Spasskaya Tower Military Music Festival and Tattoo

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Spasskaya Tower Military Music Festival and Tattoo
Международный военно-музыкальный фестиваль «Спасская башня»
The 2011 International military and musical festival "Spasskaya Tower" official opening 04.jpg
The festival in 2011.
Genreconcert band, military, marching
DatesLate August Each Year
Location(s)Moscow, Russia
Years active2007–present
Website[1]

The Spasskaya Tower International Military Music Festival is an annual military music event and military tattoo held in Moscow on Red Square. Participating in the festival are Russian and foreign military bands, folk groups, and honor guard units of foreign countries. More than 40 countries have taken part in the festival since 2006.[citation needed] It is named after the world-famous Spasskaya Tower of the Moscow Kremlin.[1] Its TV partner is TV Centre. The festival’s motto is "To Revive Traditions and Preserve History".[2]

In 2020, the directorate of the festival became a full-fledged member of the Asian Marching Band Confederation (AMBC).[3]

Timeline[]

The 2020 ceremony.

The following is an timeline of the festival's history:[4]

  • 2007: It took place on Poklonnaya Hill and celebrated the Moscow City Day. The event was seen by more than 50,000 people.[5]
  • 2008: The event was referred to as the International Military Music Festival "The Kremlin Zorya". The Foreign and Commonwealth Office banned British Army bagpipers from travelling to event in protest of the 2008 Russo-Georgian War. The move was criticized by Brigadier Melville Jameson of the Edinburgh Military Tattoo and Vitaly Mironov of the Kremlin Zorya Foundation, with both accusing Foreign Secretary David Miliband of "playing politics" in a cultural event.[6]
  • 2009: It was the first year that it had been referred to as Spasskaya Tower.
  • 2013: Beginning this year, the festival's motto has been "Reviving traditions, retaining history"
  • 2014: 1,500 military musicians and honor guards from 10 countries took part in the festival. The theme of the festival marked the First World War centenary.[2]
  • 2015: The festival celebrated the 70th anniversary of the end of the Second World War.[7]
  • 2016: Attended by over a 1,000 musicians.[8] Participating teams included those from Austria, Greece, the European Union, Italy, Mongolia, Singapore, Slovenia, Kazakhstan, Japan, Israel, Belarus, and Scotland.[8][9] The tattoo began with a minute of silence for the 291 victims of the August 2016 Central Italy earthquake.[10]
  • 2017: The tattoo celebrated the 10th anniversary of the founding of the festival.[11][12] It also honoured Lieutenant General Valery Khalilov, the musical director of the festival who died along with the entire Alexandrov Ensemble in the 2016 Russian Defence Ministry Tupolev Tu-154 crash. Over a thousand musicians from 40 young bands of the Central Federal District took part in the festival as part of a larger Children's Combined Band. Distinguished guests of honor included Belarusian Defence Minister Andrey Ravkov and his spouse, Chief Conductor in the Abkhazian Defence Ministry David Terzyan and Director of Bands for the Egyptian Armed Forces Major General Helmi Ahmed Suliman Khatab.[13]
  • 2018: The tattoo was attended by HRH Princess Stephanie of Monaco. The 2018 festival marked the 10th time that French singer Mireille Mathieu (who is also the festival's mascot) has appeared in the festival.[14] It also marked the first time that military bands from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) did not participate in the festival[15][16] It concluded with an awards ceremony which honored the best Russian military band and the best foreign military band based on the results of the recently introduced voting system.
  • 2019:[17] Individuals such as Georgian born People's Artist and singer Tamara Gverdtsiteli.,[18] as well as others such as Hibla Gerzmava and Anita Tsoi[19] were among the vocal performers in the festival.[20]
  • 2020: The theme for the 2020 festival was "75 years - the end of the war", in honor of the diamond jubilee of the defeat of Nazi Germany.[21] It was expected that the festival for this year be one that tells about the history of the military music in Russia.[22] The bands of the anti-Hitler coalition were also invited to the festival.[23] Due to the COVID-19, foreign bands were not able to participate in the festival, and later, it was announced that the festival was cancelled altogether, marking the first time since its establishment that the public event on Red Square had been cancelled.[24][25] Instead of the normal program, it was announced that an online festival would take place on 6 September on the Cathedral Square of the Main Cathedral of the Russian Armed Forces, with over 12 musical units from the armed forces and other organizations performing, including a few first time participants.[26] Virtual greetings were given by the Royal Thai Navy Band, the French Air Force Southwest Band, the Zürich City Police Band, and the PLA Band.[27][28]
  • 2021: The 2021 edition saw Till Lindemann of the German band Rammstein serve as headliner.[29]

Bands in the Parks[]

The Military Band of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Mongolia in its traditional uniform on the VDNKh.

