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Russian
military band A military band is a group of personnel that performs musical duties for military functions, usually for the armed forces. A typical military band consists mostly of wind and percussion instruments. The conductor of a band commonly bears the ti ...
s fall under the jurisdiction of the
Military Band Service of the Armed Forces of Russia The Military Band Service of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation serves as the official service of military bands in active service within the Russian Armed Forces and formerly the Soviet Armed Forces. It is part of the Military Band Servic ...
, which is the official music service for the Russian Armed Forces, and led by the Senior Director of Music, a billet of an officer with the rank of a Colonel or a general officer. There are currently between 200 and 300 military bands in the Russian Armed Forces that span across the military as well as all uniformed services in the country.https://echo.msk.ru/amp/programs/voensovet/1380494-echo/ Unlike most western nations, the Armed Forces does not maintain any bands composed of volunteering civilian musicians, as all bands, active or reserve, are manned by graduates of the military music training centers stationed anywhere in the country, as well as of civilian conservatories. While choirs may be attached to military bands, individual staff choirs do not exist in the Russian Armed Forces, since they have attached instrumental ensembles or orchestras. As of 2009, all military musicians are paid around 13,000
rubles The ruble (American English) or rouble (Commonwealth English) (; rus, рубль, p=rublʲ) is the currency unit of Belarus and Russia. Historically, it was the currency of the Russian Empire and of the Soviet Union. , currencies named ''rub ...
($169.65) for their service in the Armed Forces and other uniformed organizations.


Purpose

The military band service is designed to provide encouragement and to increase patriotism for the military servicemen and women of the Ground Forces, the Navy and the Aerospace Forces. Former director of bands in the Russian Armed Forces
Valery Khalilov Valery Mikhaylovich Khalilov (; 30 January 1952 – 25 December 2016) was an Uzbek-born Russian military band conductor and composer. A lieutenant general in the Russian military, he was the Senior Director of Music of the Military Band Servic ...
described the effect these bands have in the following 2005 interview: Historically, in Russia and around the world, military bands have been used to facilitate commands to troops and lead armies into battle.


History

For a country that has not just one of the largest armed forces in the world but also has produced some of the greatest composers and musicians, the modern day military band tradition of Russia traces its origins to decree No. 2319 of Peter the Great enacted on February 19, 1711, which mandated the formation of military bands and field music formations within both the Imperial Russian Army and the nascent
Imperial Russian Navy The Imperial Russian Navy () operated as the navy of the Russian Tsardom and later the Russian Empire from 1696 to 1917. Formally established in 1696, it lasted until dissolved in the wake of the February Revolution of 1917. It developed from ...
following the Western practices. As both the Army's two foundation regiments (the
Preobrazhensky Regiment The Preobrazhensky Life-Guards Regiment (russian: Преображенский лейб-гвардии полк, ''Preobrazhensky leyb-gvardii polk'') was a regiment of the Imperial Guard of the Imperial Russian Army from 1683 to 1917. The P ...
and the
Semyonovsky Regiment The Semyonovsky Lifeguard Regiment (, ) was one of the two oldest guard regiments of the Imperial Russian Army. The other one was the Preobrazhensky Regiment. In 2013, it was recreated for the Russian Armed Forces as a rifle regiment, its na ...
) had their own bands and corps of drums, which would also inspire the formation of the bands and fanfare band units within the artillery and the cavalry, the age of Peter the Great, aside from laying the foundation of the armed forces, also began centuries of the Russian military band tradition, which continues until today. Russian bands have evolved in every period since then, and as parts of the armed forces military bands were utilized more in wartime and peacetime ceremonial duties during the Imperial era, bandsmen and field musicians (drummers, buglers, fanfare trumpeters and fifers) having fought in almost every military operation fought by the army and the navy. Under Catherine the Great, the number of military bands were increased. In 1804, military bands were introduced in the
Baltic Baltic may refer to: Peoples and languages * Baltic languages, a subfamily of Indo-European languages, including Lithuanian, Latvian and extinct Old Prussian *Balts (or Baltic peoples), ethnic groups speaking the Baltic languages and/or originati ...
and
Black Sea The Black Sea is a marginal mediterranean sea of the Atlantic Ocean lying between Europe and Asia, east of the Balkans, south of the East European Plain, west of the Caucasus, and north of Anatolia. It is bounded by Bulgaria, Georgia, Rom ...
, as well as in Cossack forces in the
Urals The Ural Mountains ( ; rus, Ура́льские го́ры, r=Uralskiye gory, p=ʊˈralʲskʲɪjə ˈɡorɨ; ba, Урал тауҙары) or simply the Urals, are a mountain range that runs approximately from north to south through western ...
and in Orenburg. The Imperial Russian Army and the
Imperial Russian Navy The Imperial Russian Navy () operated as the navy of the Russian Tsardom and later the Russian Empire from 1696 to 1917. Formally established in 1696, it lasted until dissolved in the wake of the February Revolution of 1917. It developed from ...
continued the practice, with composer Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, who was the civilian Inspector of Naval Bands from 1873–1884, being considered to be the pioneer of Russian naval music. By 1914, military bands had become a part of Russian daily life. The establishment of the Central Military Band of the People's Commissariat of Defense in 1927 marked the creation of the first modern professional military band in the country, after which military bands became part of Russian/Soviet culture. During the
Great Patriotic War The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of conflict between the European Axis powers against the Soviet Union (USSR), Poland and other Allies, which encompassed Central Europe, Eastern Europe, Northeast Europe (Baltics), and Sou ...
of 1941–1945, military bands flourished at the front. In 1941, the regiments of the
Red Army The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army ( Russian: Рабо́че-крестья́нская Кра́сная армия),) often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic and, afte ...
had musical platoons, however, there were no regular bands. For example, in the 21st Division of the Narodnoe Opolcheniye, a 14-member jazz band appeared, who at the beginning of the war gave many concerts for soldiers and commanders. Close it the end of the war,
Marshal of the Soviet Union Marshal of the Soviet Union (russian: Маршал Советского Союза, Marshal sovetskogo soyuza, ) was the highest military rank of the Soviet Union. The rank of Marshal of the Soviet Union was created in 1935 and abolished in 19 ...
Georgy Zhukov Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov ( rus, Георгий Константинович Жуков, p=ɡʲɪˈorɡʲɪj kənstɐnʲˈtʲinəvʲɪtɕ ˈʐukəf, a=Ru-Георгий_Константинович_Жуков.ogg; 1 December 1896 – ...
gave Order Number 071 to the directive of the Main Political Directorate of the Red Army, making regimental and divisional bands into regular units in the forces. These regular bands served during the liberation of
Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populou ...
from the
Wehrmacht The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the ''Heer'' (army), the '' Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmacht''" replaced the previo ...
(often performing with polka and mazurka for the local population) as well as during the Prague Offensive and the
Vienna Offensive The Vienna offensive was an offensive launched by the Soviet 2nd and 3rd Ukrainian Fronts in order to capture Vienna, Austria, during World War II. The offensive lasted from 16 March to 15 April 1945. After several days of street-to-street f ...
. The reform of the bands began in 1948–1949 under the assistant director of the band service, Major General Ivan Petrov, and continued on until the 1970s. It was only in the late 1980s and early '90s was the presence of Soviet military bands available in
military tattoos A military tattoo is a performance of music or display of armed forces in general. The term comes from the early 17th-century Dutch phrase ''doe den tap toe'' ("turn off the tap"), a signal sounded by drummers or trumpeters to instruct innkeeper ...
in the West, with the Band of the
Moscow Military District The Order of Lenin Moscow Military District was a military district of the Soviet Armed Forces and the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. The district was awarded the Order of Lenin in 1968. In 2010 it was merged with the Leningrad Military D ...
and the Band of the
Odessa Military District The Odesa Military District (russian: Одесский военный округ, ОВО; , abbreviated ) was a military administrative division of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In 1998 most of its territory was transformed into the Southern Operat ...
both participating in tattoos in the
Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
in 1990.


