By establishing the Slovenian Armed Forces Band in 1996, the Republic of Slovenia established a continued practice with a year-long tradition of military bands on the Slovenian territory. Today, the Slovenian Armed Forces Band is a constituent unit of the General Staff and meets the needs of the military protocol. It is an indispensable part of all solemn events of the Slovenian Armed Forces, events marking anniversaries of SAF units and solemn swear-in ceremonies, national celebrations and international meetings. There is no event or celebration without an ensemble of the SAF Band – may it be the big concert band or the ceremonial band, the Big Band, wind quintet, brass quintet etc. In addition, the SAF Band also plays at numerous humanitarian concerts and local events. Highly-qualified musicians of the SAF Band with their truly varied repertoire and high quality of musical reproduction continuously create an atmosphere of perfection of events, high manners and the image of proud  Slovenian Armed Forces members.The successful development of the Slovenian Armed Forces Band, which has in its 22-year history become a vital, professional and motivated ensemble, has been masterly formed by the conductors of its various ensembles. As a contracted colleague, the band was strongly marked by the expertise and rich experiences of the composer and conductor Jože Privšek. In addition, the SAF Band, which gives some 230 concerts per year, has worked with many renowned conductors and top solos from Slovenia and abroad. Special proof of its high quality are also regular invitations to concert and festivals in Europe that the band receives. At those events, the band performs as a respectable ambassador of Slovenian culture.For its top-level achievements, the SAF Band was in 1997 awarded with the Bronze and in 2008 with the Gold Medal of the Slovenian Armed Forces. At its 20th anniversary, the President of the Republic of Slovenia Borut Pahor decorated the SAF Band with the order of Merit.The conductor,  Andreja Šolar was born in Slovenia where she lives and works. In 2006 she graduated in symphonic conducting at the Academy of Music in Ljubljana with maestro Marko Letonja. She was also studying conducting with Jan Cober at the Brabants Conservatorium in Tilburg, Netherlands. In 2002 she successfully completed her master degree studies and made her début appearance conducting the Slovenian Armed Forces Band, which received excellent radio reviews. In 2008 she finished Senior Musician Course in Naval School of Music Norfolk in Virginia, USA. She collaborated as a conductor with the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra, the RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra, the Slovenian Philharmonic Brass Ensemble, with the Latvian National Armed Forces Band, Czech Army Central Band, Croatian National Armed Forces Band, Symphonishes Blasorchester Klagenfurt, Blasorchester Johann – Joseph – Fux Konservatorium Graz in the neighbouring Austria. She collaborates as a member of an international juries at the Austrian and Slovenian competitions for wind bands and writes arrangements for wind and brass bands.