Considered one of the greatest artists of the balalaika and without a doubt the greatest musician of the balalaika in Western Europe,  Alexei Birioukov (Affectionately called God by his closest friends) knows how to coach the best from his instrument.

His exceptional virtuosity combined with his Slavic sensibilities produce a rare and pure emotion straight from the vastness of the Russian Steppes.

Né dans une famille musiciens, Alexei Birioukov s’initie à la balalaïka dès l’age de 10 ans.

En 1986, il obtient le diplôme du collège musical, spécialisation balalaïka .

Depuis 1990, il est concertiste international.

De 1990 à 1991 acteur - musicien des théâtre musical «Diligence», théâtre - folklorique «Bratchina», show - théâtre «Russkaya Fantasia» à Moscou. Premier prix du concours international de Klingenthal (Allemagne),en 1991 dans la catégorie «ensemble» en se produisant avec le Trio de Moscou (Domra, Balalaïka, Bayan).

De 1991-1995, il se produit en concert en Italie, Espagne, Allemagne et France au Festival de Chartres toujours avec le Trio.

En 1993, il obtient le diplôme de l’ Académie de Russie de la musique Gnessinykh de la spécialité Balalaïka et chef d’orchestre des instruments populaires, après de cinq ans d’études avec le maître de la balalaïka P. I. Netcheporenko.

Born of a family of musicians, Alexei Birioukov began playing the balalaika at the young age of 10.

He received his diploma from the Conservatory of Music of Krasnodar in 1986, specializing in the balalaika.

He has been a concert performer on the international circuit since 1990.

From 1990 to 1991 he was also an actor/musician in several theatre plays. He won the first prize in a the International Competition of Klingenthal, Germany in 1991 in the Ensemble category with the Trio of Moscow including domra, balalaika and bayan.

Between 1991 and 1995 he and his trio performed in concerts in Italy, Germany and France, including the Festival of Chartres.

In 1993 he received his diploma from the Academy of Music of Russia, Gnessinykh, with his specialty being the balalaika and also as conductor of an orchestra of popular instruments. He studied there for five years under the tutelage of another master balalaika musician, P. I. Netcheporenko.

Since 1994 he has played as a Duo with Francois Heim and later has formed a new group, Balagan with a traditional Russian and Eastern Europe repertoire. He also plays with a Russian gypsy group, Troika.

He has been featured on many radio and tv shows and in one film by Patrice Leconte, «Une Chance sure Deux» In 2000 he played with the ensemble «Rive Gauche»

On the 11th of October, 2000 he was the soloist with the symphony orchestra of Avignon and played the concerto for balalaika and orchestra by S. Vassilenko.  On the 10th of March, 2001 he performed a concert with quatuor for strings Avenio in Avignon of original Russian music.

On the 30th of March, 2001 he performed a concert with another great Russian soloist, Alexandre Skliarov on the bayan.  On the 6th of June, 2001 he performed in concert at the Cathedral of Albi as soloist with the European Philharmonic Orchestra.

La presse considère Alexei Birioukov comme l’un des grands de la Balalaïka.

The media considers Alexei Birioukov as one of the greatest balalaika musicians.

Duet Alexei BIRIOUKOV & Alexandre SKIAROV

  Accordéon de concert & Balalaïka - Bayn - Balalaika

Comment restituer sans blesser par des mots la pureté du jeu d’Alexandre Skliarov (accordéon de concert) et d’Alexei Birioukov (balalaïka), profonde osmose de deux artistes qui se comprennent et s’apprécient.

Ce que fait la valeur de ce duo, c’est bien sa sensibilité exceptionnelle faisant oublier les prouesses virtuoses et plongeant l’auditeur dans l’univers émouvant et fascinant de cette indicible  « rousskoï douchi », l’âme russe, faite à la fois d’élans passionnés et de mélancolie profonde.

It is impossible to express in words the purity of playing by these two masters, Alexei Birioukov and Alexandre Skliarov. They embody a profound  appreciation for this instrument.

The listener is plunged into a deep and moving fascinating univers of the Russian soul, Rousskoi douchi.

Alexandre SKIAROV

  Accordéon de concert - Bayn

Alexandre Vladimirovitch Skliarov was born in 1949 in the city of Borisoglebsk in the region of Voronej. His passion has always been music. At the age of 5 he bagan playing by ear on the Bayan (accordian). While attending his first year of Music School he was already featured on the local radio shows. His playing has always shown a marvelous depth and vitality.

His talent was apparent at an early age. In 1968 he finish his studies at the Music School of Gnessin and in 1973 he finished the State Music Institute (known today as the Music Academyof Russia Gnessin). He developed a very fine aesthetic at school.  He has mastered all the techniques of contemporary playing including rebounds, tremor, vibrato, glissando and others. He refuses work where he cannot express his artistic sense. While he was still a student he won the first International Competition (World Cup) in Brugge, Belgium 1977. In the Russian newspaper Pravda, a member of the jury Youri Kazakov declared that no participant of that competition had ever played so well in the 24 year existence of  this competition.