Repertoire

The repertoire of the military band service spans across hundreds of pieces, which included ceremonial and marching music, as well as patriotic songs. Some of these musical pieces (particularly the formal ones) are used elsewhere in the militaries of the
Commonwealth of Independent States The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) is a regional intergovernmental organization in Eurasia. It was formed following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. It covers an area of and has an estimated population of 239,796,010. ...
. Many famous melodies such as '' Katyusha'', '' Siny Platochek'', and '' Podmoskovnye vechera'' have been converted into marches by military composers.


Ceremonial music


Patriotic songs


Retired Soviet marches/songs


Military marches in active use


Service marches


Others


List


Bands of military academies and educational institutions

* Cadet Band of the Military Institute of Military Conductors * Band of the
Military University of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation The Military University of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation () is a Russian military university operated by the Ministry of Defense of Russia (MOD). It is located on 14 Bol'shaya Sadovaya Street in Moscow. Since October 2017, the ...
* Training Band Wing of the Moscow Suvorov Military Music College Lieutenant-General VM Khalilov * Youth Band of the Moscow Cadet Music Corps * Band of the
Combined Arms Academy of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation The Combined Arms Academy of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation is a military academy in Moscow which provides graduate education for officers of the Russian Armed Forces. The full name reads: ''The Combined Academies Order of Lenin Order ...
* Band of the
Kuznetsov Naval Academy The N. G. Kuznetsov Naval Academy (russian: Военно-морская академия имени Н. Г. Кузнецова) is the main staff college and postgraduate institution for the Russian Navy and is located in Saint Petersburg. In ...
* Band of the Peter the Great Military Academy of the Rocket Forces of Strategic Importance * Band of the
Moscow Border Institute of the FSB of the Russian Federation The Moscow Border Institute of the FSB of the Russian Federation "''Moscow City Council''" carries out training for officers of the Border Service of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation. History On February 4, 1932, the Third ...
* Band of the MES Civil Defense Academy * Band of the
Zhukovsky – Gagarin Air Force Academy , latin_name = , logo = Great emblem of the Zhukovsky – Gagarin Air Force Academy.svg , image =File:Military parade on Red Square 2016-05-09 010.jpg , caption = Cadets of the academy at the 2016 Moscow Victory Day Parade. , motto = , established ...
Moscow Campus * Band of the A.V. Khrulyov Military Logistics Academy * Band of the Semyon Timoshenko Military University of Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Defense * Band of the
Budyonny Military Academy of the Signal Corps The S. M. Budyonny Military Academy of the Signal Corps is a military university in Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation, founded in 1919. The academy trains officers for service in the Signal Troops of the Russian Ground Forces. History * ...
* Band of the S.M. Kirov Military Medical Academy * Band of the
Moscow Higher Military Command School The Moscow Higher Combined Arms Command School ''"Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR"'' (abbreviated to MVOKU) is a higher military educational institution of the Russian Armed Forces. History The school was formed in December 15, 1917 (O.S., December ...
* Band of the Far Eastern Higher Combined Arms Command School * Band of the
Ryazan Guards Higher Airborne Command School The General V.F. Margelov Ryazan Guards Higher Airborne twice Red Banner Order of Suvorov Command School (RGVVDKU) () is a military educational institute of the Russian Ministry of Defense, situated in Ryazan, about southeast of Moscow. It was f ...
* Band of the Krasnodar Higher Military Aviation School


Bands of military districts

*
Military Band of the Western Military District Military Band of the Western Military District is a ceremonial band unit of the Russian Armed Forces's which currently serves in the headquarters of the Western Military District. The band is one of one of the oldest military bands in Russia. Hi ...
in
Saint Petersburg Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...
*
Military Band of the Southern Military District Military Band of the Southern Military District is a military band unit of the Russian Armed Forces's military band service. Currently the band serves under the headquarters of the Southern Military District based in Rostov-on-Don. Overview T ...
in Rostov-on-Don * Military Band of the Central Military District in Ekaterinburg * Military Band of the Eastern Military District in Khabarovsk *
Military Band of the Northern Fleet Severnyy flot , image = Great emblem of the Northern Fleet.svg , image_size = 150px , caption = Northern Fleet's great emblem , start_date = June 1, 1733; Sov ...
in
Severomorsk Severomorsk (russian: Северомо́рск), known as Vayenga () until April 18, 1951, is a closed town in Murmansk Oblast, Russia. Severomorsk is the main administrative base of the Russian Northern Fleet. The town is located on the coast o ...


Bands of the Armed Forces


Russian Ground Forces The Russian Ground Forces (russian: Сухопутные войска ВSukhoputnyye voyska V}), also known as the Russian Army (, ), are the land forces of the Russian Armed Forces. The primary responsibilities of the Russian Ground Forces ...

*
Presidential Band of the Russian Federation The Presidential Band of the Commandant's Office of the Moscow Kremlin of the Federal Protective Service of the Russian Federation (Russian language, Russian:Президентский оркестр Службы коменданта Москов ...
- not directly under the RGF but under the direct control of the
Kremlin Regiment The Kremlin Regiment (russian: Кремлёвский полк, Kremlyovskiy polk), also called the Presidential Regiment (russian: Президентский полк, Prezidentskiy polk), is a unique military regiment and part of the Russian F ...
, which reports to the Western Military District *
Special Exemplary Military Band of the Guard of Honor Battalion of Russia The Special Military Exemplary Band of the Honor Guard () is a special military unit that performs military music for the guard of honor of the Russian Armed Forces that greets foreign government delegations, as well as provide musical accompanime ...
*
Band of the 154th Preobrazhensky Regiment The Band of the 154th Preobrazhensky Regiment is a special military unit that is the official regimental band for the 154th Preobrazhensky Independent Commandant's Regiment. It is a branch of the Military Band Service of the Armed Forces of Russi ...
* Band of the
2nd Guards Tamanskaya Motor Rifle Division The 2nd Guards M. I. Kalinin Taman Motor Rifle Division (russian: 2-я гвардейская мотострелковая Таманская ордена Октябрьской Революции Краснознаменная ордена Су ...
"Mikhail Kalinin" * Band of the
4th Guards Kantemirovskaya Tank Division The 4th Guards Kantemirovskaya Order of Lenin Red Banner Tank Division named after Yuri Andropov (), commonly known as the Kantemirovites, the Kantemirovskaya Division or Kantemir Division, is a Guards armoured division of the Russian Ground For ...
"Yuri Andropov" * Band of the 25th Sevastopol Guards Motor Rifle Brigade * Band of the
150th Rifle Division The 150th Idritsa-Berlin Order of Kutuzov 2nd Class Motor Rifle Division (russian: Russian: 150-я Идрицко-Берлинская ордена Кутузова 2-й степени мотострелковая дивизия) of the Russian Gr ...
* HQ Band of the
2nd Guards Army The 2nd Guards Army was a field army of the Soviet Union's Red Army that fought in World War II, most notably at Stalingrad. History The 2nd Guards Army was formed according to the order of the Staff of the Supreme High Command (Stavka) from Oc ...
* Band of the
27th Guards Motor Rifle Brigade The 27th Separate Guards Sevastopol Red Banner Motor Rifle Brigade "60th Anniversary of the USSR" () is a tactical formation of the Russian Ground Forces. Its Military Unit Number (V/Ch) is 61899 (military unit 61899). It is part of 1st Guards Tank ...
* Band of the 45th High-Powered Artillery Brigade * Band of the
1st Semyonovsky Independent Rifle Regiment First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1). First or 1st may also refer to: *World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement Arts and media Music * 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and rec ...
* Band of the 623rd Interspecific Regional Training Center for the Communications Troops * Band of the 39th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade


