Russian Schools to Hold Patriotic Music Lessons Featuring Sanctioned Pro-Kremlin Artists Like Shaman

Russian schools will host “patriotic music lessons” featuring singers such as pro-Kremlin Shaman, Oleg Gazmanov, and Denis Maidanov. This was reported by RIA Novosti on January 23, citing the State Duma  deputy Sergey Kolunov.

“By mid-February, we will prepare a draft songbook, which will then be presented for discussion within the professional community. All discussions will be finalized by summer, and starting September 1, I am confident that children will begin learning patriotic songs by contemporary authors, including Oleg Gazmanov and Shaman, in schools,” said Sergey Kolunov.

Yaroslav Dronov, known as Shaman, has emerged as a key figure in Russia's propaganda efforts, aligning himself closely with the Kremlin’s narrative. With hyper-patriotic songs like ‘I’m Russian,’ which has garnered millions of views on YouTube, he amplifies pro-Kremlin rhetoric and serves as a musical rallying cry for supporters of the invasion of Ukraine.

According to GazetaRu, Shaman considered the idea a good one but emphasized the importance of not forcing it. The singer stated that he sees nothing wrong with students wanting to listen to and sing his songs during music lessons, “if their hearts lead them to do so.”

Oleg Gazmanov described the inclusion of his songs in lessons as “a true honor.” He noted that a lot of children attend his concerts and are familiar with nearly his entire repertoire.

“The only challenge is coordinating these events with the artists’ touring schedules. I think we’ll look at which cities our performers are visiting and then find suitable schools for those dates,” the deputy said in an interview with Parlamentskaya Gazeta.

Previously, on July 4, 2024, YouTube blocked the channels of several big Russian singers who publicly support Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, such as Shaman, Polina Gagarina, and Oleg Gazmanov, following their inclusion on the EU sanctions list.