This and other things were revealed yesterday, August 16, in the course of the official press conference in the Multimedia press center of the Rossiya Segodnya International News Agency by the main organizers of the Eleventh Spasskaya Tower International Military Music Festival which is going to be held in Moscow from August 24 to September 2 (continuation of the press conference report of August 16, 2018).
The second part of the report tells about the speeches delivered by Boris Petrov, General Director of the Kremlin Equestrian School, and Colonel Evgeniy Nikitin, Deputy Head of the Band — Military Conductor of the President’s Band of the Service of Moscow Kremlin’s Commandant of the Federal Guard Service of Russia, Musical Director of the Children and Youth Brass Bands Festival of the Spasskaya Tower for Children project as well as by the embassies’ representatives of
Boris Petrov told about the equestrian program of the Spasskaya Tower Festival. He said that the cavaliers of the Kremlin Equestrian School prepared a new program for their performance on the horse riding arena. It as well will translate the main theme of the Festival of the Officers’ Ball. The performance will be accompanied by music of Borodin, Khachaturyan and Verdi. Besides this year the cavaliers of the Kremlin Equestrian School will take part in the main show on Red Square with a new program especially preapred for the occasion. Peculiar care was taken about the horses as they were bought new special shoes which would save the animals from injuries during their performance on the cobblestone.
“As a matter of tradition the Cavalry Escort of the Presidential Regiment will be joined on the horse riding arena by the Children’s Equestrian Ceremonial Team of the school which this year will present a new program”, told Petrov.
He also announced performance of the Cordoba Equestrian Association from Spain which will bring to Moscow ten wonderful horses of the Andalusian brred. According to the General Director of the Kremlin Equestrian School, it will be an amazing show. And on September 3 the cavaliers of the school are going to Cordoba on the invitation of the Cordoba Equestrian Association.
The 31st of August traditionally celebrated the Horse Day. According to Petrov, that day the horse ridng arena of the Festival will host the special service dedicated to the Saints Flor and Lavr, patrons of horses and other domestic animals. After the service there will be performances by the Mosocw horse mounted police, Russian troikas and show of little horses. All the performances held of the horse riding arena are free of charge.
Boris Petrov also told about the problems that the Kremlin Equestrian School has been going through lately.
“We have been deprived of the premises where our school situated and now we have to find and create a new venue where we will have an opportunity to host visitors all year around. The Government of Moscow has promissed to help us. And in the future we’d like to built a large indoor arena, the idea which is also supported by the officials of the capital”, told Petrov.
Colonel Evgeniy Nikitin, Deputy Head of the Band — Military Conductor of the President’s Band of the Service of Moscow Kremlin’s Commandant of the Federal Guard Service of Russia, Musical Director of the Children and Youth Brass Bands Festival of the Spasskaya Tower for Children project, made an emphasis on the main aspects of the Spasskaya Tower for Children program.
According to him, the place where the Spasskaya Tower for Children is held has a unique atmosphere as no other military music festival in the world has such a venue.
“Another advantage of our Festival in compariosson with other foreign military tattoos is that the participation for all children’s bands are absolutely free. Besides young musicians receive a unique experience of performing in front of large audience. The best ensembles are awarded diplomas which can be considered by the authorities of their regions which can provide them material support”, said Nikitin.
The Musical Director of the Children and Youth Brass Bands Festival of the Spasskaya Tower for Children project told that over five years more than 50 bands from various regions of Russia performed onstage the venue. Participation of the bands from Belorussia and Israel has made the Festival international. Due to the intense competition among children’s bands of the Central Federal District this year for the second time the Children and Youth Wind Bands Festival and Contest was held representing a preliminary round.
“As the result we have chosen ten best groups which are going to perform in the finale of the Children and Youth Brass Bands Festival on the stage of the Children Playground”, added Nikitin. According to him, the highlight of the Festival and Contest held in Zaryadye was the performance of the combined children’s wind band which included about one thousand young musicians. The finale of the children festival will also include a nubmer of debutants, for example bands from Ekaterinburg and Belorechensk (Krasnodar Region).
According to Nikitin, the stage of the Children Playground will aslo host performances of the foreign bands participating in the main program of the Festival.
Representatives of the embassies of the countries participating in the Festival were also given word during the press conference.
Thus Norma Pensado, Ambassador of Mexico to Russia, said that participation of the Mexican group in the Spasskaya Tower Festival was an excellent opportunity to present Mexican culture to Russian audience. She also told that this year Mexico was to be represented by the Banda Monumental de Mexico uniting three groups the Delphines Marching Band, Tenochtitlan Dancing Company and Oro de Mexico Youth Mariachi Band. All in all 130 Mexican artists will step out onto the cobblestone of Red Square.
Group Captain Channa Dissanayake, Defense Attache of the Sri Lankan Embassy, expressed gratitude on behalf of his country’s government to the organizers of the Festival for the invitation to take part in the event.
“It will great experience for our military band which for the first time will take part in the Festival”, told the Sri Lankan representative adding that the miltary ensemble of his country included the bands of the Army, Navy and Air Force.
Elly Tzogalis Corbaz, First Secretary of the Embassy of Switzerland, told that ensembles from her country for the fifth time would take part in the Festival. This year the country will be represented by the Company of “Vieux Grenadiers” of Geneva which already performed on Red Square in 2014.
According to her, the “Vieux Grenadiers” of Geneva is a military band formed back in 1749. It unites 120 male musicians who perform in authentic military uniform of the Napoleonic wars epoch. The motto of the group is “Fatherland, Family, Friendship”.
Teodora Danisi, First Secretary and Press Attache of the Italian Embassy, present the group that this year would take part in the Festival on behalf of Italy. It is going to be Fanfara Bersaglieri San Dona di Piave, a popular band in Italy. Musicians are special for their style of performing: they brilliantly perform while running.
Teodora Danisi also stated that the participation of the Italian band in the Festival would strengthen the cultural relations between Italy and Russia.
Answering the question about the sources of finanicing of the Spasskaya Tower Festival, Sergey Smirnov, Head of the Directorate of the Festival said that there were three sources: sponsorship including foreing one, Moscow Government subsidies and income from ticket sales.
He also told that since the beginning of the Festival in 2007 ticket price have remained the same. As far as the suggestion of one of the journalists of holding performances of military bands at stadiums Smirnov answered that the Festival’s Directorate would discuss this idea.