| Unit Name: | Military Music Center of the Ukrainian Ground Forces |
| Dates: | August 23, 2003 - present |
| Country: |  Ukraine |
| Command Structure: | Military Music Department of the General Staff |
| Size: | 75 |
| Type: | Military Band |
| Garrison: | Chernihiv |
| Commander1: | Lieutenant Colonel Igor Bykovsky |
| Notable Commanders: | Colonel Volodymyr Dashkovsky Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Shevchuk |
| Native Name: | Військово-музичний центр Сухопутних військ Збройних Сил України |
The Military Music Center of the Ukrainian Ground Forces serves as the official military band service of the Ukrainian Ground Forces. It is a part of the Military Music Department of the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. he current head of the center is Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Shevchuk. Since July 2005, the Military Music Center has been located at the premises of the former House of Military Officers on Shevchenko Street.
It was founded on the basis of the 7th Military Headquarters Band of the Northern Operational Command in Chernihiv in 1998. It was moved to Kyiv and was reestablished as the Military Music Department of the General Staff by the directive of the Minister of Defense on August 23, 2003. The unit was based on the 8th Training Regiment of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.[1] [2] In 2013, Shevchuk received the title of "National Leader of Ukraine" at the Central House of Officers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.[3]
The MMC-UGF is headquartered in Kyiv and its primary duty is to organize, train and maintain bands in the Ground Forces. The MMC-UGF's primary HQ band is the Headquarters Band of the Military Music Center Ukrainian Ground Forces, which is organized into:
The MMC-UGF is also responsible for the organization of military bands in each of the Operational Commands of the Ground Forces and subordinate units. There are three creative teams within the MMC-UGF:
These creative groups also host 13 small forms of concert and creative activity:
It is clear that this composition of small forms of concert and creative activity gives the opportunity to hold several concerts (performances of creative groups) in different places.
The Military Music Center organizes and implements:
The largest venue for the Military Music Center building is the large hall (200 seats), which holds regular celebrations for national holidays, veterans' gatherings of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, literary and concert evenings for servicemen and their families, as well as residents of the city. One of the main layers that is embedded in the repertoire plans of the creative teams of the center is the Ukrainian musical heritage and its popularization. An integral part of this work is the collaboration with composers and poets who are practically useless in these important areas: the patriotic, patriotic, military, and contemporary military lyrics. It has connections in the Academy of Arts of Ukraine and the National Music Academy of Ukraine.
Over the period of its existence, the Military Music Center has gained wide recognition as one of the most powerful and sophisticated professional music bands not only in Ukraine but also abroad. Its first major event was the 60th Anniversary of the Liberation of Ukraine, and has since been a participant in all parades in Kyiv on the anniversary of Ukraine's independence. During its concert-touring and methodical activities, the Center staff takes part in military parades and events with the participation of the President of Ukraine, the leadership of the state, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, and the Command of the Land Forces. In October 2005, it performed in Iraq during as part of a government delegation led by the Minister of Defense Anatoliy Hrytsenko. It took part in the first tour of the country's remote garrison bands in May 2007. During its existence, the Military Music Center has held more than 950 concert and construction events in the military units of the garrisons of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and in civilian organizations. The Military Music Center has participated in about 25 international festivals, programs, concerts.[4] [5]
The following trips were made by the band: