Yakiv Fedorovych Protopopov (1885-1944) was a bandura player.
- He was an octavist singer and the oldest patriarch of the Poltava Bandura Chapel. Ulas Samchuk describes him as "a great master and enthusiast of kobza art, a very gifted singer-soloist, and an exceptionally interesting person... He was a pedant of his craft, exceptionally disciplined, hardworking, and loved precise, perfect performance. He was an example for the young, willingly gave advice and was eagerly listened to... He loved jokes, anecdotes, and was fond of his grandson... He tried not to bother anyone with his illness. On stage, he felt easy, natural, always with a smile, winking his eyebrow cheerfully..." He was loved by everyone without exception. He advised to do without meetings, because they lead to quarrels and splits, and taught: "You don't have to think, you have to know." On top of all this, he also played the role of a travelling priest in the Chapel and was fully in line with the status of a spiritual man. He was suffering from tuberculosis. He did not wait until the end of the war, died on 3 April 1945 in a hospital in Erding (5 km from the village of Notzing, where the Chapel was based) and was buried in the cemetery of this city. His wife Motria and daughter Lyalya remained in Europe. The Chapel members cherish the memory of their beloved brother, an exemplary man and an Artist from God. Everyone who knew him and sang with him cannot forget him.
He was a member of the Poltava Bandura Choir in 1925-1934. He moved to the West. He was a member of the Taras Shevchenko Bandura Choir. Died in Germany. Octavist.
