The military band of the 40th Artillery Brigade boosts the morale of the soldiers with Ukrainian songs
“With Thunder and Fire” is the motto of the 40th Artillery Brigade named after Grand Duke Vytautas. The artillerymen deliver precise strikes against the enemy, and the roar of their cannons serves as a reminder of the strength of the Ukrainian military.
Between combat missions, the morale and fighting spirit of the soldiers are kept high by the musicians of the “Art Military Band”—the 40th Artillery Brigade’s unique orchestra. Ukrainian songs and rousing melodies help the soldiers get through difficult moments, take their minds off their daily worries, and remember home, even while far away from it.
The artists reach their audience via roads near the front lines, where the asphalt has been pitted by heavy equipment and, in some places, scarred by craters from enemy munitions. Traveling under anti-drone nets and occasionally veering onto dirt tracks—known as “nakatyshi”—that wind along field boundaries, the musicians may have to drive for several hours to reach a concert venue.
However, the long, arduous, and sometimes dangerous journey is worth it, because the orchestra knows that soldiers are waiting for them during their brief respite. An hour-long concert is worth the grueling journey to give their comrades the chance to experience the beauty of Ukrainian songs, when the universal language of music—understood and felt by everyone— unites musicians and listeners in a shared sense of elation, leaving no one in the audience indifferent.
— The core of our repertoire consists of Ukrainian songs that have stood the test of years and time and carry deep meaning. It also includes a military-patriotic repertoire—songs that were written during the current war, dating back to the Anti-Terrorist Operation and the Joint Forces Operation, and even now, during the full-scale invasion,” says the orchestra’s conductor — military conductor Major Volodymyr Kisyuk.
The “Art Military Band” of the 40th Artillery Regiment is welcomed in dugouts and bunkers, temporary shelters, and well-equipped permanent shelters—both very close to the front lines and relatively deep in the rear.
— If we’re at permanent deployment sites, it could be a stage or any location—a park, for example. If we’re on the move, it’s a dugout or a trench. We can and do perform anywhere it’s safe and where we can ensure the safety of our personnel. “In peacetime, of course, we have greater flexibility in choosing locations, stages, and acoustics; during wartime, we perform wherever the soldiers need us,” says Volodymyr Kisyuk.
And everywhere they go during their concerts, they’re met by the eyes of listeners—filled with joy or sorrow, but always with sincere gratitude—who often join in singing along to the most famous and beloved songs: “Chervona Kalyna,” “Hutsulka Ksenia,” “Black Mountain,” and, of course, “Red Rue.”
— Our work is very specific, as practice shows. The guys we play for don’t expect much from our performance at first. But once we’ve played the first two or three songs, their expressions change; they start showing emotion, come alive, recall old songs they used to sing, and even begin singing along and dancing a little.
And by the end, when we’re wrapping up our performance, most of them—I won’t say all, but most—have changed for the better and become more positive. A certain vitality appears in their eyes. “I believe this is incredibly important in such difficult times, in such difficult moments for the guys—to give them moments of home comfort and civilian life,” says Senior Soldier Konstantin, a top-tier artist with the orchestra.
Men in military uniforms sit on wooden benches. In front of them, musicians perform with a guitar, an accordion, and a saxophone.
A performance by the “Art Military Band” of the 40th Separate Artillery Brigade named after Grand Duke Vytautas
: “With Thunder and Flame”—the motto of the 40th Artillery Brigade named after Grand Duke Vytautas, as the artillerymen blast the enemy with precise fire following a thunderous roar.
When the gunners have a break, their fighting spirit is bolstered by the rhythm and energy of the musicians from the “Art Military Band”—the 40th Artillery Brigade’s unique military band. After all, it is music and song that can provide support in difficult times, cheer people up and entertain them when they are sad, and remind them of home while they are far away.
The artists reach their audience via roads near the front lines, where the asphalt has been shattered by heavy equipment and, in some places, pockmarked by craters from enemy munitions. Traveling under anti-drone nets and occasionally veering onto dirt tracks—known as “nakatyshi”—that wind along field boundaries, the musicians may have to drive for several hours just to reach a concert.
