Search
Official website of the Spasskaya Tower International Military Music Festival
en
ru en
Official website of the Spasskaya Tower International Military Music Festival
en
ru en
Official website of the Spasskaya Tower International Military Music Festival
13 June 2018

Monument in Honor of the Legendary Maestro Was Opened in Tambov

Go back

On June 11, in the green area adjacent to the Pushkin’s Library in the city center of Tambov a monument was opened in honor of the Head of the Military Band Service of the Russian Armed Forces — chief military conductor (2002 — 2016), musical director of the International Military Music Festival “Spasskaya Tower”, member of the Russian Composer Union, People’s Artist of the Russian Federation and composer Lieutenant General Valery Khalilov.

Created by Alexander Mironov, a sculptor from Moscow, this monument is the first and the only monument so far in Russia established in the honor of Valery Khalilov.

Earlier that day an exhibition dedicated to the legendary musician was opened in the Museum Exhibition Center of the Tambov region. The exhibition demonstrates personal belongings of the composer among which there is his concert costume, service jacket and his famous conductor stick. Visitors also have an opportunity to see a unique collection of photographs from Valery Mikhailovich’s family archive as well as from the archive of the International Military Music Festival “Spasskaya Tower”. Besides, a book about Valery Khalilov written by Professor Irina Tsareva was presented in the course of the exhibition’s opening.

Valery Khalilov’s brother and his two daughters Maria and Olga took part in the opening ceremony of the monument.

“I’m endlessly thankful to all the citizens of Tambov as well as to all the military musicians with whom my brother Valery Khalilov worked. The old Russian city of Tambov has become a Motherland to me and Valery Mikhailovich will be its resident forever”, underlined Valery Khalilov’s brother, senior professor of the Military Institute (of Military Conductors) of the Military University of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, Honored Artist of Russia Colonel Alexander Khalilov. “Three years ago I came here with Valery Mikhailovich and participated in the opening ceremony of the monument in honor of the two prominent representatives of Tambov — Vasiliy Agapkin and Ilya Shatrov. Then Valery Mikhailovich said: „Please, take a photo of me here and three main military conductors of the country will be on it“. We took this photo and then happened, what happened…”

Maria Khalilova, daughter of the conductor, highlighted the significant importance of this monument. She underlined the outstanding atmosphere reigning in Tambov and noticed what wonderful people live in the city.

“I was bonded with Valery Mikhailovich not only by music but also by personal relationship. It’s been a real male friendship”, told the Governor of the Tambov Region Alexander Nikitin. “To my mind, this square has to become the chief and central square of the whole military music art of our country. Valery Mikhailovich used to say that music is the most ecologically friendly genre. So was Khalilov — an honest person with pure soul. And that is how we are going to remember him — our great friend, the friend of our Tambov land”.

The overall height of the sculpture composition is about six meters. Valery Mikhailovich is portrayed full length with a conductor stick in his hand. The sculpture is placed on a granite pedestal which is decorated with trumpets. The bronze composition was placed not far from another monument in honor of two other famous Russian composers — the military conductor Vasiliy Agapkin, the author of the legendary march “Farewell of Slavianka”, and Ilya Shatrov, the composer who created the waltz “Na Sopkakh Manjchjurii” (“On Manchuria Hills”).

The opening ceremony of the monument and exhibition in honor of the legendary Maestro was held within the VII International Brass Bands Festival named after Vasiliy Agapkin and Ilya Shatrov, the founder and musical director of which was Valery Mikhailovich Khalilov.

Up