By tradition, in the section “BNTU - the choice of the best” we talk about freshmen who have already achieved great heights in their first year of study. Today the focus is on Alexander Kuznetsov, a student of the Instrument Engineering Faculty.
The young man is from Russia. In this regard, we became interested in what challenges he faced on his way and how he decided to take such a serious step as entering a Belarusian university.
– I took double exams: first the Unified State Exam in Russia, and then, literally a few days later, the Central Test in Belarus. The structure of the exams is different, but I am very glad that I managed to get through it. I am grateful to Belarus for giving me the opportunity to get the education of my dream. Teachers know how to interest students and are open to questions. The employees of the dean's office are ready to help with any questions related to studies or student life. Russia will forever remain dear to me, and our peoples will always be close.
– Why did you choose the Belarusian National Technical University?
– Perhaps the main thing that attracted me was the demand for BNTU graduates. Polytechnic University is a leading engineering university and is consistently ranked among the top 3 universities in Belarus. I reasoned like this: the basis of the economy is production, and what kind of production is there without qualified engineers? The question is, of course, rhetorical.
Alexander, by the way, for a long time wanted to connect his life with music and pursue it professionally, but in the end, as it is already known, he decided to enter a technical university. When asked why this happened, the guy shared:
– I was very lucky with my teachers. Thanks to them, I learned to combine my love of music and interest in technical sciences. As a child, I was interested in development on Arduino at Nizhny Novgorod Radio Laboratory under the guidance of the People's Teacher of Russia. He taught me how to program melodies by setting sound frequencies and note durations. One day I would like to develop devices that can indicate by sounds possible malfunctions of machines and mechanisms. I never parted with music, because at BNTU I combine studying with playing in an orchestra.
The young man plays the saxophone in the National Brass Band. Despite his excellent command of this instrument, it is worth noting that Alexander has been playing it for not so long, and began his musical career with the piano.
– From the first grade I studied at Nizhny Novgorod Choir College named after L.K. Sivukhin. Along with singing, playing the piano was a compulsory subject. While studying, I participated in city, all-Russian and international competitions. When I was a soloist with the Nizhny Novgorod Chamber Orchestra, I felt great inspiration. I was never afraid of audiences because I always studied to play for people.
Alexander began playing the saxophone only three years ago. We can say that he fulfilled his little childhood dream, because from an early age he was attracted to this golden instrument with a bright, rich sound. The fact is that Alexander really liked listening to jazz, especially at live music concerts, and city parades of brass bands remained unforgettable holidays in his memory.
– Please tell us how rehearsals are going in the National Brass Band.
– I must admit, at first I was very worried: what if I entered, but they wouldn’t accept me into the orchestra. However, they accepted me and even provided me with a wonderful saxophone. Twice a week we gather for rehearsals to revise what we have learned and review new pieces. I feel great gratitude to our artistic director, because he is the one who creates a friendly and supportive atmosphere and selects a vibrant repertoire. We are not just a group, we are a big musical family, where everyone supports each other.
– What advice do you have for those who want to start learning a musical instrument?
– Go to different concerts: classical, jazz or folk groups. Pick an instrument that really excites you and work hard. However, the most important thing is to enjoy playing. When you feel that you are mentally smiling, it means that this is your instrument.
We thank Alexander for the interview and wish him even greater success in his musical and educational activities.
