November 27 2008

Interview with Dasha, Alina, Karina and Svetlana (Kseniya’s mother/the trio’s vocal coach). Questions submitted by members of the public online.

Who manages the decision-making on jury voting? Whether you know results of voting of jury?

Svetlana Statsenko: I know nothing about results of voting. I do not understand what the purpose of the juries is. It seems to me to stop Belarus.

Svetlana Adamovna, I heard, that you consider the winner not as a song. And if you were the spectator would vote for it? Will you agree, it was original and was looked very advantageously on a background of all other songs?

Svetlana Statsenko: the Georgian children had an original, good number, but I have a question on age. I have worked with children for twenty years and correctly I define children from 5 till 18 years. In my opinion, it was not worthy of a 10 year old. We too have children aged 6-7 who could execute something similar, and they would be applauded. They had an original, interesting musical composition. If I have seen this number at other competition, I would give it high points. But consider, that "Eurovision" is competition of a song which must be sung in a national language, it seems that in Georgia there was a new national language. This song is not suitable for this competition.

Svetlana Adamovna how do you think the trio performed? Did our girls deserve 6th place?

Svetlana Statsenko: I have told that nobody goes behind any concrete places. Perhaps, in subconsciousness it also remains. That soldier who does not dream to be the general is bad, but the main task consisted in acting for the benefit of the people watching. I consider, that this problem has been executed. The performance of the girl was very pleasant to me, they did everything I taught them. They did all they could, and it very much pleases me. As to direct places I just was afraid of introduction of the jury as I did not know how it will be, did not know what to expect from it. My fears were justified. I consider, that with the introduction of a jury the transparency of voting is completely lost. Eurovision aired on television on Saturday. On Friday there was precisely same concert with spectators, with opening, with a make-up, hairdressers, etc., that is a high-grade concert on which the judges base their vote. This begs the question, why do they need a day to plan their votes? I am often in a jury, and 10-15 minutes, a maximum of half an hour of discussion suffices. This is with sometimes more than sixty participants, compared to the mere 15 in JESC. Here a whole day has been given, and 4 hours prior to JESC airing on TV judges have to submit the votes. Secondly please show me the assessments of the judges. It interests me as the teacher. They should show the points and assessments of the judges. It is interesting to me from the professional point of view and to spectators from the point of view of an assessment of the professional. Plus then is kept transparent: They should have assessments of jury, televiewers, and in the third column all should be summarized and divided into two. Then everything would be clear. We see only the general combined jury/televoting result. I don’t belittle anyone’s competence but it is not all clear to me. I have another question which disturbs me. For example, I the judge, sit and watch all children. I understand, that I the professional and at the same time I the patriot of the country. For example, I the Lithuanian delegation. I look and I see: Belarus and Lithuania is doing well. How to greaten our position? To condemn Byelorussians. Here I was afraid of it, though I never spoke it aloud, that there will be intervention in the form of judges. I understand, that the person should be very decent, sitting in jury. But you understand, I do not know, because here also patriotic feelings play a greater role. As it has been explained to me, the introduction of juries was to prevent countries-neighbours voting for each other. If our neighbours knew, that the column with their estimations goes on the screen they would vote differently. It is possible to tell the televoters vote. Ukraine for example: they did not have televoting in connection with a day of mourning. Thus they gave us 5 points? The last years we got nothing below 10 from them, and here 5, considering, that people did not vote. The judges from Belarus voted frankly and gave high points to all our neighbours, but our neighbours were cleverer, giving less points to their neighbours to lift their position.

Hello, girls, Svetlana Adamovna! We loved your act and were very much afflicted at the result. Who do you think was the most interesting at competition "Junior Eurovision-2008"? Who did you personally like?

Karina: I liked the girl from Romania - very vocal girl. I thought, that it will be either the first, or the second, or the third, but it has appeared penultimate. It too shows, that competition a little bit dishonest. And, certainly, I liked Georgia: it was interesting.

Alina Molosh: I too shall tell that Romania was very strong, for me it was the most important competitor. It had very good vocals. On " Славянском базаре" I have won first place, and Madalina from Romania, third. This was a strong vocal competition, not a children's contest. As a result (of JESC being a children’s contest), it comes only 9th.

Dasha: Personally I liked Lithuania with a song, which wasn’t entirely bad for JESC.