Russian Navy

*
Central Navy Band of Russia The Central Exemplary Concert Band of the Russian Navy "Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov" ( Russian:Центральный концертный образцовый оркестр ВМФ им. Н.А. Римского-Корсакова), also known as the C ...
*
Admiralty Navy Band of Russia The Admiralty Navy Band of the Leningrad Naval Base (Russian language, Russian: Адмиралтейский оркестр Ленинградской военно-морской базы) is a Russian military bands, Russian military band based ...
* Brass Band of the Novorossiysk Naval Base * Brass Band of the Belomorskaya Naval Base * Military Band of the Black Sea Fleet * Military Band of the Baltic Fleet *
Military Band of the Pacific Fleet Military Band of the Pacific Fleet is a military band unit of the Pacific Fleet (Russia). It is a branch of the Military Band Service of the Armed Forces of Russia. The Band of the Russian Pacific Fleet was established on May 6, 1860, as a resul ...
* Military Band of the
Caspian Flotilla Kaspiyskaya flotiliya , image = Great emblem of the Caspian Flotilla.svg , image_size = 150px , caption = Great emblem of the Caspian Flotilla , dates = No ...
* Military Band of the Northeastern Group of Troops and Forces (Kamchatka Flotilla) * Band of the
336th Guards Naval Infantry Brigade The 336th Independent Guards Bialystok Orders of Suvorov and Alexander Nevsky Naval Infantry Brigade (; Military Unit Number 06017) is a brigade of the Russian Naval Infantry, formerly part of the Soviet Naval Infantry. History World War II ...
* Band of the 810th Guards Naval Infantry Brigade * Band of the 77th Naval Infantry Regiment * Military Band of the 861th Pacific Fleet Command Support Center


Russian Aerospace Forces

* Concert Band of the Band of the 1st Aerospace and Missile Defence Forces Army * Concert Band of the Band of the 6th Air and Air Defence Forces Army * Concert Band of the Band of the 11th Air and Air Defence Forces Army * Concert Band of the 14th Air and Air Defence Forces Army * Concert Band of the 15th Aerospace Forces Army * Central Band of the
Russian Space Forces The Russian Space Forces ( rus, Космические войска России, Kosmicheskie voyska Rossii, KV) are a branch of the Russian Aerospace Forces, that provides aerospace warning, air and space sovereignty, and other related protect ...
* Brass Band of the Baikonur Cosmodrome of the Space Forces * Band of the Main Testing Space Center


Other branches

*
Strategic Missile Forces The Strategic Rocket Forces of the Russian Federation or the Strategic Missile Forces of the Russian Federation (RVSN RF; russian: Ракетные войска стратегического назначения Российской Фед ...
** HQ Band of the 33rd Guards Rocket Army ** Band of the
62nd Rocket Division The 62nd Red Banner Rocket Division is a formation of the 33rd Guards Rocket Army, Russian Strategic Rocket Forces, which is located near Uzhur, in Krasnoyarsk Krai Krasnoyarsk Krai ( rus, Красноя́рский край, r=Krasnoyarskiy kr ...
*
Russian Airborne Forces The Russian Airborne Forces (russian: Воздушно-десантные войска России, ВДВ, Vozdushno-desantnye voyska Rossii, VDV) are the airborne forces branch of the Russian Armed Forces. It was formed in 1992 from units of ...
** Combined Band of the Russian Airborne Forces ** HQ Band of the
98th Guards Airborne Division The 98th Guards Airborne Division is an airborne division of the Russian Airborne Troops, currently based in Ivanovo. Russian 98th Airborne Division patch.svg, 98th Guards Airborne Division shoulder sleeve insignia (1993) History During the Se ...
** HQ Band of the 106th Tula Guards Airborne Division ** Band of the
31st Guards Air Assault Brigade The 31st Separate Guards Order of Kutuzov 2nd class Air Assault Brigade is an airborne infantry brigade of the Russian Airborne Troops, based in Ulyanovsk. The brigade was formed in 1998 from the 104th Guards Airborne Division. The brigade fought ...
** Blue Berets Band (not directly controlled by the military band service) ** HQ Band of the 7th Guards Air Assault (Mountain) Division ** Training Band of the
242nd Training Centre The 242nd Training Centre of the Airborne Forces (242 TC VDV) is a brigade-sized training formation of the Russian Airborne Troops. History Cold War To prepare sergeants and junior specialists for airborne units in accordance with a dire ...
** Band of the Guards Airborne Assault Caucasian Cossack Regiment


Overseas military bands

* Band of the
Russian 201st Military Base The Russian 201st Military Base ( tg, Пойгоҳи низомии 201-и Русия; russian: 201-я российская военная база) is a Russian military base based in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, part of the Central Military Distric ...
* Band of the
Russian 102nd Military Base The Russian 102nd Military Base ( hy, Ռուսական 102-րդ ռազմակայան; russian: 102-я российская военная база) is a Russian military base in Gyumri, Armenia, under the command of the Southern Military Distri ...
* Band of the
4th Guards Military Base The 4th Guards Military Base () is a sizable overseas military base of the Russian Armed Forces stationed in the disputed territory of South Ossetia. Russia considers South Ossetia to be an independent state and justifies its military deployment i ...
* Band of the
7th Military Base The 7th Military Base (; ) is a sizable overseas military base of the Russian Armed Forces stationed in Bombora in the partially recognized Republic of Abkhazia. The base is subordinate to the command of the 49th Combined Arms Army and the Souther ...
* Band of the
Operational Group of Russian Forces The Operational Group of Russian Forces in Transnistria (OGRF; ro, Grupul Operativ al Trupelor Ruse din Transnistria, ; russian: Оперативная группа российских войск в Приднестровье, ) is a sizable ove ...
in
Moldova Moldova ( , ; ), officially the Republic of Moldova ( ro, Republica Moldova), is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Romania to the west and Ukraine to the north, east, and south. The unrecognised state of Transnistr ...
* Band of the Group of Russian Troops in Syria at
Khmeimim Air Base Khmeimim Air Base (Russian: Хмеймим), also Hmeimim Air Base, is a Syrian airbase currently operated by Russia, located south-east of the city of Latakia in Hmeimim, Latakia Governorate, Syria. The airbase shares some airfield faciliti ...