The Bands in the Parks is a program sponsored by Directorate of the Spasskaya Tower International Military Music Festival and is carried out from May to August in support of the Ministry of Defense of Russia and the Government of Moscow.[30] The first of these performances took place at VDNKh in 2016 and was greeted with a standing ovation by Muscovites and guests of the capital. In the anniversary year a year later, the program of performances was expanded. The number of concerts and city venues involved in the project has increased.[31]

Performers[]

Presidential Band of the Russian Federation
The Abu Dhabi Police Band

Foreign[]

Normally, each festival included a maximum of 12 countries, apart from Russia.[citation needed]

List of foreign participants in the festival
State Unit Branch/Service
 Austria (2013)
(2016) 		Bundesheer
 Azerbaijan Band of the Azerbaijan Higher Military Academy (2019)[32]
Song and Dance Ensemble of the Army Ideological and Hazi Aslanov Cultural Center (2019)[33] 		Armed Forces of Azerbaijan
 Bahrain Bahrain Police Band (2010) Ministry of Interior
 Belarus Central Band of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus (2013, 2016, 2017, 2019[34])
Honor Guard of the Armed Forces of Belarus (2013, 2016, 2017, 2019) 		Armed Forces of Belarus
 China Central Military Band of the People's Liberation Army of China (2015, 2019) People's Liberation Army
 Denmark Royal Life Guards Music Band Danish Defence
 Egypt Egyptian Armed Forces Symphonic Band (2017) Egyptian Armed Forces
 Finland Conscript Band of the Finnish Defence Forces (2013) Finnish Defence Forces
 France French Army Signals Band (2010)
French Foreign Legion Music Band (MLE) (2011)
Musique de l'Arme Blindée Cavalerie (2012)
Fanfare de l'Ecole d'Application de l'Artillerie (2012)[35]
Fanfare du 2e Régiment de Hussards (2012)
 Germany Staff Band of the Bundeswehr Bundeswehr
 Greece Hellenic Air Force Band (2011, 2012)[36]
(2011, 2012)
 India Indian Army Chief's Band (2009)
Tri-Services Band (2017)
 Israel Israel Police Orchestra (2010)[37]
Israel Defense Forces Orchestra (2016)[38]
 Italy Banda musicale dell'Arma dei Carabinieri (2012, 2017)

Banda della Polizia Locale di Roma Capitale(2015)
Band of the 11th Bersaglieri Regiment (2018)
Alpine Brigade Tridentina Band (2019)[39][40]

 Japan Japan Ground Self-Defense Force Central Band (2019)[41][42] Japan Ground Self-Defense Force
 Kazakhstan Presidential Band of the State Security Service of the Republic of Kazakhstan (2007, 2009–10, 2012)
Aibyn Presidential Regiment (2007, 2009–10, 2012)
Honour Guard and Band of the National Guard of the Republic of Kazakhstan (2019)
 North Korea Central Military Band of the Korean People's Army (2019) Korean People's Army
 South Korea (2019)
 Mexico Representative Music Band of the Mexican Armed Forces (2015, 2021) Mexican Armed Forces
 Monaco Prince’s Band of Carabiniers (2018)[43]
 Mongolia Military Band of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Mongolia (2015) Armed Forces of Mongolia
 Myanmar Central Military Band of the Myanmar Armed Forces (2018) Myanmar Armed Forces
 Netherlands Rotterdam Marine Band of the Royal Netherlands Navy (2013) Royal Netherlands Navy
 Netherlands Bicycle Showband Crescendo (2018) None (Civilian)
 Norway Tveit Union (2019)[44]
 Oman Omani Royal Guard Military Band (2018) Omani Royal Guard
 Pakistan Pakistan Armed Forces Band (2011, 2015)[45] Pakistan Armed Forces
 Poland Representative Central Band of the Polish Armed Forces (2012) Polish Armed Forces
 Qatar Qatar Armed Forces Band Regiment (2021) Qatar Armed Forces
 Qatar (2021)[46][47] Qatar Police
 Serbia Nish Band of the Serbian Armed Forces (2014)
 Singapore Singapore Armed Forces Band (2012)
Singapore Police Force Band (2016)
Singapore Police Force Women's Pipes and Drums (2016)
 Slovenia Slovene Military Orchestra (2013)[48]
KUD Pošta Maribor Brass Band (2015)
 Sri Lanka Sri Lankan Military Band (2018)[49]
  Switzerland Top Secret Drum Corps (2011, 2017)[50]
Vieux-Grenadiers Compamy (2014, 2018)
 Tajikistan Military Brass Band of the Commandant Regiment of the Ministry of Defense of Tajikistan (2010)
 Turkey Harmonic Band of the Turkish Armed Forces (2019)
 UAE Abu Dhabi Police Band (2013)
 UK Royal Artillery Band (2011)
19th Regiment Royal Artillery Pipes and Drums (2011)
(2018)[51]
 US United States Army Europe Band and Chorus (2010)
 Uzbekistan Band of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Uzbekistan (2017)[52]

