Moscow is looking forward to once again hosting military music and artistic ensembles from all over the globe at the Twelfth Spasskaya Tower International Military Music Festival, held on Red Square from August 23 to September 1, 2019.
Among this year’s premiers, there is Tveit Union Musikkorps, a marching and concert band from Norway that for the first time in their history will step on the cobblestone of Red Square.
Tveit Union Musikkorps was founded in 1991 in the town of Kristiansand after Tveit Musikkorps (established in 1952) and Musikkorpset Union (established in 1918) bands decided to merge. The name “Tveit” comes from the suburban area on the outskirts of Kristiansand where the band is located.
Tveit Union Musikkorps regularly goes on tour performing at various national and international festivals and stages. Every year on the national day of Norway celebrated on May 17 the band presents its new marching show.
The band has 35 members in total aged from 16 to 47. Though being an amateur group the ensemble is famous for its high level of military precision. This should come as no surprise as both the director of music and the director of marching display have served their national service as part of HM the King’s Guard.
Daniel Sørensen, Director of Music, highlighted that T veit Union Musikkorps really looked forward to being part of the Spasskaya Tower Festival. “The band has participated in a number of Tattoos around Europe. And we are now preparing to give the audience everything we can on Red Square. With a varied and exciting program combined with Norwegian and Russian music, we look forward to participating in one of the world’s largest Tattoos” , he added.
Tveit Union Musikkorps will perform at the Spasskaya Tower Festival from August 27 to September 1. The organizers still keep it a secret who will represent Norway at the beginnign of the Festival, from August 23 to 26.
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Tveit Union Musikkorps is regularly invited to take part in different music festivals. Since its foundations the band has been part of the:
- Berwick Military Tattoo, England (2000, 2001, 2004),
- Blumenkorso Bad Ems, Germany (2002),
- Valenciennes Tattoo, France (2003),
- Musikparade Tour, Germany (2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010),
- Sørlandet Tattoo, Norway (2007, 2008, 2010, 2011),
- Iserlohn Schützenfest, Germany (2001, 2013),
- Ringriderfesten Sønderborg, Denmark (1992, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2018),
- Tattoo St. Quentin, France (2017),
- Berlin Tattoo, Germany (2017),
- Bremen Tattoo, Germany (2019).
Mr. Daniel Sörensen, Director of Music of Tveit Union Musikkorps, has over 30 and 15 years of trumpet playing and conducting experience, respectively. He offers to the band both his vast artistic knowledge and new ideas, usually combining the traditions of Norwegian music with the influences of the world.
Mr. John Natvig, Director of Marching Shows and band’s Drum Major, has experience not only with music, but with theater and dance as well. Perhaps it is this sense for the visual — and combining it with the musical — that is the key to his success in creating the exciting marching displays with unique formations and intricate movement for which the band is known.