Bands of Russian Ministries and affiliate agencies

*
Central Military Band of the Ministry of Defense of Russia Central Military Band of the Ministry of Defense of Russia, also known as the Red Army Band is a military band unit of the Russian Armed Forces. It is a branch of the Military Band Service of the Armed Forces of Russia. The current head of the ba ...
(also known as the Red Army Band in the West) * Band of the 147th Automobile Base of the Ministry of Defense * Girls Corps of Drums, Boarding School for Girls,
Ministry of Defense of Russia The Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation (russian: Министерство обороны Российской Федерации, Минобороны России, informally abbreviated as МО, МО РФ or Minoboron) is the govern ...
Not under the Armed Forces but under other agencies: * Military Band Service of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia * Military Band Service of the National Guard of Russia * Police Band Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia * Central Band of the Border Guard Service of the Federal Security Service of Russia


Former bands

Under the
Soviet Armed Forces The Soviet Armed Forces, the Armed Forces of the Soviet Union and as the Red Army (, Вооружённые Силы Советского Союза), were the armed forces of the Russian SFSR (1917–1922), the Soviet Union (1922–1991), and th ...
and disbanded bands under the current Russian Armed Forces: * Military Band Service of the
Southern Group of Forces Southern may refer to: Businesses * China Southern Airlines, airline based in Guangzhou, China * Southern Airways, defunct US airline * Southern Air, air cargo transportation company based in Norwalk, Connecticut, US * Southern Airways Express, ...
* Military Band Service of the
Group of Soviet Forces in Germany The Western Group of Forces (WGF),. previously known as the Group of Soviet Occupation Forces in Germany (GSOFG). and the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany (GSFG),. were the troops of the Soviet Army in East Germany. The Group of Soviet Occupat ...
* Military Band Service of the
Central Group of Forces The Central Group of Forces (Russian: Центральная группа войск) was a formation of the Soviet Armed Forces used to incorporate Soviet troops in Central Europe on two occasions: in Austria and Hungary from 1945 to 1955 and tr ...
* Military Band Service of the
Northern Group of Forces The Northern Group of Forces (; ) was the military formation of the Soviet Army stationed in People's Republic of Poland, Poland from the end of World War II, Second World War in 1945 until 1993 when they were withdrawn in the aftermath of the fal ...
* Band of the Russian Transcaucasus Group of Forces * HQ Band of the
Far Eastern Military District The Far Eastern Military District (russian: Дальневосточный военный округ; Dalʹnevostochnyĭ voennyĭ okrug) was a military district of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. In 2010 it was merged with the Pacific ...
* 11th HQ Band of the
Turkestan Military District The Turkestan Military District (russian: Туркестанский военный округ (ТуркВО), ''Turkestansky voyenyi okrug (TurkVO)'') was a military district of both the Imperial Russian Army and the Soviet Armed Forces, with it ...
* 14th HQ Band of the
Kyiv Military District The Kiev Military District (; , abbreviated ) was a military district of the Imperial Russian Army and subsequently of the Red Army and Soviet Armed Forces. It was first formed in 1862, and was headquartered in Kiev (Kyiv) for most of its exi ...
* 9th HQ Band of the
Odessa Military District The Odesa Military District (russian: Одесский военный округ, ОВО; , abbreviated ) was a military administrative division of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In 1998 most of its territory was transformed into the Southern Operat ...
* HQ Band of the
Central Asian Military District The Red Banner Central Asian Military District was a military district of the Soviet Armed Forces, which existed in 1926–1945 and 1969–1989, with its headquarters at Tashkent (1926–1945) and Almaty (1969–1989). By USSR Order No.304 of 4 ...
* Band of the Pushkin Air Defense Radioelectronical High School of the
Soviet Air Defence Forces The Soviet Air Defence Forces (russian: войска ПВО, ''voyska protivovozdushnoy oborony'', ''voyska PVO'', ''V-PVO'', lit. ''Anti-Air Defence Troops''; and formerly ''protivovozdushnaya oborona strany'', ''PVO strany'', lit. ''Anti-Air De ...
* Band of the Donbass Pilot Training School * Band of the Sevastopol College of Naval Engineering * Band of the St. Peterburg Submarine Navigation High School Under the Imperial Russian Army and the Imperial Russian Navy: * Band of the Mozhansky Infantry Regiment * HQ Band of the Imperial Life Guards and Petersburg Military District * Band of the
Preobrazhensky Life-Guard Regiment The Preobrazhensky Life-Guards Regiment (russian: Преображенский лейб-гвардии полк, ''Preobrazhensky leyb-gvardii polk'') was a regiment of the Imperial Guard of the Imperial Russian Army from 1683 to 1917. The P ...
* Band of the Semyonovsky Life Guard Regiment * Band of the Pavlovsky Life-Guard Regiment * Fanfare Band of His Imperial Majesty's Lifeguards Cossack Regiment * Fanfare Section and Brass Band of His Imperial Majesty's Life Guard Horse Artillery Brigade * Mounted Brass Band of the Life Guard Horse Regiment * Band of the Alexander Military Institute * Band of the Naval Cadet Corps Saint Petersburg


Musical training

Musicians from the bands of the Moscow area garrison either receive their training from the
Moscow Military Music College The Valery Khalilov Moscow Suvorov Military Music College is one of the leading military music institutions in Russia. It is a separate branch of the Suvorov Military Schools in Russia, and the oldest of them all (opened 1937). History On Augu ...
or the
Moscow Conservatory The Moscow Conservatory, also officially Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory (russian: Московская государственная консерватория им. П. И. Чайковского, link=no) is a musical educational inst ...
. After the 1917
October Revolution The October Revolution,. officially known as the Great October Socialist Revolution. in the Soviet Union, also known as the Bolshevik Revolution, was a revolution in Russia led by the Bolshevik Party of Vladimir Lenin that was a key mome ...
, the educational institutions of military bandmasters at conservatories in Petrograd and
Moscow Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 millio ...
, as well as at the Warsaw Music Institute, were closed. In connection with the changing socio-political conditions and new ideological guidelines, a new system of musical education in the military was created. One of the first steps of the new Soviet government was the 1921 opening of classes at the Tashkent and Petrograd Military Music Schools. A year later, the
Tashkent Tashkent (, uz, Toshkent, Тошкент/, ) (from russian: Ташкент), or Toshkent (; ), also historically known as Chach is the capital and largest city of Uzbekistan. It is the most populous city in Central Asia, with a population of 2 ...
Military Music School was transferred to Petrograd and merged into the Petrograd Military Music School before being disbanded a year later. The remaining 30 students were transferred to the 8th Petrograd Infantry School. Due to the transfer of the school to
Kyiv Kyiv, also spelled Kiev, is the capital and most populous city of Ukraine. It is in north-central Ukraine along the Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2021, its population was 2,962,180, making Kyiv the seventh-most populous city in Europe. Kyi ...
, music conservatories became involved in the development of military music. In 1932, a bandmaster class was organized at the Frunze
Military Academy A military academy or service academy is an educational institution which prepares candidates for service in the officer corps. It normally provides education in a military environment, the exact definition depending on the country concerned. ...
with a three-year term of study was established. By the mid-thirties, with the increase in the number of the
Red Army The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army ( Russian: Рабо́че-крестья́нская Кра́сная армия),) often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic and, afte ...
, a large number of new military educational institutions, including military faculties at civilian educational institutions, had been created for the training and preparation of senior musical personnel. Among these faculties, the Military Department of the Moscow Conservatory on the basis of order No. 183 on 28 November 1935 was created. More institutions would be established in the 40s and 50s and advanced through the 60s and 70s. In October 1964, the first group of foreign students from the
Mongolian People's Republic The Mongolian People's Republic ( mn, Бүгд Найрамдах Монгол Ард Улс, БНМАУ; , ''BNMAU''; ) was a socialist state which existed from 1924 to 1992, located in the historical region of Outer Mongolia in East Asia. It w ...
became enrolled in military musical institutions. In subsequent years, the number of students that came was expanded, with some coming form
Bulgaria Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Macedo ...
, the
German Democratic Republic German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **G ...
,
Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
,
Burkina Faso Burkina Faso (, ; , ff, 𞤄𞤵𞤪𞤳𞤭𞤲𞤢 𞤊𞤢𞤧𞤮, italic=no) is a landlocked country in West Africa with an area of , bordered by Mali to the northwest, Niger to the northeast, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to ...
,
Yemen Yemen (; ar, ٱلْيَمَن, al-Yaman), officially the Republic of Yemen,, ) is a country in Western Asia. It is situated on the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula, and borders Saudi Arabia to the Saudi Arabia–Yemen border, north and ...
,
Ethiopia Ethiopia, , om, Itiyoophiyaa, so, Itoobiya, ti, ኢትዮጵያ, Ítiyop'iya, aa, Itiyoppiya officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country in the Horn of Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the ...
and
Vietnam Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...
. Since 1994, a special department had been operating at the Military Conducting Department, students of which come from countries of the
Commonwealth of Independent States The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) is a regional intergovernmental organization in Eurasia. It was formed following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. It covers an area of and has an estimated population of 239,796,010. ...
, with many graduates organizing military bands in their newly created home countries.


