The Central Navy Band of Russia

Captain Alexei Karabanov - Artistic Director

Captain Karabanov Alexei Karabanov was born in 1961. At the age of 12 he began to study the clarinet and in 1976 young Alexei entered the Rimsky-Korsakov Musical College of the Saint Petersburg State Conservatory, in the clarinet class of Isaak Roginsky. In 1980 he graduated from the College with a first-class honors degree and entered the Faculty of Military Conductors at the Tchaikovsky Moscow State Conservatory, in the conducting class of Anatoly Gutnov.

In 1985, after graduating form the Conservatory with a first-class honors degree, he was commissioned a Lieutenant in the Navy and appointed to lead the Saint Petersburg Admiralty Navy Band, which he has directed to many successes and international fame. The active and fruitful concert work of Alexei Karabanov with the Admiralty Navy Band in Saint-Petersburg and abroad made the Band one of the best bands in the world. From 1991 till 2007, the Admiralty Navy Band's concert tours and participation in the festivals of military music was met with enthusiastic applause and critical acclaim in many countries.

Alexei Karabanov has performed as a guest conductor to the leading military bands of Europe and symphonic orchestras of Saint Petersburg. He also has given master classes and classroom lectures on conducting at the Brigham Young University in the USA.

Alexei Karabanov is a true advocate for wind and band music. Not only impressive conducting but also exciting and interesting comments at the concerts and his participation in TV and radio programs on military music of Russia have made him a real favorite of his audience. In an era more known for rock and pop music, Maestro Karabanov managed to form in Saint Petersburg a new generation of wind and band music fans.

In 1996, Maestro Karabanov was awarded a title "Honored Artist of the Russia". He has recorded with the Admiralty Navy Band seven full-length CD's. Since 2000, Alexei Karabanov has been the producer and artistic director of the annual International festival "Admiralty Music" in Saint Petersburg.

In 2007 by the order of the Ministry of Defense, Maestro Karabanov was appointed Artistic Director and commanding officer of The Central Navy Band in Moscow and received promotion to the senior naval rank of Captain ("Kapitan 1-go ranga" in Russian).

Captain Karabanov

Lt. Col. Alexey Samokhvalov - Deputy Director & Conductor

Lieutenant Colonel Alexey Nikolaevich Samokhvalov Lieutenant-Colonel Alexei Nikolaevich Samokhvalov was born on 22 March 1967. His early training was at the Moscow Military School of Music, where he graduated in 1985. He completed his studies at the P. I. Tchaikovsky Moscow State Conservatory, where he graduated in 1990 from the department of military conductors. He then was the commander of the band and military conductor for the Soviet Army troops in garrison in Eastern Germany and then for the 2nd Guards "Tamansky" motorized infantry division.

He also led the Central Navy first as a conductor, and then was appointed Deputy Director of the band in 1997.

Lieutenant-Colonel Samokhvalov has participated in 21 national military parades in Red Square in Moscow, in military ceremonies and official events of the Naval Fleet, and in numerous concerts given at official governmental occasions. With the Central Navy Band, he has participated in international festivals of military bands at Hannover in Germary, Edinburgh in Scotland and Pyongyang in North Korea. He has received personal commendations for artistic merit from the Commander in Chief of the Russian Naval Fleet, the government of the city of Moscow, the Ministry of Defense, and the President of the Russian Federation.

Lt. Col. Igor Kokorinov - Military Conductor

Lieutenant Colonel Igor Veniaminovich Kokorinov Lieutenant-Colonel Igor Veniaminovich Kokorinov was born on 20 July 1961 in Moscow. In 1976 he entered the Gnesinyh State Musical College, in the faculty of the French horn, graduating in 1980. In October 1980, he was called up for the military service and became a musician of the 13th Military Band, Moscow Military District Headquarters. In 1981 he entered the P. I.Tchaikovsky Moscow State Conservatory, in the department of military conductors. Upon his graduation, on 1986 he was appointed the Pacific Fleet.

His service in the Pacific included military conductor positions on the cruiser "Minsk", with the Russian diplomatic and military personnel in Vietnam, and with the 81st Military Band, Pacific Fleet Headquarters.

From 1996 to 2006, he was a chief of the band service and military conductor of the 36th Military Band, Caspian Flotilla. In 2006, Lieutenant-Colonel Kokorinov was named military conductor of the Central Navy Band, while also going on detached service for 10 months with the Russian diplomatic and military personnel in the Republic of Namibia.