History of The Military Orchestra of the Pacific Fleet
The Military Orchestra of the Pacific Fleet was instituted by order of the Navy Department number 52-11 of 6 May 1860. Formed in Nikolaevsk-on-Amur, in 1872, the orchestra was transferred to Vladivostok.
Before the Revolution Podorozhnikov, Shlipgak, A.E. Kanis, K. Berens, K.F. Lund, G.G. Kyummel and R.A. Keerbergen served as Kapellmeisters of the orchestra. In the Soviet period the orchestra was directed by N.B. Krylov, V.P. Groshikov, Y.P. Kuznetsov, A.I. Rondyrev, L.V. Krasnenkov (1974–1986), A.S. Danilchenko (1987–1994), V.P. Matveichuk (1994), K.S. Selivanov (1995–2013). Since 2013 the director of the Orchestra has been Major Andrei Victorovich Popov and the military conductor Captain Ilya Valerevich Sergeev.
The Military Orchestra of the Pacific Fleet is an indispensable participant of military parades, commemorative activities of military units, ceremonial departures of the Fleet on military duty and their arrival after long tours. The orchestra also participates in meetings of foreign warships and delegations and in official receptions on behalf of the Commander of the Pacific Fleet, the rituals of laying wreaths, national and personal salutes during visits of navy ships, statesmen and officials of Russia and foreign countries.
By participating in friendly visits by Russian war ships, the fleet musicians have represented Russian musical culture abroad. They were welcomed by audiences in the USA, Canada, China, South Korea, North Korea, Vietnam, India, Ethiopia, Yemen, Ceylon, Chile, and Japan. The Military Orchestra of the Pacific Fleet is often a laureate of international festivals of military orchestras: “World Fanfare” (2000, 2002, 2006, 2008), “Water Symphony” (2001), “Blossoming Cherry” (2007) in the Republic of Korea; “Amur Waves” (2012, 2013, 2015, 2016) in Khabarovsk.
