Viktor Yeliseyev

Yeliseyev was born in 1950 in Moscow, Russia to Pyotr and Serafima. He graduated the October Revolution Musical Academy (today the Schnittke Moscow State Institute of Music). He then served as a soldier in the Ministry of the Interior (1969–1971), after which he became the choirmaster in his former unit. In 1976, Yeliseyev graduated from the Gnessin State Musical College, specializing in choir conducting.[1]

Yeliseyev with North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin during the 2019 Russian-North Korean Summit.

Yeliseyev has been a part of the Ministry of the Interior Ensemble since its founding in 1973, holding various roles. He started out as a choirmaster, becoming the head choirmaster and vice-director in 1977. In 1985 he became the head of the ensemble, and in 1995 also head of the MVD Cultural Center. In 1998 he became a professor in the Moscow Conservatory.[1]

Yeliseyev has married three times and has two children, one from the first and one from the third marriage. He lives in Moscow.[1] In 2012 he underwent a much-publicized divorce with his then-spouse Irina.[2][3]

Under Yeliseyev's direction, the MVD ensemble has performed in various countries, including Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Germany, Hungary, North Korea, Italy, Greece, Brazil, Mexico, Switzerland, the UAE, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Spain, China, Turkey and Israel. Yeliseyev was a jury member in the 1999 international soldiers' song contest held in Sochi.[1]

Yeliseyev (front center) with the MVD Ensemble

Yeliseyev is a People’s Artist of the RSFSR (1988) and a recipient of the Russian Federation Presidential Certificate of Honor.[1]