Vasily Agapkin
Vasily Ivanovich Agapkin was a Russian and Soviet military orchestra conductor, composer, and author of the well-known march "Farewell of Slavianka".
Agapkin was born in Ryazan Governorate in 1884. From 1912 to 1915, he studied at the Tambov musical school and later served in the army.
He was notably the bandmaster for the Band of the Dzerzhinsky Division of the NKVD. Agapkin led the combined military bands during the famous Red Square Parade in Moscow on 7 November 1941. "Farewell of Slavianka" was one of the four marches that were played in that Parade, and in honor of his role there it has been played as the final march in Victory Day Parades all over Russia.
His music has appeared in many films including The Cranes Are Flying , and 72 Meters.