In 1978 Alexander became a soloist with the philharmonic orchestra of Voronej. At the same time he taught music at the Institute of Arts of Voronej. He has traveled for his music to many countries as member of various music juries and conferences.  He is the first to interpret the works of In. Timochenko, Mr. Tsayger and V. Tchernikov among others. His immense repertoire has been recorded on many CDs and discs. In 1994 he received the title of Artist of the People of Russia.

Alexandre Vladimirovitch Skliarov was born in 1949 in the city of Borisoglebsk in the region of Voronej. His passion has always been music. At the age of 5 he bagan playing by ear on the Bayan (accordian). While attending his first year of Music School he was already featured on the local radio shows. His playing has always shown a marvelous depth and vitality.

His talent was apparent at an early age. In 1968 he finish his studies at the Music School of Gnessin and in 1973 he finished the State Music Institute (known today as the Music Academyof Russia Gnessin). He developed a very fine aesthetic at school.  He has mastered all the techniques of contemporary playing including rebounds, tremor, vibrato, glissando and others. He refuses work where he cannot express his artistic sense. While he was still a student he won the first International Competition (World Cup) in Brugge, Belgium 1977. In the Russian newspaper Pravda, a member of the jury Youri Kazakov declared that no participant of that competition had ever played so well in the 24 year existence of  this competition.

In 1978 Alexander became a soloist with the philharmonic orchestra of Voronej. At the same time he taught music at the Institute of Arts of Voronej. He has traveled for his music to many countries as member of various music juries and conferences.  He is the first to interpret the works of In. Timochenko, Mr. Tsayger and V. Tchernikov among others. His immense repertoire has been recorded on many CDs and discs. In 1994 he received the title of Artist of the People of Russia.

Histoire de la BALALAÏKA - BALALAIKA story

instrument traditionnel russe - traditionnal russian instrument

La balalaïka est née dans les villages russes et a grandi dans les palais des Tsars.., instrument du pauvre et du prince, elle est le reflet de l'âme russe, dans toute sa fougue et sa mélancolie.

On en trouve les premières traces sous ce terme dans un document daté de 1688 et retrouvé à Moscou en 1698. Le mot vient du verbe balakat, qui signifie "bavarder, plaisanter".

Dans son aspect initial la balalaïka avait l'air d’un outil extrêmement primitif : petit instrument creusé dans le bois (ou confectionné avec des planchettes), le corps triangulaire, ovale ou de forme semi-sphérique, avec un manche  long; deux ou trois cordes en boyau qui s'accordaient au quart ou à la quinte. Au lieu des barrettes on apposait quelques anneaux de veines sèches. La mélodie était reproduite sur la première corde pendant que la deuxième et troisième sonnaient tout le temps sans changement de hauteur de son, comme un bourdon. Le son était tiré par les frappes de l'index de la main droite sur toutes les cordes. Ce moyen d’extraire le son définit sa spécificité, lui donne ses lignes d’ originalité, sa couleur nationale.

In its initial aspect the balalaika looks like a primitive instrument, small and dug out of a single piece of wood or made from small boards. The triangular or oval shaped body has a small neck with three chords of animal gut. They are tuned to fifths. The melody is produced on the first chord while the second and third ring like a bumblebee. Sound is produced by striking the chords with the index finger and it is this technique which makes the instrument unique.

The founder of the classical Russian balalaika was Vassili Vassilievitch Andreiev. In 1883, while living in the village of Marino, Vassili was introduced to the balalaika by the playing of a local farmer, Antip. His playing inspired Vassili because it was so bright and colorful and inspired the mood to dance.

Fascinated by this instrument Vassili learned to play like Antip but  soon progressed much farther and pushed the possibilities of his instrument. Vassili contracted a local carpenter to make a balalaika from his design in 1886, with 12 compartments and a chromatic tune. The first public performance as a soloist by Vassili was at the end of that same year.

In 1888 Vassili founded the first balalaika orchestra in St. Petersburg which enjoyed tremendous success in all of Russia and obtained European celebrity after the performance at the World Fair of Paris in 1889.

Their repertoire included classical Russian melodies, folk music and original compositions for the new orchestra. Several Russian composers showed interest in the new orchestra and composed pieced specifically for it.

These composers include N. Fomin ( a pupil of Rimski-Korsakov), P. Tchaikovski, Has. Rubinstein, Has. Glazounov, Mr. Ippolitov - Ivanov, S. Vasilenko. Virtuosos of the new balalaika included B. Troyanovski, N. Osipov, Mr. Roshkov, P. Necheporenko. These people gave this small Russian instrument world wide renown.