Yesterday, August 23, the organizers of the Eleventh Spasskaya Tower International Military Music Festival held a special media event on Red Square.
Lieutenant General Sergey Khlebnikov, member of the Spasskaya Tower Festival Public Council and Head of the Service of Moscow Kremlin’s Commandant – Moscow Kremlin’s Commandant, told the journalists that the main theme of the this year’s Festival starting on August 24 is the Moscow Officer’s Ball.
Mr. Khlebnikov told that the Directorate of the Festival had launched an on-line interactive poll to find out what kind of music people preferred hearing at the Festival. The majority of respondents answered that they wanted to hear great Russian classics. “We looked through the repertoire and grasped that it was an excellent idea but it needed a good music shape. Thus, we’ve come up with the idea of a ball as at all times balls have been an inseparable part of the Russian Army. So it’s been decided to organize the Moscow Officers’ Ball. By putting Moscowinto the title we wanted to underline our gratitude for the Government and Mayor of Moscow that during all these eleven years have supported our Festival. Due to this support the popularity of our Festival has been growing from year to year as well as our perspectives for the future”, highlighted Mr. Khlebnikov.
Addressing the journalists, Colonel Timofey Mayakin, Head of the Military Music Band Service of the Russian Armed Forces – Chief Military Conductor and the Music Director of the Spasskaya Tower Festival, said that he had the impression that the previous year’s Festival had finished just the day before and that there wasn’t that whole year separating them. “Illustrating this is the Military Bands in the Parks program within which the groups performed from May to August. This year it’s been joined by the Moscow Longevity program within which people of the noble age had the opportunity to dance in the parks accompanied by band music. Winners of this program you can see on Red Square taking part in our ball. This year the Spasskaya Tower Festival invites everyone to the Moscow Officers’ Ball. It’s going to be a vibrant event involving nations from all over the world. The audience will hear music from different countries and different genres”, stated Mr. Mayakin.
At the end of his speech Mr. Mayakin thanked all the heads and artists of the foreign groups for finding the opportunity of coming to the Moscow Officers’ Ball and demonstrate their programs for the Russian audience.
“I can assure you that this year our Festival is going to happen”, he stated.
Mr. Sergey Smirnov, Head of the Spasskaya Tower Festival Directorate and Executive Secretary of the Festival’s Public Council, was brief telling that it was a very important day and at the same time a very exciting one. “The reason is that we want to prove you that overcoming its ten years’ threshold the Spasskaya Tower International Military Music Festival hasn’t lost a bit of its quick and joyful temper”, underlined Mr. Smirnov.
Mr. Smirnov also thanked all the heads of the Russian military bands, conductors, musicians and foreign guests for their readiness to perform at this year’s Festival.
