The Great Military Band of the Venezuelan Armed Forces to Perform at the Spasskaya Tower Military Tattoo

The Great Military Band of the National Bolivarian Armed Forces «Supreme Commander Hugo Rafael Chavez Frias» will become part of the Spasskaya Tower International Military Music Festival, which will unfold from August 26 to September 4 in the iconic Moscow’s Red Square.

“In fulfillment of the order of Admiral [Mariani Indira Mata Quijada], the Director General for Integration and International Affairs of the Ministry of Defense [of Venezuela], I have the honor to convey warm patriotic, revolutionary, Bolivarian, socialist, anti-imperialist, and Chavista greetings to all the people who are organizing this diplomatic mission,”reads the welcoming letter of Admiral Mariani Indira Mata Quijada, the Director General for Integration and International Affairs of the Ministry of Defense of Venezuela. The address also highlights that it’s a big honor for the Great Military Band of the Venezuelan Armed Forces to take part in the Spasskaya Tower Festival and present the vast audiences an outstanding blend of strict marching rhythms with Venezuelan folklore melodies. Admiral Mariani Indira Mata Quijada also noted that the participation of the Venezuelan ensemble in the Moscow festival would make a significant contribution to the friendly military and patriotic union between the countries.

For the fifteenth anniversary run of the Spasskaya Tower Military Tattoo, the musicians have prepared an upscale and colorful performance showcasing the peculiar features of the national military music and inviting everyone to take a deeper look into the history and reality of the Armed Forces of Venezuela. The air around Red Square will be filled with the sounds of a dazzling mash up of energetic marches (‘The Indian and the Conquistador’ March by Corredor Serpa) and traditional songs (‘Venezuela Flag’ by Pacheco, ‘Shining Firefly’ by Marcano, ‘Carmela’ by Lilia Vera, ‘Guayana’ by Mendoza, ‘Little Bird’ by Custodio Loyola, ‘Alma Llanera’ by Gutierrez, ‘Viva, Venezuela’ by Dia, and 'La Burra’ by Marcano).

The Great Band of the Venezuelan Armed Forces was formed by the order of Mr. Vladimir Padrino Lopez, Minister of Defense of Venezuela, and features the country’s best military musicians (from the Army, Navy, and Air Forces, as well as the National Guard and Bolivarian Police) and graduates of the leading musical institutions.

Led by Senior Lieutenant Mexy Joel Quintero Rincon, the ensemble actively promotes the national military, traditional, and folklore music both in Venezuela and abroad. The Great Military Band has vast experience of cultural and music exchanges with friendly countries. As part of the naval exercises, the ensemble visited the following countries: Martinique, Cuba, Barbados, Saint Lucia, Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, Ecuador, Chile, Panama, Curaçao, Mexico, Dominican Republic, and Colombia.