The Guard's Band: Celebration March for the Fatherland

Welcome to celebrate Military Music Day! The concert is a tribute to our rich culture and military music, which combines dignified tradition and deep patriotism. The concert honors the long Finnish history of military music, whose roots reach back 500 years to the time when we were still part of the Kingdom of Sweden. Ceremonial fanfares and ceremonies remain part of military parades and tradition. In this concert the programme also seamlessly incorporates our nation's literary heritage; Eino Leino's poems, with powerful interpretations, are deep in the Finnish identity. The Celebration March for the Fatherland is a composition by Toivo Kuula that weaves together the concert’s theme. Kuula’s majestic compositions and musical language remind us of what the country and its culture have been defended and built for. The soloist is baritone Olli‑Tapio Tikkanen. Melancholic and beautiful interpretations create a striking contrast to the military march tradition. The Guard’s Band’s gala concert offers a dignified and entertaining evening of high‑level music. The conductors are the Defence Forces’ chief conductor, music commander Timo Kotilainen, and the Guard’s Band’s principal conductor, music major Jaakko Nurila. kaartinsoittokunta.fi Kaartin Soittokunta on Facebook Kaartin Soittokunta on Instagram