Characteristics


Garrison conductors

The military conductor of the massed city garrison bands is responsible for providing general garrison events with military bands of military units and for the preparation, training, administration and formation of massed garrison bands in their area of responsibility. In addition, they are, according to Article 36 of a decree by the
President of Russia The president of the Russian Federation ( rus, Президент Российской Федерации, Prezident Rossiyskoy Federatsii) is the head of state of the Russian Federation. The president leads the executive branch of the federal ...
, responsible for coordinating the musical accompaniment of military units without military bands and assist the commanders of these military units in the training of drummers and extra musicians. They also lead instruction classes with military conductors and senior military band personnel. When on parade, they are usually referred to as the Chief Military Director (Главный военный дирижер) or
Director of music A music(al) director or director of music is the person responsible for the musical aspects of a performance, production, or organization. This would include the artistic director and usually chief conductor of an orchestra or concert band, the di ...
as known in some Western countries. The Moscow area garrison massed bands are the country's seniormost massed bands formation, and its conductor holds the billet of Senior Director of Music of the Military Band Service. The position of garrison conductor of massed military bands is present in many other Russian major cities.


Drum majors

In the Russian military,
drum majors A drum major or field commander is the leader of a marching band, drum and bugle corps, or pipe band, usually positioned at the head of the band or corps. The drum major is often dressed in more ornate clothing than the rest of the band or cor ...
() are commissioned officers who also serve as deputy band leaders and conductors. Although they are not required to be drummers, they but must have long experience as a military bandsman. The title was introduced in 1815 by the Imperial Russian Army. The Imperial uniform consisted of gold/silver galloons and a pair of
epaulette Epaulette (; also spelled epaulet) is a type of ornamental shoulder piece or decoration used as insignia of rank by armed forces and other organizations. Flexible metal epaulettes (usually made from brass) are referred to as ''shoulder scales' ...
s. The title was abolished in 1865 only for army regiments only to be reintroduced in the
Red Army The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army ( Russian: Рабо́че-крестья́нская Кра́сная армия),) often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic and, afte ...
in 1918. The position was toned down following the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...
, however the appointment of drum major was revived in the early-60s as style that could be differentiated with the Western version. All Russian drum majors are trained in military music schools and institutes like the
Moscow Military Music College The Valery Khalilov Moscow Suvorov Military Music College is one of the leading military music institutions in Russia. It is a separate branch of the Suvorov Military Schools in Russia, and the oldest of them all (opened 1937). History On Augu ...
and the Institute of Military Band Conductors of the Military University of the Ministry of Defense. During parades, they carry maces with either their service or
full dress uniform Full dress uniform, also known as a ceremonial dress uniform or parade dress uniform, is the most formal type of uniforms used by military, police, fire and other public uniformed services for official parades, ceremonies, and receptions, ...
. The ceremonial maces they carry are held by their right hand and are thrusted up and down consistently to keep the band in step and on beat.


Fanfare trumpets

Fanfare trumpet A fanfare trumpet, also called a herald trumpet, is a brass instrument similar to but longer than a trumpet, capable of playing specially composed fanfares. Its extra length can also accommodate a small ceremonial banner that can be mounted on it. ...
s in the military band service are an important part of state events and military band culture. Usually located at the front of a single band formation or in massed bands formation, the area of expertise of fanfare trumpeters in the armed forces includes playing specially composed
fanfares A fanfare (or fanfarade or flourish) is a short musical flourish which is typically played by trumpets, French horns or other brass instruments, often accompanied by percussion. It is a "brief improvised introduction to an instrumental perf ...
such as the ''Moscow Fanfare'' or the ''Fanfare of the President of the Russian Federation''. They were first seen in modern military parades in the 1920s, equipped with an elongated bell allowing for a flag or tabard to be hung. Most soldiers who were in the position of fanfare trumpeter were dressed in slightly different uniforms than the rest of the band, usually a different color of the full dress uniform. The natural chromatic fanfare trumpet model is used in many military bands in Russia, with similar ones also being used in military styled marching bands in
Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
,
France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
and the
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
. During the Imperial period and up to the early decades of the Soviet Armed Forces these fanfare trumpets were kept as an important regalia for the unit, having the same status as a
regimental colour In military organizations, the practice of carrying colours (or colors), standards, flags, or guidons, both to act as a rallying point for troops and to mark the location of the commander, is thought to have originated in Ancient Egypt som ...
, the first such instruments were granted as battle honours in 1737 and Guards Fanfare Trumpets with the Ribbon of St. George debuted for the Imperial Guard in 1805. When a unit band was disbanded, the fanfare trumpets were transferred to the Museum of the Red Army (now the Central Armed Forces Museum). In 1944, an order to revive the practice, this time for distinguished service in the Red Army, failed to pass in the Presidum of the Supreme Soviet, but nevertheless the fanfare trumpets were given to outstanding bands of units for service to the homeland in times of war. In the ground forces and air force bands the fanfare trumpets, then as is now, have scarlet tabbards with the symbol of the Band Service on them in gold at the center and is surrounded with gold fringe, the symbol is that of two crossed natural chromatic fanfare trumpets with a lyre, symbol of military music, at the center. In the naval bands, the tabard, gold fringed, is in the form of a small version of the state naval ensign.


Field snare drummers of massed bands

The late decades of Soviet rule also saw the reintroduction of another aspect of military bands in Russia: the field snare drummers, which are a modern form of the days wherein snare drummers lead out their bands or their respective units on parade (the latter when with buglers, fifers and/or fanfare trumpeters) or when in massed bands formation. They first appeared during the
October Revolution Day October Revolution Day (officially Day of the Great October Socialist Revolution, russian: День Великой Октябрьской социалистической революции) was a public holiday in the Soviet Union and other ...
parade of 1981, and the
Special Exemplary Military Band of the Guard of Honor Battalion of Russia The Special Military Exemplary Band of the Honor Guard () is a special military unit that performs military music for the guard of honor of the Russian Armed Forces that greets foreign government delegations, as well as provide musical accompanime ...
pioneered the use of the drums when they first adopted them for state arrival and wreath laying ceremonies in 1978-1979. These drummers typically carry large or small sized side marching snare drums fitted with rubber or cotton slings, during the 1980s the drums were painted red and white with the red star cap badge of the Soviet Armed Forces in the center and gold borders. Today, of all select cities that have had massed bands formation for major parades during the 1980s, only five now maintain the practice for major national holidays (
Moscow Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 millio ...
,
Krasnodar Krasnodar (; rus, Краснода́р, p=krəsnɐˈdar; ady, Краснодар), formerly Yekaterinodar (until 1920), is the largest city and the administrative centre of Krasnodar Krai, Russia. The city stands on the Kuban River in southe ...
,
Sevastopol Sevastopol (; uk, Севасто́поль, Sevastópolʹ, ; gkm, Σεβαστούπολις, Sevastoúpolis, ; crh, Акъя́р, Aqyár, ), sometimes written Sebastopol, is the largest city in Crimea, and a major port on the Black Sea ...
(introduced 2018),
Yekaterinburg Yekaterinburg ( ; rus, Екатеринбург, p=jɪkətʲɪrʲɪnˈburk), alternatively romanized as Ekaterinburg and formerly known as Sverdlovsk ( rus, Свердло́вск, , svʲɪrˈdlofsk, 1924–1991), is a city and the administra ...
(reinstated 2020) and Khabarovsk (introduced 2017)), formerly it was standard use in the massed bands in St. Petersburg, Kazan and Rostov-on-Don, among other cities. In Moscow, the field snare drummers of the massed bands today wear the same uniforms as the fanfare trumpeters to honor their Imperial predecessors.


