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Olga Balakleets graduated from the Leningrad Conservatory in 1992, then studied as a postgraduate at the Royal College of Music. Now living in London she has established a firm reputation as a solo pianist, being described by the Times as a "strong and persuasive player". She has appeared with many UK orchestras and ensembles including the BBC Big Band; she is founder and artistic director of the Russian Chamber Orchestra of London. Olga has performed in Italy, France, Greece, Switzerland, Austria and Germany, North and South America and China. She often returns to Russia and has appeared there with the Maly Moscow Symphony, Capella Symphony of St Petersburg and the Belorussian State Symphony.
Julian Gallant read music at the University of Oxford, then completed his studies in Switzerland with the late Achille Colassis. He has also traveled widely as a solo pianist; he has appeared in many of the great halls of Western Europe, notably London's Queen Elizabeth Hall, the Lizst Academy in Budapest and the Tchaikovsky Hall in Moscow. He has also performed in Central America, South America and the Middle East and always explores new and exciting repertoire from these remoter musical centres. His first recording was a recital of works by Chopin, Brahms and Liszt, his second an unusual disc entitled Piano Concertos of Our Time.
The Balakleets-Gallant duo was formed in 1997 with the aim of exploiting a vast and fascinating repertoire for two pianos and piano duet. In London they have appeared in recital at St John's Smith Square and the prestigious Purcell Room, where they gave a performance of Messiaen's Visions de l'Amen in 1998. Abroad, the duo has given recitals in the Mozarteum, Salzburg, at the RTSR in Geneva, Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires, the Hermitage Theatre in St Petersburg and at the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall in Moscow.
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The Duo appeared at the historic "Gift" Festival in Tbilisi, Georgia in 1997. In January 1998 they performed Poulenc's Concerto for Two Pianos with the St Petersburg Camerata and with the Moscow Philharmonic under the direction of Vladimir Ponkin. During this period they recorded their first compact disc of music by Poulenc, Auric and Milhaud, released in September 1998. |
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Recent tours have taken the Balakleets-Gallant Duo to cities in southern Russia and to the Republics of Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan, where they appeared on national television. The Duo appeared at the Opera House in Cairo in October 1999, where they also attracted considerable media attention.
In November 1999 The Duo appeared at the Queen Elizabeth Hall with the London Philharmonic Choir in performances of Mysterium, Acte Préalable, the final work of Alexander Scriabin and in Carl Orff's ever-popular Carmina Burana. The concert was conducted by Mark Ermler, Chief Conductor at the Bolshoi in Moscow and was repeated at the Sheldonian Theatre in Oxford in February 2000.
The Duo have recently returned to Tashkent, Usbechistan where they performed Malcolm Williamson's Concerto for Two Pianos with the Usbek State Symphony Orchestra; this concert was part of an International Festival of Contemporary Music. In November 2000 they travel to the Far East, performing in Beijing (National Conservatory), Llanzhou, Korea (Youngsan Concert Hall) and Hong Kong (Academy for the Performing Arts). Plans for 2000/2001 include a full schedule of concerts in Britain and Europe, recordings and masterclasses.
