andel and the balalaika- where is the link? You think there is

none, but you are wrong because in Alexander Paperny`s hands the balalaika can overcome every sort of stereotype. The wealth of the world's musical heritage is open to the balalaika from Bach to "Carmen", from Paganini's "Caprices" to the "Rhapsodies" of Liszt.

The secret of the Russian soul, how could it be better revealed than by the poetry and the virtuosity of Alexander Paperny's playing of the balalaika? Educated in Moscow as a soloist and a conductor, he has amazed many countries with his breathtaking abilities on the balalaika.

In addition to the classical repertoire he is interested in modern "World-Music", especially the rhythms of Latin-America became of his fondness for the relaxed Jazz of Bossa Nova as well as the Tango Nuevo, made famous by artists like Antonio Carlos Jobim and Astor Piazzolla.

This wide-ranging repertoire is presented by Alexander Paperny in collabration with different instruments: piano, guitar, bayan… In many concerts the effects he produces have been examined over and over again:

"An abundance of styles, deep musical understanding and great technical ability deserved the long-lasting applause", a critic wrote, following the headline:
"A fascinating experience in sound".