Venezuelan Classical Musicians Play for Largest Orchestra Record

Musicians of Venezuela's National System of Youth Orchestras
and Choirs take part in a concert as they try to break the Guinness
World Record for the largest orchestra in the world, in Caracas,
Venezuela November 13, 2021. REUTERS/Leonardo Fernandez Viloria
Musicians of Venezuela's National System of Youth Orchestras and Choirs take part in a concert as they try to break the Guinness World Record for the largest orchestra in the world, in Caracas, Venezuela November 13, 2021. REUTERS/Leonardo Fernandez Viloria
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Venezuelan Classical Musicians Play for Largest Orchestra Record

Musicians of Venezuela's National System of Youth Orchestras
and Choirs take part in a concert as they try to break the Guinness
World Record for the largest orchestra in the world, in Caracas,
Venezuela November 13, 2021. REUTERS/Leonardo Fernandez Viloria
Musicians of Venezuela's National System of Youth Orchestras and Choirs take part in a concert as they try to break the Guinness World Record for the largest orchestra in the world, in Caracas, Venezuela November 13, 2021. REUTERS/Leonardo Fernandez Viloria

Sunset in Caracas was accompanied by the sound of classical music on Sunday as thousands of Venezuelan musicians performed Tchaikovsky's 'Marche Salve' to set the record for "the world's largest orchestra".

Flanked by mountains, the courtyard of the Venezuelan Military Academy hosted around 12,000 classical musicians looking to make their way into the Guinness Book of World Records.

"If you break a string, don't stop. If you lose the score, go on by heart, but don't stop," conductor Andres David Ascanio, 34, said before the performance, AFP reported.

The 12-minute piece was observed by around 260 auditors from KPMG, charged with ensuring each musician complied with the rules to set a new record, which include not sharing instruments and playing for at least five minutes during the score.

Guinness will announce in the next 10 days whether Venezuela has outflanked a 2019 Russian orchestra of 8,097 musicians as the world's largest.

The performers were brought together by Venezuela's publicly funded 'El Sistema' program, which was founded in 1975 and has since provided classical music training to thousands of working-class children.

Gustavo Dudamel, the music director of the Paris Opera and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, is one of its most notable alumni.

On Saturday, macaws flew overhead as the young musicians in white t-shirts followed Ascano's instructions displayed on a large screen.

"It's the first time in my life that I have experienced seeing the conductor on a screen, but... we adapted quite well," said violinist Ernesto Laguna, 21, who traveled nearly 450 kilometers (279 miles) from the western city of Coro.

The percussion came in with booming cymbals during the dynamic central section of Tchaikovsky's 1876 work, which mixes Slavic, folkloric and nationalistic elements.

When the score was finished, many of the musicians released their emotions by raising their instruments to the sky.



Kate, Princess of Wales, to Present Women's Singles Trophy at Wimbledon

Britain’s Kate, Princess of Wales awaits the arrival of France’s President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron in Windsor, England, Tuesday July 8, 2025, on the first day of a three-day state visit to Britain. (Chris Jackson/Pool via AP)
Britain’s Kate, Princess of Wales awaits the arrival of France’s President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron in Windsor, England, Tuesday July 8, 2025, on the first day of a three-day state visit to Britain. (Chris Jackson/Pool via AP)
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Kate, Princess of Wales, to Present Women's Singles Trophy at Wimbledon

Britain’s Kate, Princess of Wales awaits the arrival of France’s President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron in Windsor, England, Tuesday July 8, 2025, on the first day of a three-day state visit to Britain. (Chris Jackson/Pool via AP)
Britain’s Kate, Princess of Wales awaits the arrival of France’s President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron in Windsor, England, Tuesday July 8, 2025, on the first day of a three-day state visit to Britain. (Chris Jackson/Pool via AP)

Kate, the Princess of Wales, is set to present the trophy to the winner of the women's singles final at Wimbledon on Saturday after opting not to attend the match last year while she was recovering from cancer.

The All England Club said Kate, the wife of Prince William, will be back in the Royal Box on Center Court for the match between eighth-seeded Iga Swiatek and No. 13 Amanda Anisimova. She will then take part in the on-court trophy presentation, The AP news reported.

Kate has been the patron of the All England Club since 2016 and has regularly attended the men's and women's finals. However, she was not there when Barbora Krejcikova defeated Jasmine Paolini for the women's title last year.

She did hand the trophy to Carlos Alcaraz after his victory over Novak Djokovic in the men's final, when she made only her second public appearance since announcing she was diagnosed with cancer.

She has been gradually returning to public duties since since announcing last fall that she had completed chemotherapy, and took part in welcoming French President Emmanuel Macron during his state visit to Britain this week.