News

Concert trip to China

Sun, 28 Sep 2008 05:46:00 -0500

At the beginning of August the city of Saint-Petersburg administration invited the Admiralty Navy Band to participate in the cultural program of Saint-Petersburg in Shanghai, China. On August 06 and 08 the musicians played two concerts there. Now the photos from those concerts are available at the Photo Gallery.

The 80-th anniversary of outstanding Russian novelist Valentin Pikul

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 12:52:00 -0500

The 80-th anniversary of an outstanding Russian novelist Valentin Pikul was celebrated in St-Petersburg by the concert of the Admiralty Navy Band on 13 July 2008 in Capella Hall. The life and the works of Pikul were closely bound with the Russian fleet and the participation of the Band in this gala night was quite symbolic.
The particular significance of the evening was stressed by the appearance in Capella Hall of Valentin Pikul’s widow, Antonina Pikul.

The official part of the program was introduced to the public by honored artist of the Russian Federation Alexei Emelyanov .

Under the baton of Valentin Lyaschenko the Admiralty Navy Band performed marches "Krondstadt" by G. Wettge, “The Battle at Liaoyang” by V. Efanov, “Aurora” by N. Ivanov-Radkevich and waltzes “On the Waves” by Mexican waltz king Juventino Rosas, "On the Hills of Mantzhuria" by Iliya Shatrov and “The Amur Waves” by M. Kyuss.

Captain Alexey Karabanov entered on the scene in the closing part of the program and played with the Admiralty Navy Band overture “Cruiser “Varyag” by B. Anisimov.

The concert was held with the support of the Federal State Unitary Enterprise “Admiralty Wharfs”.

Concert in Tsarskoe Selo

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 12:41:00 -0500

4-14 July St-Petersburg and its famous suburbs welcomed the VII International Festival “Grand Waltz”. Within the framework of the festival 11 concerts are held annually according to the number of summer seasons spent by Strauss – son in St-Petersburg. On 9 July the Admiralty Navy Band had the honor to play the program “Grand March” in the Throne Hall of the Catherine’s Palace (Tsarskoye Selo).

The program was very diverse and included well-known marches not only of Johann Strauss II (Persian and Egyptian Marches, Indigo and Dragunsky march), but also musical pieces of other world-renowned classics such as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - the march from the opera “A Marriage of Figaro” and “March in a Turkish Style” from a Major piano sonata, Ludwig van Beethoven – March of Yorkshirsky regiment, Military March of Austrian composer Franz Peter Schubert.
The Band brightly performed a complicated musical piece “Großer Marsch” by Wilhelm Richard Wagner and earned public’s high appreciation for the performance of the well-known Wedding Mach from “A Midsummer Night's Dream” .

The significance of this concert was also marked by the fact that it was the first independent program of the senior lieutenant Valentin Lyaschenko after the official appointment to the position of a conductor of the Admiralty Navy Band.

Maestro Alexey Karabanov, the inspirer of the program, was the indispensable participant of the concert. He presented to the public the intriguing historical fact about each musical piece played by the Band that evening.

The concert ended by the overall picture of the band with a new-appointed conductor.

New conductor of the Band

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 14:55:00 -0500

Today Senior Lieutenant Valentin Lyaschenko was appointed to the position of a conductor of the Admiralty Navy Band. We congratulate Valentin Lyaschenko and wish him great success!

XIII International Band Festival

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 14:49:00 -0500

On 11 – 14 June St-Petersburg welcomed the XIII International Band Festival. The Bands from former USSR, Europe, South Africa and Russia presented to the public their talent and music technique.
One of the brightest events within the framework of the Festival was the Bands Procession on Nevsky avenue. The Procession was timed to the celebration of the Day of Russia and took place on 12 June. Great number of St-Petersburg residents and guests of the city came to the heart of the city - The Place Square and Nevsky prospect - to enjoy the show. To emphasize the significance of the event it was opened by the huge letters saying RUSSIA made of flowers!

The first navy band given right to begin the procession was the Admiralty Navy Band. Under the baton of Senior Lieutenant Valentin Lyaschenko the Band treated the numerous public by several Old Russian marches and the overture to the opera Carmen.

