Young Venezuelans attempt to break Guinness record for largest orchestra

         

CARACAS :Venezuela on Saturday attempted to break the Guinness record for the world's largest orchestra, as 12,000 musicians played a classical piece together for more than five minutes.

The attempt, by the country's National System of Youth and Children's Orchestras, known as "The System", would beat a Russian record set two years ago and will be judged by Guinness in the next 10 days.

"The System" counts some 350,000 children and youths among its rank, playing in a network of 180 orchestras.

Saturday's musicians, wearing white, played Piotr Ilich Tchaikovsky's Marche Slave for 10 minutes at Caracas' military academy.

"It is a pleasure to be at the official attempt via video," Guinness expert Susana Reyes said.

The current record was set in Saint Petersburg, when 8,097 musicians played together.