In 1949, the Department of folk instruments was established, which was headed by an outstanding virtuoso dulcimer player, founder of the Belarusian professional dulcimer school, artistic director of the State Orchestra of the BSSR Joseph Iosifovich Zhinovich, who was later awarded the honorary title of People’s Artist of the USSR, the academic title of professor and the State Prize of the BSSR. Talented graduates were invited to teach at the department: Georgy Ivanovich Zhikharev (balalaika, domra), Elfrida Nikolaevna Azarevich (bayan), Samuel Lvovich Ratner (conducting). Accordion and guitar classes were gradually opened, and mandolin was optionally mastered. The department’s staff was replenished and expanded mainly due to its most talented graduates: Pavel Karlovich Pogotsky (class of domra, balalaika, guitar, ensemble), Leonid Aleksandrovich Smelkovsky, Galina Viktorovna Osmolovskaya (domra), Eduard Mikhailovich Lembovich, Grigory Mikhailovich Grishaev, Valentin Alekseevich Chaban, Gennady Nikolaevich Mandrus, Robert Mikhailovich Nazarenko, Vladimir Fedorovich Savitsky, Tatiana Petrovna Braginets (accordion). Later, the department included graduates of the Gnessin State Music and Pedagogical Institute: laureate of the All-Union Festival, author of works for the balalaika Professor Nikolai Vikentievich Proshko, Professor Valentina Petrovna Pisarchik (bayan), candidates of pedagogical sciences, associate professors Konstantin Mikhailovich Bulygo (bayan) and Eleonora Nikolaevna Skuratova (accordion), graduate of the Ural Conservatory named after M.P. .Mussorgsky, Professor Boris Vasilyevich Sinetsky (bayan) and others. After I.I.Zhinovich, the department was brilliantly and fruitfully led by such famous musicians as Associate Professor Georgy Ivanovich Zhikharev and Honored Worker of Culture and Arts of the Republic of Belarus, Professor Mikhail Grigorievich Solopov.
Along with educational, scientific, research, creative and methodical work, concert and performing activities of the teaching staff and students also occupied a special place. The performing traditions, laid down by previous generations and constantly developing over the years, became even more active after the division of the Department of Folk Instruments in 1980 into the Department of bayan and accordion (head of the department — Honored Artist of the Republic of Belarus, Professor Nikolai Ivanovich Sevryukov) and the Department of Stringed folk Instruments (head of the Department — People’s Artist of Belarus, Professor Evgeny Petrovich Gladkov). These departments have conducted thematic, solo, and ensemble concerts in Belarus and abroad. Solo concerts were performed by V.A.Chaban, N.I.Sevryukov, I.A.Otradnov, V.P.Pisarchik as part of the trio of accordion players “Minsk”, A.A.Shuvalov, I.M.Kvashevich, L.V.Skachko, S.M.Belskaya, V.N.Pligovka, A.S.Daraganov and I.V.Daraganova (Kalenchits) as part of the duo “Expression” and others.
In recent years, many young teachers have been invited to work at the department, among them: Olga Alexandrovna Shevchenko, Alexander Alexandrovich Shuvalov, Elena Nikolaevna Volynets, Igor Mikhailovich Kvashevich, Alexey Sergeevich Daraganov, Irina Viktorovna Kalenchits, Svetlana Mikhailovna Belskaya, Lidiya Viktorovna Skachko, Vladislav Nikolaevich Pligovka, Sergey Gennadievich Butor, and others.
In the period from 2011 to 2016, the department was headed by Associate Professor Miron Ivanovich Bula, and from 2016 to 2024 by Associate Professor Alexander Alexandrovich Shuvalov. Since September 2024, the department has been headed by Candidate of Art History, Associate Professor Lidiya Viktorovna Skachko.
The department conducts extensive research, creative and methodological work. With the active participation of the department, republican contests and festivals are held, and large-scale creative projects are being implemented. Over the past decades, the participation of talented students in various international performing competitions has noticeably intensified.
