28 Children and Youth Wind Bands Took Part in the Run-Up for the Sixth Spasskaya Tower Children and Youth Brass Bands Festival

May 12 2019, the Large Amphitheater of Moscow’s Zaryadye Park host the Third Children and Youth Wind Band Contest of the Spasskaya Tower for Children, a special project carried out by the Directorate of the Spasskaya Tower International Military Tattoo. Enjoying support of the Department of Culture of the city of Moscow this contest is a run-up for the Sixth Spasskaya Tower Children and Youth Brass Bands Festival, held from 23 to 25 of August 2019 on Red Square.

Twenty-eight children and youth wind ensembles, drummer bands and majorette groups tried their luck at this year’s Spasskaya Tower for Children wind bands contest. Coming from different cities and regions of the Central Federal District, these young and talented artists performed classical and modern compositions by Russian and foreign authors as well as famous soundtracks. With weather being warm and sunny, hundreds of Muscovites and guests of the capital found themselves that day in Zaryadye attending the event. Many of them came with children.

While keeping a close eye on the stage everyone sitting on the stands of the large amphitheater had an opportunity to forward a postcard with the Spasskaya Tower for Children signature to any place of the world. The stand of the Russian Post was put near the stage.

Skills of the participants were judged by the professional jury featuring
Anatoliy Zep — Vice-President of the Wind Society of Wind Bands, Percussion and Wind Performers named after Valery Khalilov, Head of the Music Art Section of the Polenov Russian National House of Folk Arts and Honored Worker of Culture of Russia;
Sergey Zhilin — jazz piano player, conductor, director of the Phonograph music ensembles group and Honored Worker of Culture of Russia;
Mikhail Trunov — Colonel, Head of the Military Institution (of Military Conductors) of the Military University of the Russian Ministry of Defense, professor and Honored Artist of Russia;
Vladimir Pushkarev — professor at the Gnesins Russian Academy of Music, prize-winner of various Russian and international contests, Honored Artist of Russia.

Anatoliy Zep was at the head of the jury. This is how he formulated his opinion about performances presented by the young participants of the contest. “It is not my first time in the jury of the Spasskaya Tower Children and Youth Wind Bands Contest. Thus, I can compare skills of young musicians. Today we’ve seen a lot of performances, all differing in their level. Some of them have been truly remarkable showing great conductors’ skills. I may even say that the overall level of ensembles taking part in this year’s contest has significantly risen. It won’t be a piece of cake for the jury to choose the winners that at the end of August will perform on Red Square within the Twelfth Spasskaya Tower Festival as their number is limited”, told Mr. Zep adding that the number of diploma winners, though, wasn’t limited at all.

This year among the participants of the Third Children and Youth Wind Bands Contest of the Spasskaya Tower for Children you may have come across the Wind Band of the Skryabin Children School of Music from Moscow. According to Vyacheslav Astashkin, Director of the school and Honored Worker of Culture of Russia, being part of such an event does not only inspire his band to achieve new heights, but contributes to the reputation of the school as well.

The results of the contest will be announced June, 1. All the winners will have an opportunity to take part in the Spasskaya Tower for Children Brass Bands Festival at the end of August. «Be strong and keep your noses high. There are only few steps left before Red Square», told the participants of the contest Mr. Sergey Smirnov, Head of the Directorate of the Spasskaya Tower Festival, wishing them good luck.