The Band of the National Bolivarian Armed Forces

The Great Military Band of the National Bolivarian Armed Forces «Supreme Commander Hugo Rafael Chavez Frias»

Divisional General Andres Josue Yalastasi Yepez, Head of the Delegation.

Senior Lieutenant Mexy Joel Quintero Rincon, Head of the Band.

Music has been an integral part of military life for centuries. Since the dawn of war, the Venezuelan Armed Forces-whether during training or troop movements-have been listening to the sounds of drums, fifes, bugles, fiddles, and other musical instruments.

Following the order of Mr. Vladimir Padrino Lopez, Minister of Defense of Venezuela, the Great Band of the Venezuelan Armed Forces was formed, featuring the best military musicians in the country. The talent search encompassed all three services of the Venezuelan Armed Forces, namely the Army, Navy, and Air Forces, as well as the National Guard and Bolivarian Police. Graduates of the country’s leading musical institutions also had their chance to undergo the auditions.
The Venezuelan military musicians’ goal is to embody cultural values supported by the national armed forces. They aim at promoting Venezuelan military, traditional, and folklore music as well as showcasing all the variety of music’s distinctive genres and rhythms at an international level.
The Great Military Band is keeping the country’s cultural and historical heritage alive, preserving the peculiar features of the national military music and inviting everyone to take a deeper look into the history and reality of the Armed Forces of Venezuela.

It’s worth noting that the Great Military Band has vast experience of cultural and music exchanges with friendly countries. As part of the naval exercises, the ensemble visited the following countries: Martinique, Cuba, Barbados, Saint Lucia, Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, Ecuador, Chile, Panama, Curaçao, Mexico, Dominican Republic, and Colombia.

It’s a great honor for the musicians to make their debut at the Spasskaya Tower Festival and present the audiences in Moscow an outstanding blend of strict marching rythms with Venezuelan folklore melodies, thus making a significant contribution to the friendly military and patriotic union between Russia and Venezuela.