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The Procession finished on the Palace Square where the joint band of all participants of the XIII International Band Festival played chorus “Glory” (the epilogue to the opera “Life For the Tsar” by M.I. Glinka) and the national anthem of the Russia Federation.
Thousands of people, gathered on the Square were thrilled by this tremendous performance.

The VIII International Festival Admiralty music is over.

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 10:36:00 -0500

The program “Vivat czardas!” played under the baton of Valentin Lyaschenko, was the final concert of the VIII International Festival “Admiralty music”. On the 9th March St-Petersburg Grand Philharmonic Hall could hardly seat everyone who aspired to enjoy the concert.Through out the concert general producer of the festival Captain Alexey Karabanov gave his unique introductory comments helping the audience to better and deeper understand the music and making them to perceive each musical piece as an integral and irreplaceable part of the program.

Czardas is a traditional Hungarian dance with a peculiar character which is most evidently revealed in its variations in tempo. Many renowned European and Russian composers were inspired by Hungarian and gypsy music traditions and used czardas themes in their works.
The performance was opened by the overture “Light Cavalry” by Franz von Suppe and the Hungarian march “The Damnation of Faust” by Hector Berlioz and plunged the public immediately into the world of Hungarian music. The four dances: Spanish, Neapolitan, Hungarian and mazurka from the “Swan Lake” by Tchaikovsky were followed by Ludwig Minkus’s gypsy dance from the ballet “Don Quixote” and Strauss’s polka “Live Long Hungarian”.

The Band played this music emotionally and subtly conveying to the audience the slightest variations of the mood. Even the most experienced listeners appreciated and highly appraised the performance.

The public was indulged by the overture “Maritsa” by Kalman and the outstanding performance of the three Hungarian dances № 1, 4 and 6 by Johannes Brahms.
The true embellishment of the program was “Small Czardas” by Pedro Iturralde with the saxophone solo performed by first sergeant Sergey Karpov. The music was met by the public with long ovation.

The cheerful and dynamic play of the march “The entry of the Red Army to Budapest” by Semyon Tchernetsky was followed by one of the most well-known and beautiful works of the Hungarian composer Franz Liszt “Hungarian Rhapsody No.2”. By the exquisite performance of the piece the Band proved itself once again as the exceptional virtuoso.

The Admiralty Navy Band won public acclaim for their excellent performance, the concert was over but the audience kept on greeting the Band again and again.
Afterwards a long line of the Band fans was expecting two maestros Alexey Karabanov and Valentin Lyaschenko to get their autographs!

Happy Birthday!

Tue, 04 Mar 2008 08:11:00 -0500

Today, on March 4th, the Admiralty Navy Band is celebrating its 305th Birthday. Beginning its history in faraway 1703, the ANBand is now one of the most recognized and welcomed bands in St-Petersburg as well as in many other places around the world where the Band had a chance to perform.
We express our sincere greetings to the members of the band and its devoted public. And wish the Admiralty Navy Band artistic growth and new interesting projects!

Music of the Firing Years

Fri, 29 Feb 2008 10:24:00 -0500

On February 23 Russia honors those who are presently serving in the Armed Forces and those who have served in the past. On Defender of the Motherland Day the Admiralty Navy Band presented in Capella Hall, Saint-Petersburg, a new program “Music of the Firing Years”. The author of the program and the conductor - Senior Lieutenant Valentin Lyaschenko.

At the opening word Captain Alexei Karabanov presented two members of the Admiralty Navy Band Richard Kouzmin - 2nd clarinet - to the medal for distinguished military services of the 1st degree and Artem Kozhinov - 3rd clarinet - to the medal for distinguished military services of the 3rd degree. The band and the public welcomed the news with rich applause. We express our sincere congratulations to Richard Kouzmin and Artem Kozhinov!

“The Music of the Firing Year” was a joint program of the ANBand and singer soloist Natalia Orlova.

The program has particular significance for Russian people who lived through the horrors and asperity of the World Word II. The memory about those times is still vivid in the hearts of people and the music performed by the Band supported our soldiers during the War, filled them with strength and hope, helped to move forward despite everything.

The performance deeply touched the audience and found sincere feedback in their hearts.