News

Victory Parade in Moscow

Mon, 10 May 2010 03:48:00 -0500

Yesterday, 9 May 2010, Russia celebrated the 65th anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany in World War II, referred to as the Great Patriotic War in former Soviet states, with a grand military parade on Red Square. Over 10,500 servicemen and more than 150 pieces of land-based military equipment took part in the Moscow parade, as well as 127 aircraft and helicopters. The parade was divided into three parts - a march pass, involving military personnel, followed by sophisticated hardware and a fly over by combat aircraft. U.S., British, Polish and French troops will march alongside the Russian military units in the parade on Moscow's Red Square for the first time in history.

The parade involved a procession of military personnel from all branches of the Russian Armed Forces, guest units from nine CIS countries, the United States, Great Britain, France and Poland, and a large military band, followed by displays of military hardware and a flyover by combat aircraft. President Dmitry Medvedev addressed the participants and guests at the beginning of the parade.The Russian President called for united international efforts to face new challenges and global threats and to prevent tragedies similar to World War II, which took lives of an estimated 60 million people around the world.

The Central Navy Band had the high honor to be a part of the great military band consisting of over 50 Russian and foreign military orchestras with 1,200 musicians.

MiG-29 Fulcrum fighters and Su-25 Frogfoot close-support aircraft flew over the Red Square in a "65" formation -- MiG-29's (the figure "6") and Su-25's (the figure "5").

Victory Day parades involving military hardware were held this year in 36 Russian cities. Over 102,000 military servicemen and about 200,000 World War II veterans across Russia took part in festivities dedicated to the 65th anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany.

The first Victory Parade was held on Red Square on 24 June 1945 on the order of the then-Supreme Commander-in-Chief, Joseph Stalin. According to latest studies, the total causalities of the Soviet Union, both soldiers and civilians, were 26.6 million people, of those an estimated 8,668,400 soldiers died.

Victory Day

Sat, 08 May 2010 04:07:00 -0500

The 9th of May is coming, the day of massive celebration of the memorable event - 65th anniversary of the Victory of the soviet people over the fascist Germany. Official delegations from different countries of the world and the Russian Federation regions are coming to Moscow, as well as military bands from the UK, USA and France.

The Central Navy Band will participate in all main events in Moscow: on May 8th in the concert of the International Music Festival "Ode to Peace" that will take place in Sobornaya Square of the Moscow Kremlin at 3:00 PM on 9 May - as the central event in the traditional military parade in the Red Square. More than 10 thousand military personnel, nearly 160 units of military weaponry including historical ones, and 127 airplanes and helicopters will take part in the military Victory Parade.

Another concert of the festival "Ode to Peace" will start at 3:00 PM on Tverskaya Square. The Central Navy Band will then march with the parade of wind bands and other artistic groups to the Triumphal Square.

In the evening, at 7:30 PM, the Central Navy Band will perform on the stage of Yauza Palace with a concert programme "Music of Our Victory". The musicians will play the most favored marches, songs and melodies of the World War II period.

On 10 May at 6:00 PM, a marching show of all bands will participate in the military festival "Ode to Peace" where the Central Navy Band will perform its marching show "Sheherezade".

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Thu, 06 Aug 2009 06:10:00 -0500

Hermitage in Amsterdam

Sun, 21 Jun 2009 09:30:00 -0500

The Central Navy Band of Russia under the baton of Captain in the Navy Alexei Karabanov was honoured to participate in the opening ceremony of the Hermitage in Amsterdam on 19 June 2009, playing for Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.
The inauguration of the museum has already been labeled one of the most significant cultural events of the decade in Europe. This is the only branch of the Russian State Hermitage Museum in the West. Almost 2,000 items from the 18th and 19th century, including paintings, dresses and china, will be on display.
The Queen and the Russian leader attended the opening ceremony. The exhibition is housed at a complex on the bank of the Amstel River, a 325-year-old former nursing home. The Hermitage loaned 1,800 items worth about €4.5 million ($6.3 million) for a six-month exhibition displaying the elegance of the 18th- and 19th-century tzarist court.
Russian-Dutch cultural ties date back to Peter the Great's first visit to Holland in 1696.

On 20 June 2009 the Central Navy Band played a concert of Russian waltzes and marches for the first visitors of the museum, in the forecourt of the Hermitage in Amsterdam.

At the presentation of the feature film "Admiral"

Sun, 12 Oct 2008 12:53:00 -0500

The Central Navy Band was invited by the producers of the feature film "Admiral" to participate in the presentation of the film on 4 October 2008 at the Pushkinsky Cinema in Moscow.
The film is about the whole-hearted love and tender passion of Alexander Kolchak and Anna Timireva against the background of the war. Alexander Kolchak was an outstanding military officer and politician, a researcher and polar explorer, who fought in the Russian-Japanese war and World War 1, and was one of the White leaders.
It is pleasant to note that special attention in the film has paid to a military band as a great moral inspiration for the military in battle. Special thanks for this to the whole crew of the film!
The musicians played old marches on an unusual "stage" - a cruiser specially constructed for the presentation at the movie-house. The Band was conducted by Deputy Head of the Central Navy Band, Lieutenant Colonel Alexey Samokhvalov.
We wish to the film-makers of "Admiral" great success!

