Yesterday evening, the Guard Music presented its traditional spring concert in the Vienna Hofburg. Under the direction of military bandmaster Colonel Bernhard Heher, the orchestra performed in its usual excellent manner.
The net proceeds from the concert will go to the association “Hilfe im eigenen Land – Katastrophenhilfe Österreich” and the association “BIWAK – Wohngemeinschaft für Kinder mit besonderen Bedürfnissen”.
Varied from classical to modern – this was the program with vocal interludes by star tenor Herbert Lippert and the musicians of the guard music. The ballroom of the Vienna Hofburg was sold out: 1,250 guests from Austria and abroad were thrilled by the performances of the guard music, the singing and the soloists. The Piller brothers, Darko and Danijel, who are currently completing their basic military service with the Guard Music, were celebrated with frenetic applause for their performances of “Gypsy Journeys” and “Russian Variations”. Darko on the violin and Danijel on the accordion provided an unforgettable musical experience of a special kind with their performance. These two guard musicians are also three-time world champions in chamber music (2016, 2017 and 2018) and are already preparing for this year’s World Championships in China at the end of September.
The orchestra also included four non-commissioned officers from the army in Oman, who are currently serving a six-month training period with the Guard in Vienna. The evening was hosted by Alfons Haider. Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen and his wife Doris Schmidauer were delighted by the musical performances of the Guard Music and thanked them for their performance and commitment. Maria Großbauer, the organizer of the Opera Ball and member of the National Council, was overwhelmed by the performance and the musical variety that this orchestra is able to offer. This year, the Gardemusik was also allowed to perform at the Opera Ball on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the Opera on the Ring.
“I am always touched by the transformation from shadow to light, to which we can all contribute – if we get involved. What makes this evening so special, apart from the high musical quality? The fact that the guardsmen and their commander Stefan Kirchebner want to create precisely the hope that characterizes the time before Easter. The ticket proceeds will be used to support two aid projects. So young soldiers are committed to helping the socially disadvantaged – not only because responsibility for society is part of their mission, but also because, like so many others, they want to make a difference in this world,” says Toni Faber, the cathedral priest at St. Stephen’s, about the spring concert. With this charity concert, the guard orchestra is supporting the association “Hilfe im eigenen Land – Katastrophenhilfe Österreich” with patron Sissi Pröll as well as the association “BIWAK – Wohngemeinschaft für Kinder mit besonderen Bedürfnissen”. The donations will be handed over as part of the traditional day of the guard on Saturday, May 25th in the Maria Theresien barracks.
