英语文摘:Brass Music Festival held in Vienna

VIENNA, June 5 (Xinhua) -- A two-day Brass Music Festival, the 31st of its kind since 1980, concluded on Saturday in the Austrian capital Vienna.

A total of 36 Brass Bands, from all Austrian states and regions as well as some neighboring countries including Germany, Switzerland, Slovakia, Hungary and Liechtenstein, participated in the festival, which ended with a grand march in the city center on Saturday afternoon.

The Brass Music Festival was initiated in 1980 by Helmut Zilk, the city councilor in charge of cultural affairs at that time. It has gradually established itself as one of the most important annual cultural events in Vienna.

Austrians love music, especially brass music. Brass musicians dressed in national costumes can be seen in various celebrations or folk festivals.

According to statistics from the Austrian Brass Music Association, there are a total of 2,100 brass bands in Austria, with at least one band in almost every town.