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Official website of the Spasskaya Tower International Military Music Festival
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Official website of the Spasskaya Tower International Military Music Festival
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Official website of the Spasskaya Tower International Military Music Festival
8 September 2017

Sakhalin Welcomed “Spasskaya Tower”

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Article in Rossiyskaya Gazeta Article in Rossiyskaya Gazeta

On Thursday, September 7, the stage of the sold-out October Concert Hall in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk hosted a concert of the Central Military Orchestra of the Russian Defence Ministry under the baton of Honored Artist of Russia, Colonel Sergei Durygin.

This performance of the renowned musical band precedes the IV Sakhalin International Festival of Military Orchestras «Spasskaya Tower on Sakhalin», which will be opened on Friday, September 8, in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk simultaneously in two central squares of the city.

The spectators who came to the concert of the Central Military Orchestra were fascinated by the amazing voices of Natalia Manulik and Svetlana Ilyina, Fyodor Rytikov and Dmitry Filippov. The soloists Vladimir Lebedev and Veniamin Myasoyedov demonstrated virtuoso skills of musical instruments. A special delight of the audience was caused by the appearance of famous Russian singer Mari Karne on the stage, who performed several jazz compositions.

Mari Karne told that she had been closely cooperating with the CMO for five years and this creative union with military musicians gave her a great pleasure.

«We started today’s concert with the works of classics, played patriotic music, favorite Soviet songs and even American jazz — after all, music has no boundaries!» said Sergei Durygin after the concert.

The maestro noted that the concert was conducted with a touch of sadness. The orchestra paid tribute to the memory of the outstanding military conductor, People’s Artist of Russia Lieutenant-General Valery Khalilov, whose life tragically ended at the end of the last year. The musicians, together with the audience, honored his memory by rising from their seats during a minute of silence.

Valery Khalilov was one of the main inspirers of the Sakhalin military music festival, which, largely thanks to his efforts, was held in a new format and gained its name — «Spasskaya Tower on Sakhalin». This year, the festival of military orchestras is held in the island region for the fourth time (since 2009) and is dedicated to the 70th anniversary of the formation of the Sakhalin Region.

The first participants and guests of the festival started arriving in Sakhalin the day before. First, the Central Military Orchestra of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation, Presidential Orchestra of the Moscow Kremlin Commandant’s Service of Russia’s FGS and Special Guard Company of the Presidential Regiment of the Moscow Kremlin Commandant’s Service of Russia’s FGS arrived by one plane. A little later, a flight from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky arrived. The next day all other participants of the festival arrived.

The weather of Sakhalin pleased the guests with warmth and sunshine. Some arriving orchestra members had time to visit the sea, city park, museums, get acquainted with the sights of the island capital during excursions. The remaining time the musicians spent watching defile, dress coats and at rehearsals.

«Our orchestra has already come to Sakhalin many times," said the head of the Central Military Orchestra of the Defence Ministry Sergei Durygin. «We visited all its parts, as well as the Kuril Islands».

Sergei Durygin also talked about one of the surprises that awaits the audience on September 8: during the grand opening of the festival, they will play the anthem, which was written specially for this event.

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