On August 30, SHAMAN, a talented young Russian singer, staged a performance in Red Square to the accompaniment of the Central Military Band of the Russian Ministry of Defense. The performance unfolded within the evening show of the Spasskaya Tower International Military Music Festival, which this year was celebrating its fifteenth anniversary.
He performed a song called Vstanem (Let’s stand up). Released on February 23, 2022, the song stormed into social media top trends, immediately becoming a popular hit.
The musician admitted that it was his debut performance in Red Square. "The song Vstanem has given the impetus to my career. I released it on February 23. After that, it immediately became a popular hit. This is a very special song for me, and people obviously like it, as guests on the stands have stood up today. This is magical, and I’m flattered both as the performer and author", the artist shared his impressions after the performance.
He also noted the high-end professional skills of the musicians of the Central Military Band of the Russian Ministry of Defense. "Military musicians are outstanding professionals. I would like to point out both the band and its leader, Sergey Durygin. No words are needed, everything is at the highest level", noted SHAMAN.
Festival-wise, he said that he had only positive emotions. "I witnessed the maximum level of precision and professionalism today", added the singer.
The guests of the Festival gave a very warm welcome to the artist, with the stands standing up throughout the entire performance and bursting with thundering ovations at the end.
The performance staged by the Combined Band of the Russian Airborne Forces was one of the audience's favorites. Their strong and roaring work gained a special place in the guests’ hearts.
The already vibrant program was complemented by a pyrotechnic show, setting the cobblestones of Red Square on fire. Dynamic dances and waving flags enlivened Red Square. The young guests on the stands were especially excited to see the artists demonstrating several hand-to-hand combat techniques.
The night finished with a thundering performance by the combined band of the Fifteenth Spasskaya Tower International Military Music Festival under the lead of Major General Timofey Mayakin, Head of the Military Band Service of the Russian Armed Forces-Chief Military Conductor and music director of the Festival.
In addition to the Festival’s leading participants, this year’s combined band also featured the Exemplary Military Band of the Honor Guard, the Combined Band of the Russian Emergencies Ministry, the Combined Band of the Separate Operational Purpose Division of the National Guard Forces and the Military Band of the First Army of the Air Defense and Anti-Missile Defense Forces of Russia.
The musicians performed the Capital March and medley of Tchaikovsky compositions. They left the square to the melody of the legendary Farewell of Slavianka march to the audience's standing ovations. The breathtaking fireworks once again colored the skies above Red Square.
The fifth night of the Festival also welcomed the Military Band and Honor Guard Unit of the 154th Preobrazhensky Regiment, the Central Band of the Russian Navy named after Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (performing together with the Young Alexandrovs and Znamenskie Drummers ensembles), the Central Band of the Border Guard Forces of Russia, the Great Military Band of the Venezuelan Armed Forces, the Exemplary Band of the Russian National Guard Forces, the Egyptian Military Symphonic Band, the Central Military Band of the Russian Ministry of Defense, the Suvorov Cadet Band of the Moscow Military Music College together with the Girl Drummers Band of the All-Girls Boarding School (the Russian Ministry of Defense), the Exemplary Band and Honor Guard Unit of the Belarus Armed Forces, the Merry Notes Children's Violin Ensemble, the Military Band of the Armenian Armed Forces General Staff, the Panghat Performing Arts Group from India, the Boonwattana School Marching Band from Thailand and the Military Band of the Russian National Guard Forces Chief Department for the Krasnodar Region.
Among the guests of honor were Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Indonesia to the Russian Federation, Mr. Jose Tavares, Deputy Mayor of Moscow in the Moscow Government for Housing and Communal Services and Improvement, Pyotr Biryukov.
The Festival is carried out following the Order of the Russian President Vladimir Putin, under the aegis of the Public Council headed by Mr. Alexander Zhukov, First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, with the support of the Russian Ministry of Defense and the Moscow Department of Culture.
Photo: Maria Moskvitsova, Nikolay Tretyak, Georgiy Basalaev
