Band of the Slovene Army Orkester Slovenske vojske | |
|---|---|
.jpg) The band at an official honours ceremony for Defence Minister Andreja Katič and Prime Minister Miro Cerar. | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Slovenia |
| Genres | Brass/marching music |
| Years active | 1996 |
The Slovene Military Orchestra (another term for the Band of the Slovene Army, Slovene: Orkester Slovenske vojske) is the only musical ensemble of the Slovenian Armed Forces and a unit of the General Staff of the SV in Ljubljana, being first in the order of battle in the SV. Also known by its acronym, the SAF Band, it consists of musicians with mainly an academic background. Anyone who wants to play in the orchestra must have at least a 1/5 of the required level of education in the field of music, and must successfully perform at an audition. Training also includes, as with all other SV units, drill and marching precision practice.
It was established in April 1996, with its first conductor being Franc Rizmal who served until October 2000. The tradition of military bands on Slovenian territory dates back to the second half of the 18th century with the SAF Band playing an integral part in that history in being the first unified Slovenian military band.[1][2]