International holidays - International Jazz Day

This holiday has a short but colorful history. In November 2011, the UN General Conference decided to establish International Jazz Day. The date of its annual celebration was determined to be April 30. One of the main initiators and permanent organizers of this musical festival was the Thelonious Monk Jazz Institute. Since 2012, this non-profit music organization has played a leading role in holiday events. And the venue for the bulk of such events alternately became Paris, Istanbul, Osaka, Washington and other major cities of the world. It is noteworthy that the final concert of the very first Jazz Day took place in the United Nations General Assembly Hall in New York. One of the traditions of the holiday is that it is always opened by UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova and world jazz legend Herbie Hancock, Goodwill Ambassador of the same organization. Each year, the annual jazz festival brings together millions of fans of this musical style, becoming a symbol of unity and peace. Hundreds of concert halls and outdoor venues become one large stage space provided for leading jazz artists. And it is no coincidence that the holiday has such a colossal response among representatives of most world cultures. It is based on a symbiosis of European and African-American musical styles. The improvisational component, bewitching rhythm and special language have an attractive effect on the listener, and on the musicians themselves. All this requires the utmost professionalism and virtuosity from the performers. In Russia there is another remarkable holiday associated with this amazing music. On October 1, 1922, the first jazz concert took place in the then young Soviet state.