Svetlana Statsenko: (adds)... Xenia Sitnik's song was very simple: a couplet - a refrain, a couplet - a refrain. For Lithuania the backing vocals were at the certain level of the basic vocals. That is under requirements which were sent to us and all participants, the backing vocals should not duplicate the live vocals at all. All refrains should be sung live, not just fragments, and the refrain from the beginning up to the end should be live. We adhere to the law and, naturally, did not duplicate our backing vocals.

Svetlana Adamovna, did you address the organizers with unfair placings. To be united, for example, with Romania: this vocally great girl has remained unnoticed. And our trio deserved higher points, it is obvious. What is the necessary action to undertake to ensure this is not repeated in the future by the juries?

Svetlana Statsenko: I think that the girls fulfilled their job well and both friends and strangers have given their congratulations on the excellent performance. And you know results as: today the first, tomorrow the sixth, the day after tomorrow the eighteenth, and then again … Who knows the first, how will be further?

It is a question better for the head of the Belarus delegation, but, can you, Svetlana Adamovna, explain? Why are long standing conditions of participation in "Eurovision" broken? Children are not authorized to step onstage in short skirts, and yet what do spectators see on the screen?

Svetlana Statsenko: you know, I tried to interrogate. Naturally, this question is not solved by our delegation. I consider, that it needed to be found out at higher level. It annoyed me when we abided by the law and other didn’t.

Do you consider it necessary to have age categories on “Eurovision”?

Svetlana Statsenko: If to analyze the last years, smaller children had an advantage. I think, it makes sense to make JESC children's - from 5 till 10 years, teenage - from 10 up to 15, and then - adult.

Why does Belarus sing not in a native language but in Russian?

Svetlana Statsenko: Russian in our country is common. Russian is more popular and more known. The same Lithuanians who could vote for our girls, better understand it... This is done so  a song will be clear not only to Byelorussians.

Girls, all of you are very good! How has the reaction been at school to JESC?

Karina: At school people say: " All of you are equally the best!!! ", but it has also been bad. We have told that Belarus was dishonoured. I think they are jealous. We pay no attention to this.

Alina Molosh: They have accepted our performance well and they enjoyed it. They have asked about the age of the Georgians, why they were so small. I said: “There’s nothing we can do about it”.

Dasha: I too have been very well accepted at school. Schoolmates understand, that it was difficult to compete. Everyone discuss "Eurovision", I have brought photos from Cyprus to show them all.

Svetlana Statsenko: Performance of Belarus was at a high level, and time will show, how much the song has settled in hearts of people. If it is good, it will be remembered. So we shall see. I hope to hear it many times. The song is a children's hymn about the country.

Dasha, Alina and Karina, greetings! You have not decided to sing after competition separately? Will you sing together again? Or has placing sixth put you off being a trio?

Dasha: I have got used to singing by myself. Perhaps, that’s bad, but I have gotten used to relying on myself in all things.

Karina: Despite of everything, all of us shall be equally friends, all the same we shall be together.

Svetlana Statsenko: The girls are soloists primarily. There is a lot of work in solo parties. They sing together for the Heart of Belarus, or if needed such as New Years concerts. They became friends with many people at JESC, they were not put off. It was hard to find them at night amongst their friends. They made best friends with the Russians, Ukrainians and Belgians. They will keep in touch, and friends are more important.

Alina Molosh: I think, we shall prepare now for a song about New year and we shall sing it together.

Girls, and you can buzz the song? The Georgian trio can buzz all.

Alina Molosh: we Can: Bzzz!

Svetlana Statsenko: It is more important to hold a melody than add “Bz” to everything. That is not complex at all.

Dasha: we Can: Bzzzzzzz!

Karina: we Can: Bzzz

Little girls, be not upset, you good fellows!!! You bathed in the sea?

Karina: No unfortunately, but we were in a carnival!

Have you made many friends?

Svetlana Statsenko: There is a problem: if all of them knew good English, it would be better.

Dasha: We have made friends with many children, have exchanged phone numbers, through the Internet keep in touch.

Karina: We have already been invited to visit the kids in Ukraine.

Svetlana Statsenko: adds... And with concerts it is hard to find time.