However, the long, arduous, and sometimes dangerous journey is worth it, because the orchestra members know that soldiers are waiting for them during their brief respite. An hour-long concert is worth the grueling journey to give their comrades the chance to experience the beauty of Ukrainian songs, when the universal language of music—understood and felt by everyone— unites musicians and listeners in a shared sense of elation, leaving no one in the audience indifferent.
— The core of our repertoire consists of Ukrainian songs that have stood the test of years and time and possess deep meaning. It also includes a military-patriotic repertoire—songs that were written during the current war, dating back to the Anti-Terrorist Operation and the Joint Forces Operation, and even now, during the full-scale invasion,” says the orchestra’s conductor — military conductor Major Volodymyr Kisyuk.
The “Art Military Band” of the 40th Artillery Brigade performs in dugouts and bunkers, temporary shelters, and well-equipped permanent shelters—both very close to the front lines and relatively deep in the rear.
— If we’re at permanent bases, it could be a stage or any location—a park, for example. If we’re on the move, it’s a dugout or a trench. We can and do perform anywhere it’s safe and where we can ensure the safety of our personnel. “In peacetime, of course, we have greater flexibility in choosing locations, stages, and acoustics; during wartime, we perform wherever the soldiers need us,” says Volodymyr Kisyuk.
And everywhere they go during their concerts, they’re met by the eyes of listeners—filled with joy or sorrow, but always with sincere gratitude—who often join in singing along to the most famous and beloved songs: “Chervona Kalyna,” “Hutsulka Ksenia,” “Black Mountain,” and, of course, “Red Rue.”
— Our work is very specific, as practice shows. The guys we play for don’t expect much from our performance at first. But once we’ve played the first two or three songs, their expressions change; they start showing emotion, come alive, recall old songs they used to sing, and even begin singing along and dancing a little.
And by the end, when we’re wrapping up our performance, most of them—I won’t say all, but most—are transformed for the better, becoming more positive. A certain vitality appears in their eyes. “I believe that in such difficult times, in such difficult moments for the guys, it’s incredibly important to give them a taste of the comfort of home and civilian life,” says Senior Soldier Konstantin, a top-tier artist with the orchestra.
The “Art Military Band” is known far beyond the confines of its home unit, the 40th Artillery Brigade. During their concert tour, the band’s musicians performed for service members of the 19th Army Corps, the 117th Separate Heavy Mechanized Brigade, the 44th and 28th Separate Mechanized Brigades, the 39th Separate Unmanned Systems Battalion, and other formations and units.
Currently, the artillery musicians are performing concerts deep in the rear, having visited Lutsk, Lviv, and Zhytomyr, where they were warmly welcomed by local residents. The concert program combines military ballads, patriotic songs, and traditional folk songs. The concert is structured so that it transitions from the lyrical portion to uplifting songs at the climax.
— “Hutsulka Ksenia” is very popular. Everyone sings along to “Chervona Ruta.” Basically, it varies from person to person. Some prefer lyrical songs—like “Sokolyata” by Vyacheslav Khursenko, for example. If we’re performing at official events, we try to start with our brigade’s anthem, written by Lieutenant Colonel Serhiy Mayatskyi. We always perform it. And we usually end the concert with “Chervona Ruta,” says Kostyantyn.
— I really, really enjoyed the concert. Both the performance and the repertoire—I really love the song about Bakhmut; I always listen to it because it touches my soul. And this time, too. Especially because it’s not a recording, but a live performance, live music. You hear it—and it really touches your soul deeply. And I’ll tell you, live music is so much better than a recording,” shares Pavlo, a soldier and one of the audience members at the frontline concert.
It is precisely for the sake of such simple, yet incredibly sincere and warm words that the artists of the “Art Military Band” set out on their journey as soon as it starts to get light outside and return late at night, when it’s already dark.
For their sake, they travel dozens of kilometers along bumpy roads near the front lines and drive hundreds of kilometers to Ukrainian cities behind the front lines to demonstrate and support the unity of Ukrainians.
For their sake, they perform in cramped shelters and dugouts, where—despite the poor acoustics—they create musical magic, sometimes even playing on a box ofthat can serve as a cajón—a unique musical instrument that sets the rhythm, replacing an acoustic drum set.
