian musical literature, sound recordings of works by E. Tikotsky, photographic documents.

The exhibition is located in the Academic building No. 1 (30 Internatsionalnaya Street)
in the lobby of the Great Hall from December 12, 2023 to January 5, 2024.