Viktor Afanasyev (military musician)

Viktor Vasilievich Afannasyev (Russian:Виктор Васильевич Афанасьев) is a Soviet and Russian military conductor. He was the Senior Director of the Military Band Service of the Armed Forces of Russia from 1993 to 2002.

Early life and career
In 1972, he graduated from the Military Conducting Department of the Moscow Conservatory before beginning to teach classes at the Alma-Ata Conservatory 9 years later. He had previously served between 1979 and 1982 as the director of the Band of the Central Asian Military District, the Band of the Baltic Military District, and the Band of the Western Group of Forces. Followimg the resignation of Major General Nikolay Mikhaylov in 1993, Afanasyev was immediately appointed as the chief director of the Military Band Service of the Armed Forces of Russia, and the conductor of the combined massed bands of the Moscow Garrison. He served in this position until 2003, when he was replaced by Colonel Valery Khalilov. Since then, he has been teaching master classes at the Moscow Conservatory and has also served as dean of the orchestral faculty of the Moscow State University of Culture and Arts.