Svetlana Adamovna, you are a good teacher, the stage looked perfect, everything was thought of. Have you had any offers to organize shows in Belarus? Have there been any offers from the Eurovision channel?

Svetlana Statsenko: Belarus channels have not made offers unfortunately. But Russia, Ukraine and Germany have. But I am a patriot of Belarus, I wish to work here.

Was it terrible to step onstage in Limassol? How is the competition organized, could you have a rest there? I have heard eurovision is a marathon with no time to rest.

Svetlana Statsenko: They act before the spectators, like at home. I simply disconnect their consciousness, and they work, sing as it is necessary. They have fun. Karina strained herself. It is very complex. They had a break between rehearsals and a concert for three hours. We tried to make it so that the girls could have a rest in this interval. The arena is five kilometers from the city, but no bus was supplied, so we took a taxi and left for the hotel because to stay for three hours in this noise-din would be impossible. In the hotel accommodation the girls easy, silently watched TV with hot tea, then went back to the concert.

Alina Molosh: (picks up)... But Svetlana has adjusted us well. For some reason before a rehearsal I was not afraid, I was quiet. I was shaking.

Dasha: I liked the stage. On it it was healthy to act, the organization of the competition was very good. In Cyprus there were discos, free time, we walked a lot, as there was good weather.

Karina: there were many rehearsals; certainly, excitement was present before we went on stage.

I am a young musician. Usually we play other music, but I have written a beautiful and fervent children's song. Is it possible for you to send it?

Svetlana Statsenko: It is possible. Minsk, street Frunze, 5, the National center of musical art by it. Мулявина, Svetlana Statsenko. I would like to hear to children in the age of 7-8 years who are good vocally, and look interesting.

I read that you had excursions. Tell about it, please. Whether it is beautiful in Cyprus? Did you miss home?

Karina: I missed Belarus. We went on excursions in different cities and villages. We saw schools and communicated with local schoolkids. We made embroideries.

Svetlana Statsenko: We learnt about Cypriot traditions.

Girls do you want to go back to JESC? Will you go to adult ESC?

All: Yes!

Dasha: Certainly, I would go back and to the adult ESC. In the future I dream to become an actress. The more concerts, performances, competitions, the better. When there is voting there is much more pressure and excitmenet, and a bigger audience. Limassol was good experience. There was a competitive atmosphere, and a chance to talk to other participants and kids who live in Cyprus. Many approached us, were photographed with us, took autographs. There many children speak Russian, because their parents are Russian, but live on Cyprus. Children say that they very much love Belarus and wish to come more often to us.

Svetlana Statsenko: I wish to add. I always try to put myself in the girls shoes. At their age I would sob, but these girls cope well.  They actually understand, that such is show business: the strongest survives. If you cry and faint at bad remarks it is not for you. There were cases of tears from Romania, but they were able to calm themselves. Bulgaria received almost nothing. But it is possible to argue – at their age, the song wasn’t very impressive, but Romania is underfulfilled... Well I do not know... Very good song, very vocal little girl.  I would probably change their dresses. But they are worth better than 9th place! Look at Armenia! In my opinion Ukraine plagiarised a song “For Four Seas…”. It has not hooked me. I liked the sailor look. The girl was naughty, amusing, very active, energetically good. But the song has not touched me.

I heard that your luggage was lost and you have arrived with empty hands. What happened?

Svetlana Statsenko: We arrived with luggage lost. It is necessary to learn to live without luggage! But if it is serious, it was a little bit upsetting that the luggage did not come to Cyprus because I had creams, disks. Everyone’s hair features, ringlets, clothes. We went to England with Xenia and Andrey then the luggage arrived a week after returning home.

What have you brought for yourselves to remember Eurovision and Cyprus?

Dasha: We bought souvenirs. 30 minutes before we left we searched for things. And as for "Eurovision" I have brought a vest and badges with symbols.

Alina Molosh: I have brought greetings to all from Cyprus.

Svetlana Statsenko: There was not much time to go shopping but they bought things at the speed of light. They discussed what to buy with Bobi Andonov from Macedonia, and exchanged addresses. Shells and such are very nice but what is most important is impressions. Everything that was seen and photographed will be remembered forever. We shall talk about this for many years. To summarise I shall say: We tried to make a song about Belarus in the European format. Belgium giving us 10 points gave us confidence.

Translated by junioreurosong.net