MOSCOW

The BRICS International Symphony Orchestra played its first concert in Russia's capital Moscow on Thursday. 

The musical band was created in October 2023 to promote the achievements of the economic bloc BRICS+ in culture, music, and art and to introduce the music of the member countries to each other.

At the first concert, the BRICS International Symphony Orchestra, which works based on the TV BRICS media network, played BRICS Ouverture, a piece written by composer Murat Kabardokov, especially on the occasion, oeuvres of classical music, and recognizable masterpieces of BRICS founder countries -- Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

The band consists of musicians from different BRICS+ countries; its artistic director and principal conductor, Mikhail Golikov, is from Russia.

Russia's presidential envoy for international music cooperation, Mikhail Shvydkoy, greeted the orchestra and the guests in a message read by the presenter Yury Baltachev, saying that the BRICS orchestra's mission is to make the best masterpieces of its member states known around the world.

"The establishment of the BRICS TV multinational musical band and its active, creative efforts will have a significant impact on fostering and bolstering dialogue between BRICS countries," the message read.

BRICS, short for Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, is an interstate economic association of nine states -- Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, Iran, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Ethiopia.

BRICS was founded in June 2006 (as BRIC) at the St. Petersburg Economic Forum with the participation of the ministers of economy of Brazil, Russia, India, and China.