National Exemplary Band of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

The National Exemplary Band of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is a 100-member military brass band of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. It serves under the direct administration of the Military Music Department of the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. It was founded in December 1945 on the basis of the Band of the Kiev Military District with Major Demyan Litnovsky acting as its first director. The band direcotr is a s senior musical leader in the Ukrainian military.[1] The band currently gives performances for Ukrainian radio and television, documentaries and films, as well as for musical events.[2] The band's activities have been repeatedly recognized by the military leadership. In December 1965, for the merits in the development of musical art in the Kyiv Military District, the title of "Honored Orchestra of the Ukrainian SSR" ('Заслужений оркестр Української РСР') was conferred upon it. The band has repeatedly won prizes Soviet Army competitions including the Grand Prix at the International Festival of Brass Music in Yugoslavia and in October 1983, when the band was honored with the title of Friendship Festival winner in East Germany.[3][4]

National Exemplary Band of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Зразково-показовий оркестр Збройних Сил України
The National Exemplary Band in Sofia, Bulgaria in 2009.
Background information
Also known as	ЗПоЗСУ
Origin	Kiev, Ukraine
Years active	1945 (1945)–present
Associated acts	Band of the Kiev Presidential Honor Guard Battalion
Website	zpo.org.ua
Past members	Volodymyr Oberenko Andriy Kondratyuk

Notable members of the band have included Volodymyr Oerenko and Andrey Kondratyuk, both of whom are People's Artist of Ukraine.