Performer Focus – The Conscript Band of the Finnish Defence Forces, Finland

The Conscript Band of the
Finnish Defence Forces

The Conscript Band of the Finnish Defence Forces has been in operation for over 30 years and is stationed

in the Armored Brigade in Hattula, Western Finland. Throughout the years Finland’s most talented and

motivated musicians, men and women, have served their mandatory military service in The Conscript band.

The minimum mandatory service in The Conscript Band lasts 9 months consisting of basic training for two

months and musical training for 7 months.

The Conscript Band of The Finnish Defence Forces is the brightest example of the Finnish national military

service system! The musical core of the show in Belfast tattoo is formed around great and renowned Finnish musical

themes. In their music The Conscript Band will also be sending their best wishes for the great figure of

Northern Irish musical history, Van Morrison. The Figure Marching band seen in the show consists of the

marching band, a drum line and a stage band accompanied by singers. A true specialty in the show is the

Rifle Drill Team whose rifles are fully working, chrome coated Finnish RK62 assault rifles that shine in the

bright lights of the great Belfast Tattoo arena! The soldiers that you see on the Belfast Tattoo stage have started their

military service in January this year.

Though many of our privates will continue on with music as a hobby some of them might make a career out

of it. The ones pursuing a career might be the future conductors like Santtu-Matias Rouvali or composer

and keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen from Nightwish who have also served in The Conscript Band years

back. So, who knows, we might be witnessing the birth of the next future superstars among these musicians!

The Conscript Band of the
Finnish Defence Forces

The Conscript Band of the Finnish Defence Forces

Chief Conductor: Captain Aino Koskela

Conductor: 1st Lieutenant Sauli Saarinen

Drum Major: Sergeant First Class Tomi Kauppila

Leader of the Rifle Drill Team: Sergeant Toni Starck

Leader of the Drum Corps: Sergeant Patrik Kiviniemi