Corps of drums

Most military academies and cadet schools, as well as a number of HQ and support units of military formations and commands, maintain a
corps of drums A Corps of Drums, also sometimes known as a Fife and Drum Corps, Fifes and Drums or simply Drums is a unit of several national armies. Drummers were originally established in European armies to act as signallers. The major historical distin ...
(known locally as rota barabanshchiki) that are specifically brought out during military parades. These formations too are of Imperial origin. Corps of drums are always made a separate part of military bands and are usually led by a drum major in the place of the director of music of a certain band and are the first formation to march past the saluting grandstand in parades, with its drummers first sounding a drumbeat cadence that keeps the parade on the beat before they march past. If possible, the corps of drums of the local Suvorov or
Nakhimov Naval School The Nakhimov Naval School (russian: Нахимовское военно-морское училище) or Nakhimov School (russian: Нахимовское училище) is a form of military education for teenagers introduced in the Soviet Unio ...
would be used during events of national importance. The most famous of these special units in the international sphere would be the Corps of Drums of the Valery Khalilov Moscow Military Music College, first unveiled during the
Moscow Victory Parade of 1945 The Moscow Victory Parade of 1945 ( rus, Парад Победы, r= Parad Pobedy) also known as the Parade of Victors ( rus, Парад победителей, r= Parad pobediteley) was a victory parade held by the Soviet Armed Forces (with the ...
and has since been regular participant in the
October Revolution Day October Revolution Day (officially Day of the Great October Socialist Revolution, russian: День Великой Октябрьской социалистической революции) was a public holiday in the Soviet Union and other ...
(1938 to 1990),
May Day May Day is a European festival of ancient origins marking the beginning of summer, usually celebrated on 1 May, around halfway between the spring equinox and summer solstice. Festivities may also be held the night before, known as May Eve. Tr ...
(1938 to 1968) and
Victory Day Victory Day is a commonly used name for public holidays in various countries, where it commemorates a nation's triumph over a hostile force in a war or the liberation of a country from hostile occupation. In many cases, multiple countries may ob ...
(1965, 1985, 1990, 1995–2008, 2012-) parades on
Red Square Red Square ( rus, Красная площадь, Krasnaya ploshchad', ˈkrasnəjə ˈploɕːətʲ) is one of the oldest and largest squares in Moscow, the capital of Russia. Owing to its historical significance and the adjacent historical build ...
. A
Turkish crescent A Turkish crescent, (a smaller version is called a çevgen or ''çağana'' (Tr.), Turkish jingle, Jingling Johnny, ' (Ger.), ' or ''pavillon chinois'' (Fr.)), is a percussion instrument traditionally used by military bands internationally. In some ...
for the college was used as its unit symbol during the Soviet era until it was replaced in 1995 by a
colour guard In military organizations, a colour guard (or color guard) is a detachment of soldiers assigned to the protection of regimental colours and the national flag. This duty is so prestigious that the military colour is generally carried by a young ...
squad. Most of these corps have an instrumentation that includes snare drums, fifes, trumpets, glockenspiels and on occasion, chromatic fanfare trumpets and trombones, and its musicians wear the service or full dress uniform of their respective unit or educational institution. Until 1969 the corps of drums, following its march past in front of the parade grandstand, would be positioned near the massed bands to provide additional support in parades. It has been resumed only in Moscow beginning in 2010, but only on Victory Day during the mobile column segment.


Uniform

The uniforms of Russian military bands vary depending on the unit. Most unit bands utilize the standard dress uniform with the closed collar of the
Russian Army The Russian Ground Forces (russian: Сухопутные войска ВSukhoputnyye voyska V}), also known as the Russian Army (, ), are the land forces of the Russian Armed Forces. The primary responsibilities of the Russian Ground Force ...
(updated in 2017), although the everyday service uniform can also be worn. The Exemplary Band of the Honor Guard has from 1958-1971 and since 2013 worn the
full dress uniform Full dress uniform, also known as a ceremonial dress uniform or parade dress uniform, is the most formal type of uniforms used by military, police, fire and other public uniformed services for official parades, ceremonies, and receptions, ...
of the 3rd Honor Guard Battalion, 154th Preobrazhensky Independent Commandant's Regiment (known in the Soviet era as the M-1955), which consists of a closed collar uniform with a red plastron with golden piping. From 1971-2013, the band wore the standard dress uniform of the armed forces. The Central band of the defence ministry wears uniforms similar to the Imperial-style uniforms of the
Kremlin Regiment The Kremlin Regiment (russian: Кремлёвский полк, Kremlyovskiy polk), also called the Presidential Regiment (russian: Президентский полк, Prezidentskiy polk), is a unique military regiment and part of the Russian F ...
. The Presidential Band performs in all white dress uniforms with blue
epaulettes Epaulette (; also spelled epaulet) is a type of ornamental shoulder piece or decoration used as insignia of rank by armed forces and other organizations. Flexible metal epaulettes (usually made from brass) are referred to as ''shoulder scales'' ...
on the sides. The Central Navy Band and all Navy bands wear standard naval uniforms, including those of the Naval Infantry, which wear their signature black berets.


Size and composition

There are 4 variant sizes of military bands. The size depends on the status of the unit/institution of which it is attached. For example, a band of a regiment/brigade formation may only have 18 people (they are usually referred to as ''полковом оркестре'', meaning ''regimental bands''), whereas a band of a
military academies A military academy or service academy is an educational institution which prepares candidates for service in the officer corps. It normally provides education in a military environment, the exact definition depending on the country concerned. ...
may have 26 people. Bands of district of headquarters and fleets have 44 people, recruiting personnel from all over their area of responsibility. The largest ones are the bands of
service branch Military branch (also service branch or armed service) is according to common standard a subdivision of the national armed forces of a sovereign nation or state. Types of branches Unified armed forces The Canadian Armed Forces is the unifi ...
es and specialized units called Exemplary Bands, numbering around 63 people each. Most military bands are filled with a variety of different types of soldier, whether it be conscripts, cadets or recently civilian musician graduates of civilian conservatories who serve in the bands.


