MOSCOW, Aug. 26 -- On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Russia, the military band of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) participated in the 16th "Spasskaya Tower" International Military Music Festival, which lasts from August 23 to September 1, at the invitation of the organizing committee of the festival. The Chinese PLA's military band performed at the opening ceremony on Red Square in Moscow on the evening of August 23.
It is reported that this is the third time that the Chinese military band has been invited to the "Spasskaya Tower" International Military Music Festival in Russia. The Chinese band had participated in the festival in 2015 and 2019 respectively. A total of 23 teams from nine countries, including Russia, participate in this event, and will stage 15 marching formations and performances.
This year, the PLA military band selected 90 participants for this event, including 76 performers. At the opening ceremony, 66 Chinese performers took the stage with the passionate melody of "March of Steel Torrent", earning rounds of applause. During the performance, the band formed the number "75", symbolizing the 75th anniversary of China-Russia diplomatic relations. Then, a solo of the Russian folk song "Kalinka" struck a strong chord among the audience. In the third piece, the band innovatively incorporated Chinese elements such as the red drum, suona, and kuaiban, fully demonstrating the unique charm of Chinese military music.
The performance concluded with the song "Ode to the Motherland", as Chinese overseas students on site spontaneously waved national flags and sang along with the performers.
