The cellist, People’s Artist of Armenia Narek Hakhnazaryan, the “Mariinka” baritone Yefim Zavalny, violinist, the founder of the Almazian Symphony orchestra Khachatur Almazyan participated in the closing ceremony.
For three days, students of music schools and academies from Russia, Serbia and Belarus competed in the skill of performing Russian classical music. As a result, the main prize of the festival - the Golden Matryoshka in the younger age group of 13 - 17 years old was won by Valery Makarov from Samara, the Silver matryoshka went to Alexander Tyan from St. Petersburg, and the Bronze was awarded to Miroslav Battalion from Minsk. Among the participants of the age group of 17–25 years, Mikhail Zhivoyinovich from Eastern Sarajevo became the best, Anastasia Mikhnovets from Minsk was awarded the Silver matryoshka, Anna Savkina from Moscow won the Bronze matryoshka.
This year, the violist and conductor Yuri Bashmet took part in the festival, accompanied by the Kustendorf symphony orchestra, performed the work of Harold in Italy by Hector Berlioz, and the outstanding baritone of the Mariinsky Theater, Vasily Gerello, performed old Russian romances and Neapolitan songs.
Earlier, Kusturica stated that he believes that in the future the number of countries participating in the Kustendorf Classic festival of classical music created by him may expand.