Formation of city massed bands for military parades

The Red Square military parade films from the 1920s and 1930s and photographs from these decades would often feature the massed military bands of the Moscow Military District formed up in a form that had been used many times during the Imperial era during major military parades: the percussion, glockenspiels and Turkish crescents being at the front ranks behind the senior director, lead bandmasters and the drum major/s together with the chromatic fanfare trumpeters and the trombonists, with the trumpeters and clarinet players behind in front of the conductors and bandmasters followed by the remainder of the bandsmen, with the tubas, euphoniums, wagner tubas and helicons in the rear ranks. This was an adapted form of the German parade formation of individual military bands to suit the Russian tradition since the late 19th century of having massed bands. This had been the arrangement seen during the 1945 Victory Parade in a modified form that had begun in the 1930s under Major General Tchernetsky, the founding Senior Director of Music of the Armed Forces. Similar formations were present in a number of cities in the Soviet Union and is the basis of the modern day massed bands formation in Kyiv under the Military Music Department of the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The modern arrangement of massed bands in many parts of Russia today began in the 1951 May Day Parade under the senior director of music, Major General Ivan Petrov, which has been modified many times with the current arrangement having been used within Moscow since 2021, which is a mix of the old and new traditions. In Moscow and several other cities (like Khabarovsk, Rostov-on-Don and
Yekaterinburg Yekaterinburg ( ; rus, Екатеринбург, p=jɪkətʲɪrʲɪnˈburk), alternatively romanized as Ekaterinburg and formerly known as Sverdlovsk ( rus, Свердло́вск, , svʲɪrˈdlofsk, 1924–1991), is a city and the administra ...
), the form is that the chromatic fanfare trumpeters and field drummers, as well as glockenspiel players, are at the front ranks of the massed bands (manned within the Moscow area of around 1,600 musicians), followed by the trumpeters, trombonists, the percussion battery, French horns, woodwinds and the bass section (tubas, euphoniums, tenor horns, sousaphones and wagner tubas). Similar formations are present in other major cities with massed bands formations available even without the drummers and fanfare trumpeters, having an estimated 200 to 450 in minor cities up to more than 800 in cities like St. Petersburg and Rostov-on-Don. In the 2019 Victory Day parade in
Ufa Ufa ( ba, Өфө , Öfö; russian: Уфа́, r=Ufá, p=ʊˈfa) is the largest city and capital city, capital of Bashkortostan, Russia. The city lies at the confluence of the Belaya River (Kama), Belaya and Ufa River, Ufa rivers, in the centre-n ...
,
Bashkortostan The Republic of Bashkortostan or Bashkortostan ( ba, Башҡортостан Республикаһы, Bashqortostan Respublikahy; russian: Республика Башкортостан, Respublika Bashkortostan),; russian: Респу́блик ...
, a modified form of the Imperial and early Soviet massed bands formation was used.


Performances

* The combined bands of the Moscow Garrison (usually composed of over 1,100 musicians) are required to take part in the annual
Moscow Victory Day Parade The Moscow Victory Day Parade ( rus, Парад Победы в Москве, r= Parad Pobedy v Moskve) refers to the annual military parade of the Russian Armed Forces on Moscow's Red Square on May 9 during the Victory Day celebrations. The ...
on
Red Square Red Square ( rus, Красная площадь, Krasnaya ploshchad', ˈkrasnəjə ˈploɕːətʲ) is one of the oldest and largest squares in Moscow, the capital of Russia. Owing to its historical significance and the adjacent historical build ...
under the leadership of the Senior Director of Music of the Military Band Service of the Armed Forces of Russia. * The
Central Military Band of the Ministry of Defense of Russia Central Military Band of the Ministry of Defense of Russia, also known as the Red Army Band is a military band unit of the Russian Armed Forces. It is a branch of the Military Band Service of the Armed Forces of Russia. The current head of the ba ...
is also required to take part in the Russian Honor Parade on Red Square on November 7. * The
Special Exemplary Military Band of the Guard of Honor Battalion of Russia The Special Military Exemplary Band of the Honor Guard () is a special military unit that performs military music for the guard of honor of the Russian Armed Forces that greets foreign government delegations, as well as provide musical accompanime ...
performs with the
154th Preobrazhensky Independent Commandant's Regiment 154th Preobrazhensky Independent Commandant's Regiment serves as the official honor guard regiment of the Russian Armed Forces and serves as the main honor guard unit of the armed forces, stationed in Moscow. Aside from being the honor guard ...
during the welcoming of foreign delegations to Russia. * Being the host of the festival, the senior director of music of the military band service requires Russian military bands to take part in the
Spasskaya Tower The Spasskaya Tower ( rus, Спасская башня, Spasskaya Bashnya), translated as 'Saviour Tower', is the main tower on the eastern wall of the Moscow Kremlin which overlooks Red Square. History The Spasskaya Tower was built in 1491 by th ...
military tattoo. He serves as the lead co-organizing chairman of the festival and its executive producer.


Notable current and former musicians in the Russian/Soviet Armed Forces

* Lieutenant General
Valery Khalilov Valery Mikhaylovich Khalilov (; 30 January 1952 – 25 December 2016) was an Uzbek-born Russian military band conductor and composer. A lieutenant general in the Russian military, he was the Senior Director of Music of the Military Band Servic ...
– Considered to be the last great conductor to be educated in the Soviet era, he was notable for his policy of promoting Russian military bands on the world stage and his reorganization of the military band service and the massed bands of the
Moscow Garrison The Order of Lenin Moscow Military District was a military district of the Soviet Armed Forces and the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. The district was awarded the Order of Lenin in 1968. In 2010 it was merged with the Leningrad Military Di ...
. * Captain Alexei Karabanov – Current conductor of the
Central Navy Band of Russia The Central Exemplary Concert Band of the Russian Navy "Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov" ( Russian:Центральный концертный образцовый оркестр ВМФ им. Н.А. Римского-Корсакова), also known as the C ...
and longtime director of the
Admiralty Navy Band of Russia The Admiralty Navy Band of the Leningrad Naval Base (Russian language, Russian: Адмиралтейский оркестр Ленинградской военно-морской базы) is a Russian military bands, Russian military band based ...
from 1985-2008. *
Vasily Agapkin Vasily Ivanovich Agapkin (russian: Васи́лий Ива́нович Ага́пкин; 3 February 1884 – 29 October 1964) was a Russian and Soviet military orchestra conductor, composer, and author of the well-known march "Farewell of ...
- composer and author of ''
Farewell of Slavianka "Farewell of Slavianka" (russian: Прощание славянки, Proščanije slavjanki) is a Russian patriotic march, written by the composer Vasily Agapkin in honour of Slavic women accompanying their husbands in the First Balkan War. Th ...
'' (written 1912) * Colonel Armen Poghosyan – Current Director of the
Band of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Armenia The Band of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Armenia is the central military band of the Armed Forces of Armenia. It is currently part of the Military Band Division of the General Staff of the armed forces. Overview History On 28 Jan ...
* Colonel Alexander Gerasimov – Director of the
Moscow Military Music College The Valery Khalilov Moscow Suvorov Military Music College is one of the leading military music institutions in Russia. It is a separate branch of the Suvorov Military Schools in Russia, and the oldest of them all (opened 1937). History On Augu ...
* Colonel Dainis Vuskans – Current Director of the Latvian NAF Staff band and former member of the Band of the
Kaliningrad Kaliningrad ( ; rus, Калининград, p=kəlʲɪnʲɪnˈɡrat, links=y), until 1946 known as Königsberg (; rus, Кёнигсберг, Kyonigsberg, ˈkʲɵnʲɪɡzbɛrk; rus, Короле́вец, Korolevets), is the largest city and ...
Garrison * Colonel Pavel Makarov – Current Director of the
Band of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Uzbekistan The Band of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Uzbekistan () is the central military band of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Uzbekistan based in Tashkent. It also serves as the organizational and instructional unit of the Uzbek defenc ...
and former commander of the 11th Band of the
Turkestan Military District The Turkestan Military District (russian: Туркестанский военный округ (ТуркВО), ''Turkestansky voyenyi okrug (TurkVO)'') was a military district of both the Imperial Russian Army and the Soviet Armed Forces, with it ...
* Major General Volodymyr Derkach – Senior Military Director of the Military Music Department of the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces from 1995 to 2014 * Major General Yusif Akhundzade – Director of the Central Band of the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan since 1992. * Lieutenant Colonel Yunus Gulzarov – Former director of the Uzbek Ministry of Internal Affairs and former member of the Band of the Soviet Defence Ministry. * Ilya Shatrov - Former bandmaster of the Mokshansky Regimental Orchestra * Vladimir Mikhailov - Press Secretary for the Central Band of the Russian Defence Ministry * Viktor Runov - Notable Russian military composer and former director of various bands in the Moscow area, including the Band of the Moscow Border Guard School of the Soviet Interior Ministry * Yuri Griboyedov * Dmitry Pertsev - Director of the Military Band of the
Leningrad Military District The Leningrad Military District was a military district of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. In 2010 it was merged with the Moscow Military District, the Northern Fleet and the Baltic Fleet to form the new Western Military District ...
in the 1970s * Igor Lifanovsky, Russian
French horn The French horn (since the 1930s known simply as the horn in professional music circles) is a brass instrument made of tubing wrapped into a coil with a flared bell. The double horn in F/B (technically a variety of German horn) is the horn most ...
player and former member of the Band of the Kyiv Military District * Alexander Salik - Director of the Military Band Service of the Northern Group of Forces from 1979 to 1984 and director of the Military Band Service of the Odessa Military District from 1984 to 1990. * Stanislav Volynov - Director of the Military Band Service of the Northern Group of Forces from 1984 to 1988. * Georgy Petrovich Alyavdin - Director of the
Central Navy Band of Russia The Central Exemplary Concert Band of the Russian Navy "Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov" ( Russian:Центральный концертный образцовый оркестр ВМФ им. Н.А. Римского-Корсакова), also known as the C ...
from 1953-1970 and professor of music who's pupils included
Valery Khalilov Valery Mikhaylovich Khalilov (; 30 January 1952 – 25 December 2016) was an Uzbek-born Russian military band conductor and composer. A lieutenant general in the Russian military, he was the Senior Director of Music of the Military Band Servic ...
and Captain Alexei Karabanov. * Michael Yaaran - Director of the
Israel Defense Forces Orchestra The Israel Defense Forces Orchestra ( he, תזמורת צה"ל; Tizmoret Tzahal) is the main musical ensemble of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). It comprises musicians and singers who have passed the auditions before enlistment into the IDF, mos ...
from 2003 to 2013.


