This Wednesday, August 28, Moscow’s Red Square hosted the last day of the eighth Spasskaya Tower Children and Youth Wind Bands Festival. Ensembles from Moscow and the Belgorod region had an important mission of wrapping up the amazing three-days celebration of talent and youth. The event featured prize-winners of the Spasskaya Tower Children and Youth Wind Bands Contest and was carried out within the Festival’s main program with the unwavering support of the Ministry of Culture of Russia.
With the Spasskaya Tower chimes striking 12 am sharp, the ‘Virtuosi’ Wind Band stepped onto the cobblestones of Red Square. Representing the ‘Radost’ (translated as happiness) Children and Youth Center for Cultural and Music Education and the First Moscow Cadet Corps, the young artists staged a true open-ground or platz concert showing both complicated regroupings and elements of theatrical show. They have proved that a wind ensemble is able to perform anything, from patriotic marches to animated movie scores, and received their well-deserved standing ovations.
Mr Rostislav Kostomarov, the ensemble’s artistic director, highly appreciated the performance of the young talents, highlighting that for a children band it was pretty good. “Our band is deservedly regarded as one of the finest in Russia. Since the team’s inception, the kids have been preparing for this performance, and this has definitely been one of the most important shows in their lives yet. We are all very happy”, said Mr Kostomarov.
The floor was then passed to the Concert Wind Band of the Moscow Music School named after N.S. Golovanov, which was formed back in 1968. The ensemble presented an exceptional performance encompassing a fanfare prelude on the theme of Ludwig van Beethoven’s 9th symphony Ode to Joy, the Amur Waves waltz, as well as a symphonic portrait on the scores of the Jesus Christ Superstar and Evita rock operas.
This year’s Spasskaya Tower Children and Youth Wind Bands Festival featured several ensembles from the Belgorod region. The Belogorie Fanfares Combined Children's Wind Band wrapped up the festival's second day, while the last day of the festival featured the Exemplary Wind Band of the Pyatnitskaya Art School named after G.A. Obrezanov. Musicians have put together a versatile program featuring both Russian popular folk songs and jazz music pieces.
Colonel Konstantin Petrovich, Head of the Military Band Service of the Moscow Military District, hosting the awards ceremony highlighted the following. “The Spasskaya Tower for Kids is an amazing event taking place on Red Square, in the very heart of Russia. It’s a genuine celebration of music and talent. Therefore, I would like to complement all the parents and grandparents for taking their children and grandchildren to music classes. I’m sure that many of the boys and girls present today will tie their future with music. I am very proud to see that the military music service and wind music in Russia has such a bright future”.
The eight Spasskaya Tower Children and Youth Wind Bands Festival wrapped with the iconic Farewell of Slavianka march performed by the children's combined band.
The Spasskaya Tower for Kids is a special project carried out by the Spasskaya Tower International Cultural Center since 2013. The project includes an array of entertaining and educational activities, as well as an opportunity for some of the best young musicians in Russia to participate in the Spasskaya Tower Children and Youth Wind Bands Festival and gain valuable experience performing in front of hundreds of guests and residents of Moscow. Since its inception in 2014, the Children and Youth Bands Festival has been extending its reach both in numbers and geographically. The organizers are committed to discovering and supporting young, talented musicians, as well as promoting conditions for their cultural growth.
