MOSCOW -- Anyone who grew up during the Cold War might find it hard to believe that American Soldiers
would ever march in Moscow's Red Square. And to march on Red Square performing the music of American pop
icon Michael Jackson would be beyond fantasy. But that's exactly what happened during this year's Moscow
Military Tattoo.
Overcoming logistical problems, language difficulties and uncooperative weather, Soldiers from the U.S.
Army Europe Band and Chorus, stationed in Schwetzingen, Germany, rocked Red Square in six performances
during the Sept. 4-9 tattoo, also known as the "Spasskaya Bashnya."
The members of the Band and Chorus joined more than 1,000 performers from Russia, Germany, Israel,
Kazakhstan, France, Bahrain, Ukraine and Tajikistan that performed in the tattoo. "The event organizers
asked participants to perform popular music from their respective countries, and Michael Jackson's music
is arguably some of the most popular music worldwide," said band commander Lt. Col. Beth Steele of the
group's musical theme for the event.
Although the band's Soldiers don't know Russian or the other myriad languages spoken by the international
throng of musicians that participated in the event, Steele said they communicated their message of peace
and friendship through two universal languages -- music and the camaraderie of Soldiers.
The colonel said Russian audiences seemed captivated by the group's musical talent, precision marching,
dynamic vocals and intricate dance routines, and treated the Soldiers like pop stars.
Known as "America's Musical Ambassadors in Europe," the Band and Chorus frequently performs at
international events, but Steele said the Red Square performance stands out as a true first for a
contemporary American Army band. Hopefully the good will generated by the musicians will continue to
foster the partnership and friendship between the American and Russian governments and their citizens,
she added.
An overwhelming highlight for the musicians was performing the Russian composer Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky's
"1812 Overture" with all the tattoo's participants, during each performance's grand finale, Steele said.
She noted that it was this very setting -- the backdrop of candy-colorful St. Basil's Cathedral; the air
filled with music punctuated by the crash of the captured cannons of Napoleon's army and victory bells
ringing in the Kremlin towers and city's churches -- of which Tchaikovsky dreamed when he wrote the now-
renowned piece more than 130 years ago.
"To do it (play the "1812 Overture") in Red Square with the cannons fired from on top of the Kremlin wall
and the bells chiming from the Kremlin ... just sends tingles up your spine," said trumpet player Sgt.
1st Class David Martinez. "It's incredible, (and I'm) so lucky to get to do this!"
"It's absolutely breathtaking," added Master Sgt. Steven King, one of the band's senior musicians.
The Moscow performances close a busy summer for the Band and Chorus that also saw the group performing in
Finland, France, Norway, Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania, as well as at traditional venues across USAREUR's
European footprint.
Video of the band and chorus performances at the tattoo and the festival's grand finale can be seen at
the USAREUR YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/user/USArmyEurope. Images of the festival and band
performances are available on the USAREUR Flickr site at www.flickr.com/photos/usarmyeurope_images.
This report was compiled by the U.S. Army Band and Chorus and the USAREUR Public Affairs Office.
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