Gallery


Photo

File:ЦКОО ВМФ РФ.jpg, The combined Navy Band of Russia File:Band of the Black Sea Fleet.jpg, The Military Band of the Black Sea Fleet File:Оркестр штаба Северо-Западного округа войск национальной гвардии России 01.jpg, The HQ Band of the Northwestern District Command of the National Guard File:Музыканты Тихоокеанского флота 02.jpg, The
Military Band of the Pacific Fleet Military Band of the Pacific Fleet is a military band unit of the Pacific Fleet (Russia). It is a branch of the Military Band Service of the Armed Forces of Russia. The Band of the Russian Pacific Fleet was established on May 6, 1860, as a resul ...
File:Final rehearsal of military parade in Kaliningrad 05.jpg, The Military Band of the Baltic Fleet File:Петрович К.А..jpg, Konstantin Petrovich File:90th anniversary of the Central Military Band of the Ministry of Defense.jpg, The central band under the direction of Colonel Sergey Durygin during its 90th anniversary concert in 2017 File:Военный оркестр 79-го гв. мсп.JPG, The military band of the 79th Guards Motorized Rifle Regiment File:Massed Bands of the Nizhny Novgorod Garrison.jpg, The Massed Bands of the Nizhny Novgorod Garrison File:Battle of Stalingrad Victory Parade 07.jpg, The Band of the
Volgograd Volgograd ( rus, Волгогра́д, a=ru-Volgograd.ogg, p=vəɫɡɐˈɡrat), formerly Tsaritsyn (russian: Цари́цын, Tsarítsyn, label=none; ) (1589–1925), and Stalingrad (russian: Сталингра́д, Stalingrád, label=none; ) ...
Garrison File:2010 Moscow Victory Day Parade-24.jpeg, The corps of drums of the Moscow Military Conservatoire during the Victory Parade on Red Square in May 2010 File:Военный оркестр гвардейского десантно-штурмового Кавказского казачьего полка 01.jpg, A band of an airborne cossack regiment File:4X5A4297-1200.jpg, Members of an air force band on Air Force Day in 2020


Videos

File:Russian anthem at Victory Day Parade 2010.ogv, The massed bands performing the
National anthem of Russia The "State Anthem of the Russian Federation" is the national anthem of Russia. It uses the same melody as the " State Anthem of the Soviet Union", composed by Alexander Alexandrov, and new lyrics by Sergey Mikhalkov, who had collaborated wit ...
at a
Victory Day Victory Day is a commonly used name for public holidays in various countries, where it commemorates a nation's triumph over a hostile force in a war or the liberation of a country from hostile occupation. In many cases, multiple countries may ob ...
Parade in 2010 File:Russian national anthem at Medvedev inauguration 2008.ogv, The presidential band performing the national anthem at the
Inauguration of Dmitry Medvedev Russian presidential inauguration, Inauguration of Dmitry Medvedev as the President of Russia, President of Russia took place on Wednesday, May 7, 2008. The ceremony was held in the Grand Kremlin Palace and lasted about one hour. At the cerem ...
in 2008


See also

*
Military Band Service of the Armed Forces of Russia The Military Band Service of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation serves as the official service of military bands in active service within the Russian Armed Forces and formerly the Soviet Armed Forces. It is part of the Military Band Servic ...
*
Military band A military band is a group of personnel that performs musical duties for military functions, usually for the armed forces. A typical military band consists mostly of wind and percussion instruments. The conductor of a band commonly bears the ti ...
*
Corps of drums A Corps of Drums, also sometimes known as a Fife and Drum Corps, Fifes and Drums or simply Drums is a unit of several national armies. Drummers were originally established in European armies to act as signallers. The major historical distin ...
*
Fanfare band A fanfare band, fanfare corps, fanfare battery, fanfare team, horn and drum corps, bugle band, drum and bugle corps, or trumpet and drum band (including the German ''fanferenzug'', ''fanfarenkorps'' and ''regimentsblaserkorps'', the Dutch ''drumba ...
* Canadian military bands *
United States military bands United States military bands include musical ensembles maintained by the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, United States Navy, United States Air Force, and United States Coast Guard. More broadly, they can also include musical ense ...
*
List of marching bands This is a list of marching bands. Major types include collegiate and military. At least 16 U.S. colleges have had scramble bands, which are also included in this list. North America United States Collegiate marching bands Military marchin ...
*
March (music) A march, as a musical genre, is a piece of music with a strong regular rhythm which in origin was expressly written for marching to and most frequently performed by a military band. In mood, marches range from the moving death march in Wagner' ...


References


Video sources

* * * * * * * * {{Military Band Service of the Armed Forces of Russia Wind bands Marching bands Russian ceremonial units Articles containing video clips