Other low-level participants have included the Republican Specialized Academic Lyceum of Music of the Uzbekistan National Guard[53] and the National Presidential Band of Ukraine.

Russian performers[]

Notable guests[]

Sergey Khlebnikov and Svetlana Medvedeva at the 2011 festival.

Protocol[]

A wreath laid by the directorate of the festival.

The President of Russia in his/her position as Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Armed Forces usually delivers a message of congratulations to the organizers and participants of the festival.[60] Greetings are also given by the Russian Defence Minister and the Mayor of Moscow. The day before the festival's opening ceremony, the directors of the participating bands lay wreaths at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Alexander Garden.[61] The festival usually coincides with Moscow's City Day, which means that some of the participating bands take part in the procession along Tverskaya Street.[62] It also takes part in an opening parade at the VDNKh. At the end of the festival, the combined bands will perform Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture, after which they will march off while playing Farewell of Slavianka and all the band directors conduct all the participants as they pass by.

Musical Directors[]

The musical director of the festival is the senior director of music of the Military Band Service of the Armed Forces of Russia.

Award winners[]

The band conductor of the Central Military Band of the People's Liberation Army of China, Senior Colonel Liu Xinbo, receiving an award from Timofey Mayakin at the 2019 tattoo.
Year Russian Foreign
2018 Band of the Moscow Military Music College Bicycle Showband Crescendo
2019 Central Military Band of the Ministry of Defense of Russia Central Military Band of the People's Liberation Army of China

Public Council[]

The public council is the organizing committee of the festival. Among its duties are the handing of invitations to the festival to foreign music bands, cultural groups and drill teams. The council is headed by the Senior Director of Music of the Band Service. Notable members of the council have included Lieutenant General Sergey Khlebnikov (the former Head of the Commandant's Office of the Moscow Kremlin) and Colonel Sergey Durygin (director of the Red Army Band)

Gallery[]

External links[]

