Yusif Akhundzade

Major General Yusif Akhundzade (Azerbaijani:Yusif Yevgeniyeviç Axundzadə; Russian:Юсиф Евгеньевич Ахундзаде́) is a prestigious Azerbaijani military conductor and director. Akhundzade is the current Senior Military Director of the Military Band Service of the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan. He also serves concurrently as the director of the Central Band of the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan, a position he has held since 1992.

Early life and career
He was born on February 6, 1946 in the city of Baku. In 1969, he graduated from his flute class at the Baku Academy of Music. In 1971, he joined the Soviet Armed Forces, immediately becoming the military conductor at the Caspian Higher Naval School named after Kirov (now the Azerbaijan Higher Naval School). During his service in this band, Akhundzade participated in the 1971 and 1983 October Revolution Parade on Moscow's Red Square. He began teaching at the academy of music in 1989 before being invited to lead the newly formed Military Band Service of the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan in 1992. Since then he has led the central band during welcoming ceremonies for foreign leaders and led the massed bands during the parades in honor of the 90th, 93rd, 95th, and 100th anniversary of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces. Some musicians of the Band of the Caspian Higher Naval School who served under the direction of Akhundzade later became teachers, artists and conductors in various cities and countries including one who is a director of military band in Russia.

Awards and Titles

 * Honored Worker of Culture of the Azerbaijan SSR (1979)
 * Honored Artist of the Azerbaijan SSR (1988)
 * People's Artist of Azerbaijan (1998)
 * Medal "For Military Merit" (2003)
 * Azerbaijani Flag Order