Abstract: As an important aspect of urban development, urban waterfront landscapes not only serve as significant reflections of the urban image, but are also key factors in attracting tourists and stimulating the development of the tourism industry. As the exclusive cultural resources of the city, regional culture plays an important role in the design of urban coastal landscapes. This article examines the integration of regional culture and the design of urban embankment landscapes and presents several aspects that require careful attention in the design process. Specifically, designers should study local regional cultural elements in detail and introduce them into the urban waterfront landscape so that people can appreciate the uniqueness and significance of local culture. In addition, in the design, it is necessary to carefully consider the scale, amenities and related services of the city in order to create a comfortable, unique and multicultural urban waterfront landscape. This article also offers recommendations for overcoming limitations and future research, as well as discusses market prospects and the commercial value of this design and operational model of urban embankment landscapes, primarily satisfying the spiritual and cultural needs of people.    In this paper, proposals and measures are proposed to integrate regional culture into the landscape design of urban embankments in order to create more distinctive, comfortable and pleasant to perceive landscapes of urban embankments. Thanks to the rational use of local culture in combination with the needs of tourists and local residents, it is possible to satisfy various cultural features and needs by creating a landscape design of the city embankment, rich in diverse cultural impressions. In the future, such landscape design and the mode of operation of city embankments, aimed mainly at meeting the spiritual and cultural needs of people, has great prospects for development.

Keywords: history and culture, landscape design, cultural studies, Environment design, art and culture, landscape art, conservation and heritage, urban waterfront landscape, regional culture, cultural heritage

Abstract: The research topic is the history of the theoretical department of the Central Children's Music School of Saratov which will celebrate the 100th anniversary in December 2016. The author of the article describes the post-revolutionary, prewar, postwar and modern stages of the school's development. The author also introduces the founders and leading teachers of the school's theoretical department from the very beginning of the school's foundation. The author touches upon various activities of the members of the theoretical department such as solfeggio, choir, theatricalization and lessons for children. The history of the school's development and impressions of the most important events in the school's life is reconstructed based on literary sources and memories of students who have studied at the music school in different years. The main research method used by the author is the diachronic method allowing to view activities and aspects of music education performed by the Central Children's Music School of Saratov in chronological order. The novelty of the research is caused by the fact that the author has collected and summarized scientific and historical materials on the foundation and development of the theoretical department of the Central Children's Music School of Saratov. The author of the article has described the major milestones in the historical development of the department as well as activity of distinguished teachers who established the tradition of professional excellence in teaching the theory of music.  

Keywords: teaching innovation, concert activity, music education, anniversary, Saratov, music school, theatricalization, famous graduates

Abstract: The article describes events of the International Forum ‘Traditional Culture as a Strategic Resource of the Society Sustainable Development held on 17–20 of April, 2012 in Mogilev (Republic of Belarus). Experts in traditional culture, leaders and specialists working at cultural institutions in Lithuania, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Ukraine, Russia and Belarus participated in it. There was an International scientific and practical conference ‘Traditional culture: protection, preservation and actualization’ conducted within the framework of the International Forum. Participants of that conference made speeches about various aspects of traditional culture.

Keywords: cultural studies, folklore, traditions, succes sion, society, values, actualization, translation, preservation, rites.

Abstract: The article is based on the speec prepared by the author for International scientific and practical conference ‘Traditional culture: protection, preservation and actualization’. It describes the importance and dominating role of song in Mogilevschina folklore. Some of the songs have roots in pre-national culture and preserves elements of general Slavic songs (which, however, acquired distinguished features with time). Other songs which have been created later are a bright example of master skills, talent and people’s fantasy.

Keywords: cultural studies, folklore, calendar, rite, traditions, culture, song, chorovod (circle dance), stylistics, Dnieper Ukraine.

Abstract: The author of the article views R. Kazaryan’s book ‘Esthetics of the Cinema’ (published in 2011 in Moscow) as the continuation of the tradition in the Russian art history according to which people who themselves create artwork can write and talk very seriously about patterns and laws of art and creative work. It is noted that the author of the book was quite innovative in his analysis of the sound and approach to cinema phonography from the point of view of the synthesis between the sound and image. Kazaryan’s special approach and his thoughts about the relation between the diegesis space (the world that is shown in a movie) and the audience space are considered to be favorable and productive.

Keywords: history of art, creative work, art of the cinema, cinematograph, phonogram (audio record), stereo sound, synthesis, space (out of picture, diegesis, audience), psychophysiology of hearing, acoustic image.

Abstract: The article contains a description and anaysis of the Forum devoted to the 100th annivesrsary of a great artist Arkady Raikin and organized by the Fund of Development and Suport of Culture Named fter Raikin and State Institute of Art Studies of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation on October 17-18 2011.

Keywords: cultural studies, history of art, stage arts, mask, artist, transformation, miniature, monologue, satire, lyrics.

Abstract: The article provides information about biography of a major, although still depreciated Russian artist V. I. Shukhaev (1887–1973), shows the importance and just-in-time publication of the book and comments on a high level of E. P. Yakovleva’s reference apparatus.

Keywords: art history, painter, schedule, scene designer, lecturer, exhibition, letters, memories, Shukhaev, Yakovlev.

Abstract: The author analyzes the narrative coincidences which happened during the Cannes Festival of 2011 as well as parallels in certain details. It is shown that being another complete piece of artwork, the festival starts to live its own life, goes beyond its authors’ intentions and gives new opportunities for interpretation.

Keywords: cultural studies, art studies, cinema, Cannes Festival, Þ ne arts, history of cinema, cinema and Þ ne art, visual culture, melancholy, creative work, 3D.