The balalaika virtuoso Vladimir Bakitko is known far beyond the Altai Krai. The musician has toured many cities of Russia and neighboring countries, visited Austria, Greece, Argentina, Malta, and Germany. Wherever he plays, he inevitably amazes the audience with his skills and unique tricks such as playing the instrument under the knee or behind the back. The talented performer has impressed even the recognized maestro Mikhail Rozhkov.

Vladimir Bakitko was born in the town of Belovo in 1951. In 1971, he graduated from Barnaul Music College where he studied the balalaika. After that, he continued his studies at the Altai State Institute where he mastered the profession of a folk orchestra leader.

While serving in the army in 1972–1974, Private Bakitko won all amateur music competitions. In the second year of his service, he was asked not only to continue playing the balalaika but also to conduct a combined choir at the House of Officers.

Vladimir Bakitko has succeeded in various roles: as a teacher, a conductor, and most importantly, as a performer. A virtuoso musician, he has made the audience aware of the balalaika’s limitless potential. His vast repertoire includes folk tunes, Russian folk and romantic songs, classical music, Soviet pop songs, and even Brazilian carnival music. He has performed solo and with an orchestra.

Vladimir Bakitko is a multifaceted performer, appearing before the audience in several roles at once. He is a concert presenter, a balalaika player, a comedian, a magician, and a performer of chastushkas, Russian humorous folk songs. Such songs are often written and submitted to him by his listeners. Vladimir Bakitko explained in an interview, “I work on these chastushkas, process them, and perform some of them at my concerts.”

Vladimir Bakitko has often been invited to perform at TV shows such as “Anschlag” and “Enjoy Your Bath!”. At different times, his partners on stage included Spartak Mishulin, Vladimir Kozel, Valery Yegudin, Vladimir Vinokur, Alexandra Strelchenko of “Mosconcert”, Mikhail Yevdokimov, Klara Novikova, and Efim Shifrin. Gennady Vetrov, a comedian who has performed together with Bakitko, describes him as the world’s best balalaika player.

Vladimir Bakitko has won two prestigious awards — the Altai Lenin Komsomol Prize (1986) and the Demidov Prize (1996). In 1994, the soloist of the Altai Philharmonic was awarded the title of Honored Artist of Russia. Over the years of his creative career, he has given over a thousand concerts throughout the Altai Krai.