Вера Дулова. Воспоминания. Статьи. Документы - стр. 28

The Bolshoi Theater had a very special place in Vera Dulova’s life. Her famous performances of the solos, cadenzas and variations from Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Nutcracker, Don Quixote and Raymonda were a brilliant enrichment to the ballets.

Vera Dulova was Professor of the Moscow Conservatory and a recognized leader of the Russian Harp School. She educated many outstanding harpists who work in Russia and abroad today. She gave master classes in many countries, and her pupils received prizes at the most prestigious international competitions. One other very important contribution Mme. Dulova made to Russia was her initiative to create a Russian harp company. She understood perfectly that without a factory within Russia to build harps, Russian harp education would be impossible. With her constant consultation, the Russian harp was designed and manufactured. Schools, colleges and conservatories could buy instruments. It was the necessary foundation of the Russian harp education.

In 1964, Mme. Dulova formed the Russian Harp Society. Her service to music was awarded by the Government, and she received the title People’s Artist of the USSR as well as the State Prize of the USSR.

While Vera Dulova has passed away, she will be remembered in the world of music as the great harpist of the 20th century and her harp music will continue to sound in our hearts.

I met Vera Dulova after my graduation from the Gnessins Musical and Pedagogical Institute. l was her student at the post-graduate course of the Moscow Conservatory. First of all, she completely changed my hand position and very soon we started to prepare for the All-Union Competition and then international competitions. During the summer, she took me to her dacha (small house) in the Crimea and gave me lessons even though it was the holidays.

One of her most important qualities as a teacher was that she helped her students to overcome defects or weaknesses through humor! Vera could always find a very special word to make a student laugh rather than feel hurt and communicate in a way that the student always remembered and made the change. It was often her actual presence and the atmosphere that she created that made us play our best. She played the piano very well and often accompanied her students in concerti at the Moscow Conservatory. She was able to perform all the music she taught and very often took another harp and demonstrated certain passages during lessons.