The Musical Olympus Foundation was founded in St. Petersburg, Russia, in 1995. The Foundation is engaged in developing and implementing cultural projects, national and international events in Russia and abroad. In 1997 the Foundation was granted the patronage of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation. The best known Foundation initiatives are the Musical Olympus International Festival, the International Charitable Ball and the Concert Program.
The Musical Olympus Foundation’s cultural projects are uniquely conceived and of the highest aesthetic value. Thus, these projects enjoy the deserved attention of the international media, including The New York Times, Neue Zürcher Zeitung, Die Welt, Berliner Morgenpost, Vogue, Madame Figaro, Marie Claire, Hello, and other publications. The Foundation’s events are presented every year on radio and television channels (Russia, Culture, Russia Today), and the Foundation itself produces television films and CDs. One of the directions of the Foundation’s activities has always been charity, in particular the support of the Music Lyceum of the St. Petersburg Conservatory. In addition, through the work of Irina Nikitina the Foundation for the Support of Young St. Petersburg Talents was established in Switzerland.
In February 2003, the Musical Olympus Foundation produced the official opening concert of the 2003 – 2004 German-Russian Cultural Dialogue in Berlin. The event was attended by Vladimir Putin, president of Russia, and Johannes Rau, president of the Federal Republic of Germany.
Starting from 2004 the Musical Olympus Foundation annually presents the participants of the Musical Olympus Festival in Zurich. The year 2007 marked an important milestone in the Foundation’s history: the first concert and a presentation of the Musical Olympus International Festival took place at Carnegie Hall . Since then the foundation annually introduces the Musical Olympus participants in such important musical cities as New York (Carnegie Hall), Berlin (Berlin Philharmonic), Zurich (Tonhalle), and Singapore (Esplanade Theater). The geographical scope of the Festival continues to widen – in 2012, Rennes (France) and Baku (Azerbaijan) joined the list.
In January 2013 the Musical Olympus Foundation was honored with the Silver Archer Award (USA) for its excellence in contributing to the development of international cultural, economic and social relations and Russia’s integration into the global communication area.