Lieutenant General Sergey Khlebnikov, Head of the Moscow Kremlin Commandant’s Service of the Federal Guard Service of Russia — Commandant of the Moscow Kremlin and member of the Spasskaya Tower Festival Public Council told the Twelfth Spasskaya Tower International Military Music Festival press conference (August 15) about the record number of foreign participants of the 2019 Festival that is going to be held on Red Square from August 23 to September 1.
“The number of our foreign guests has reached a thousand. It is the Festival’s record so far. This year’s run will welcome 30 artistic groups from 12 countries, including Russia. Fifteen ensembles come from abroad with two of them being international teams. As the International Massed Celtic Pipes and Drums features representatives of seven countries and the International Celtic Dance Team as many as thirteen states representatives”, told Lieutenant General Sergey Khlebnikov, revealing several other details as well.
Thus, according to him, the Children Playground on Red Square will also host a record number of events with the traditional Children and Youth Wind Bands Festival and Interregional Children and Youth Honor Guard Contest gathering 1200 boys and girls.
“As usual, the Spasskaya Tower Festival will happily open the gates of its horse riding arena”, told the Moscow Kremlin Commandant pointing out that the size of Red Square allowed building both the main stands and the arena. “Throughout all those ten years all the events held onstage of the arena have been the responsibility of Mr. Boris Petrov, General Director of the Kremlin Equestrian School, who has been executing his task to perfection”, pointed out Mr. Khlebnikov adding that the performances of the Kremlin Equestrian School are true showstoppers. “I hope that this year they will be on top as usual”.
The Moscow Kremlin Commandant also said that the 2019 Festival would see the second run of the audiences voting for the best Russian and foreign performances. To cast the vote, one may access the Festival official website or download the official app. He recalled that the idea of the voting belonged to Alexander Gorbenko, Vice Mayor of Moscow. “Last year we launched this initiative and it was a true success scoring about 200 thousand voices, with the Cadet Band of the Lieutenant General Valery Khalilov Moscow Military Music College and Crescendo Bicycle Showband from the Netherlands coming first”, he told.
Finally, Mr. Khlebnikov extended gratitude to the Russian Ministry of Defense and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, particularly to the Consular Department, for their help in executing the Festival.
“But I’m particularly grateful to the Government of Moscow and Mayor Sergey Sobyanin who at the time being the Head of the Presidential Administration communicated the sprouting idea of the Festival to the President of the Russian Federation. Further, the Festival has continued to grow enjoying the direct support of Moscow’s officials. Besides, thanks to the Moscow Government the Kremlin Equestrian School at last got a great opportunity to go on developing national equestrian arts. There is the decision of established the National Equestrian Traditions Center on VDNH”, added Lieutenant General Sergey Khlebnikov.
Before the beginning of the press conference all its participants as well as the press center employees had the chance to enjoy the performance of the Central Military Band of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.