You can see more photos (by Athur Urkitis) in the Photo Gallery.

At Borodino

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 13:16:00 -0500

On September 07, 2008 the Central Navy Band under direction of Captain in the Navy Alexei Karabanov participated in the festival of military music in Borodino.
The Battle of Borodino on September 7, 1812 was the largest and bloodiest single-day fight with Napoleon and his troops. The French Army under Emperor Napoleon I attacked the Imperial Russian army of General Mikhail Kutuzov near the village of Borodino, west of the town of Mozhaysk, and eventually captured the main positions on the battlefield, but it failed to destroy the Russian army.
The battle itself ended in disengagement, but strategic considerations and the losses incurred forced the Russians to withdraw next day. The battle at Borodino was a pivotal point in the campaign, since it was the last offensive action fought by Napoleon in Russia. By withdrawing, the Russian army preserved its military potential and eventually forced Napoleon out of the country.
There is a tradition of reenacting the battle on in the beginning of September in Borodino.

The Central Navy Band wins national award "KREMLIN GRAND"

Sat, 07 Jun 2008 14:21:00 -0500

The Central Navy Band has been granted the national award "Kremlin Grand" and has been granted the honorary title "Honor of Russia". The award was established by the National Defense Agency "Red Square", supported by the Administration of the President of the Russian Federation, the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, the Defense Export Administration and the Ministry of Defense.

Created as an award in the sphere of the Russian defense and industrial complex, "Kremlin Grand" has become a symbol of public recognition of outstanding contribution to the industrial, social and cultural life of Russia, high professionalism and patriotism.

The ceremony happened on 4 June 2008 at the Congress Hall of The Savior's Catherdal.

More photos are in the Photo Gallery, the album "Kremlin Grand Award".

1st International Festival "Brass Evenings at the Mariinsky"

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 13:32:00 -0500

Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of the Central Navy Band Alexei Karabanov was invited by Maestro Valery Gergiev to participate in the First International Festival 'Brass Evenings at the Mariinsky" with two concert programs on the 28th and 29th of March, two days of the three-day festival.

The Festival was created on the initiative of Valery Gergiev who is striving to bring Russian's finest musicians together under the aegis of the Mariinsky Theatre. The participants of the Festival were The Mariinsky Brass, The Mariinsky Theatre Stage Brass Band, The Brass Quintet of the National Philharmonic Orchestra from Moscow, and The Trombonists Ensemble of the Bolshoi Theatre. Alexei Karabanov conducted the Admiralty Navy Band, a well-known Band where Maestro was an Artistic Director and Chief Conductor for more than 20 years before his appointment to the Central Navy Band.

On 28 March Honored Artist of Russia Alexei Karabanov conducted the program as follows:
Alfred Reed. Armenian Dances.
Suite for Concert Band on themes from the folk songs from the Komitas Vardapet Collection
--- TZIRANI TZAR (The Apricot Tree)
--- HOV AREK (Come, Breeze)
--- KHOOMAR (Wedding Dance)
--- LORVA HOROVEL (Songs from Lori)
Praise Jerusalem
Variations on a theme of a 7th century Armenian-Gregorian chorale, also from the the Komitas Vardapet Collection

On March 29 the ANBand under the baton of Captain Karabanov presented a program "Vivat, the Czardas":
Franz von Suppe. Overture from the operetta "Leichte Kavallerie"
Hector Berlioz. Hungarian march from music to Goethe's play "Faust" (arrangement by A. Karabanov)
Pyotr Tchaikovsky. Dances from the ballet "Swan Lake"
Spanish, Neapolitan and Hungarian Mazurka (arrangement by A. Karabanov)
Ludwig Minkus. Entrance of the Gypsies and Spanish Dance from the ballet "Don Quixote" (arrangement by A. Karabanov)
Emmerich Kalman. Overture from the operetta "Maritza" (arrangement by A. Karabanov)
Franz Liszt. Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2
For the encore -
Czardas by V. Monti, brightly played by the saxophone soloist - Maxim Korshunov, an instrumental soloist of the Central Navy Band.

Maxim brought out all the nuances and flair of each variation. The piece was full of feeling with the musician bringing out the exquisitely lovely music with its cascading notes full of intensity and passion.

People who managed to buy tickets to the concerts were really lucky. The house was absolutely full.
Alexei Karabanov conducted with every fibre of his being - hands, arms, body and face.

Those were unbelievable concerts that it is hard to forget.

Photos are kindly presented by Lier Urkitis.