Balalaika Experience
Balalaika Experience presents a contemporary interpretation of traditional Eastern European folk music, blending authentic acoustic instruments with modern rhythmic and atmospheric elements. The core lineup is built around the balalaika (3-stringed triangular instrument) as the primary instrument, in combination with domra (round-bodied stringed instrument), keyboards, and percussion. This is enhanced by subtle electronic textures while the addition of live drums brings dynamic energy, groove, and a broader stylistic range to the performance.
Bios
Balalaika Experience goes beyond traditional genres to explore modern musical language. The project reveals the expressive means of the balalaika combined with modern technologies.
Denis Zhukov is a balalaika performer, teacher, laureate of prestigious international competitions, founder of the children’s orchestra of Russian folk instruments, as well as several musical projects, including Bryatz Guys– The new age of balalaika.
He is originally from the Ukrainian city of Yevpatoria and was educated at the Gnesin’s Russian Academy of Music. Denis participated in many recording sessions, live broadcasts and concert performances as a soloist and artist of various orchestras and ensembles. He is active in touring and educational activities, and he came to the USA to participate in the educational program “Sight and Sound of Traditional Russian Music”. In 2022, his EB1A (extraordinary ability) petition was approved by the US Immigration Service, and he moved to California, where he continues his career as a musician.
Guzel Safiullina, domra, is a virtuoso musician, performer, and dedicated teacher with over 19 years of experience. She graduated from the Gnessin Russian Academy of Music in Moscow, where she studied domra. A laureate of all-Russian and international competitions, she is also the Grand Prix winner of the international festival “Mediterranean Legend” in Spain.
In 2024 and 2025, Guzel was chosen as a guest artist for of the BDAA (Balalaika and Domra Association of America) festival, where she shared her expertise and passion for music. Her performances captivate audiences with virtuosity, emotional depth, and refined interpretation. Now based in Los Angeles, she continues to perform and teach piano and domra, inspiring students and listeners while promoting classical and folk music on stage.
Vladimir Belosludtsev is a musician, pianist, drummer, producer, and composer. He began studying and playing the piano at a very young age, influenced by his mother, who was a classical pianist. By the age of six, he was already performing on piano.
At ten, he expanded his musical education by studying drums and rhythm in a more structured and disciplined way. He attended the Yamaha Music School system while continuing to be mentored by his mother and taking private lessons with a master drummer. At fourteen, Vladimir began his studies at the Manuel de Falla Conservatory in Buenos Aires, Argentina—one of the most prestigious conservatories in the country. He studied there for three years, and by the age of seventeen, he had already started performing and touring with rock bands. This led him to leave the conservatory and focus fully on his career as a performer. By nineteen, he was gaining significant recognition and major opportunities in the music industry, appearing on television shows, well-known radio programs, and other media platforms.
He’s currently based in Los Angeles, where he works with top-level musicians and producers from around the world.
“Talented, virtuosic musicians!”
Balalaika and Domra Association of America
The program includes original compositions and modern arrangements inspired by folk traditions, cinematic soundscapes, and World music influences. The percussionist expands the rhythmic palette, allowing the music to move fluidly between intimate acoustic moments and powerful, driving sections.
The performance is suitable for concert halls, festivals and cultural events, appealing both to listeners interested in traditional music and those drawn to modern fusion and global sounds.