The PLA Combined Band helped stir the crowd's emotions with their patriotic performances. (Photo : english.gov.cn)
A total of 1,000 musicians were grateful to be part of the historic V-J Day military parade on Sept. 3 at the Tiananmen Square in Beijing.
Lieutenant Li Yiming, a PLA navy musician, one of the members of the combined band, expressed that it was an honor to salute veterans and war heroes through music.
"We have trained for three months for the big day and we are determined to impress the world with our performance," Li remarked.
Speaking two days before the event, he recounted how he felt that every practice, it was as though he has already experienced the parade.
"I have attended one of the rehearsals and, despite it was just a rehearsal, I was awed by the solemnity and magnificence embodied in the event," he shared, adding that the music is a big help in stirring the emotion of the spectators.
China first used a 1,000-strong combined military parade in 1950, during the first National Day parade. Then Chairman Mao Zedong suggested that such large band should perform at national parades.
The recently held V-J Day parade marked the PLA Combined Band's 15th performance.
Another highlight of the event is the partaking of female musicians for the first time.
The band performed 30 works, majority of which were instrumental pieces, while the rest were accompanying songs to the performances of the PLA Chorus.
The two groups collaborated on classics from the wartime era and on iconic patriotic songs.
The combined band and the chorus were first formed in June. Nonetheless, they are set to disband after the parade.
Most of the music were re-arranged to fit for the large band, Major General Li Zhengsheng said. Also serving as the PLA General Political Department's publicity office chief, he oversaw the training of the two groups.
"These works reflect the Chinese people's heroism and represent their aspirations for a strong nation and a mighty military," he enthused.