Videos[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Russian Armed Forces to Choose the Best Military Music Bands — [EN] Spasskaya bashnya". spasstower.ru. Retrieved 2018-09-25.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b "The Spasskaya Tower festival of military music to end in Moscow with a spectacular show". tass.com.
  3. ^ "The Spasskaya Tower Festival Directorate Became Member of the Asian Marching Band Confederation — [EN] Spasskaya bashnya". spasstower.ru.
  4. ^ https://spasstower.ru/upload/doc/ST-2018%20Project%20Info.pdf
  5. ^ "The event was attended by more than fifty thousand spectators".
  6. ^ "Britain pulls army band from Moscow's Kremlin Zorya". www.rbth.com. Sep 11, 2008.
  7. ^ "Spasskaya Tower-2015 international military music festival opens in Moscow". TASS.
  8. ^ Jump up to: a b "Парад фестиваля "Спасская башня" на ВДНХ". vdnh.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 2017-06-30.
  9. ^ "Оркестр Вооруженных Сил Республики Беларусь на Красной площади" (in Russian). Retrieved 2017-11-22.
  10. ^ "Military Music Festival wows Moscow". Euronews. Retrieved 2018-09-25.
  11. ^ "10й юбилейный Международный военно-музыкальный фестиваль "Спасская Башня". - ТехФото". agtf.ru. Retrieved 2018-09-25.
  12. ^ "Spasskaya Tower Festival: Let the Bands Play On!". Retrieved 2017-08-31.
  13. ^ "В Москве завершился Международный фестиваль "Спасская Башня"". icmos.ru.
  14. ^ "Mireille Mathieu to take part in Spasskaya Tower military tattoo in Moscow for 10th time". tass.com.
  15. ^ "tass.com/society/1017508/amp". tass.com. Retrieved 2018-09-25.
  16. ^ "tass.com/society/1018606/amp". tass.com. Retrieved 2018-09-25.
  17. ^ ""Spasskaya Tower" Int'l Military Music Festival opens in Moscow - Xinhua | English.news.cn". www.xinhuanet.com.
  18. ^ "Выступления Гвердцители будут закрывать вечерние представления фестиваля "Спасская башня"". tass.ru.
  19. ^ "Anita Tsoi Performed Ariran Korean Traditional Song within the Spasskaya Tower Festival — [EN] Spasskaya bashnya". spasstower.ru.
  20. ^ "Timofey Mayakin: Solo with a Band as the Leading Theme of the Twelfth Spasskaya Tower International Military Music Festival — [EN] Spasskaya bashnya". spasstower.ru.
  21. ^ ""Спасская башня" соберет истории военных музыкантов | Победа РФ". Jul 16, 2020.
  22. ^ ""Спасская башня" выбрала тему фестиваля в 2020 году - РИА Новости, 15.07.2020".
  23. ^ "Оркестры антигитлеровской коалиции пригласят на Красную площадь - РИА Новости, 23.08.2019". ria.ru.
  24. ^ "Главный военный дирижёр Тимофей Маякин поблагодарил иностранных коллег — Спасская башня". spasstower.ru.
  25. ^ "International Military Music Festival Spasskaya Tower Canceled - Organizers". UrduPoint.
  26. ^ "Participants of the Festival Will Perform Beneath the Main Cathedral of the Russian Armed Forces — [EN] Spasskaya bashnya". spasstower.ru.
  27. ^ "«Песнь о солдате» и салют Победы: как завершилось единственное представление «Спасской башни» – 2020 : Министерство обороны Российской Федерации".
  28. ^ "Фестиваль "Спасская башня" пройдет без иностранных участников". РИА Новости (in Russian). 2020-08-19. Retrieved 2020-09-07.
  29. ^ https://tass.com/society/1327317/amp
  30. ^ "25 мая в Парке Победы выступит Оркестр курсантов Военного института (военных дирижёров) - Новости Русского Радио | Москва 105.7" Check |url= value (help). undefined.
  31. ^ "Оркестры в парках — Спасская башня". spasstower.ru.
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  34. ^ "Поддержим наших участников! — Военный информационный портал Министерства обороны Республики Беларусь". www.mil.by.
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  36. ^ "Participants, Greece". kremlin-guild.ru. Retrieved 2018-09-25.
  37. ^ "Police orchestra to represent Israel in Moscow festival". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com.
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  40. ^ "Fanfara Tridentina al Festival di Mosca: come votare gli alpini". Giornale di brescia. Aug 24, 2019.
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  46. ^ https://m.gulf-times.com/story/699347/Qatar-participates-in-opening-of-International-Mil
  47. ^ https://www.dohanews.co/amp/qatar-to-debut-at-military-music-festival-in-moscow
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  49. ^ "The Sri Lankan Military Band — [EN] Spasskaya bashnya". spasstower.ru. Retrieved 2018-09-25.
  50. ^ "Top Secret Drum Corps — [EN] Spasskaya bashnya". spasstower.ru. Retrieved 2018-09-25.
  51. ^ "Brentwood Imperial Youth Band to Take Part in Spasskaya Tower 2018 — [EN] Spasskaya bashnya". spasstower.ru. Retrieved 2018-09-25.
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  53. ^ https://m.postda.uz/ru/news/uzbnews/uzbnews/9802-2
  54. ^ "Оркестр Военно-медицинской академии лучший в Вооруженных силах Российской Федерации". Военно-медицинская Академия имени С. М. Кирова. Sep 4, 2019.
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  59. ^ Αεροπορία, Πολεμική (Sep 7, 2016). "HAFGS Chief visit to the Russian Federation".
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  61. ^ "Participants and Organizers of the Spasskaya Tower Festival Took Part in the Solemn Wreath Laying Ceremony in Moscow's Alexander Garden — [EN] Spasskaya bashnya". spasstower.ru.
  62. ^ "Spasskaya Tower brass band music festival opens in Moscow". tass.com.
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