Born in Moscow, Russia, 17/10/56, Arkady began to study playing alto horn at age six and switched to French horn in 1967, aged eleven, when he entered the Moscow Military Music School (he stayed there until 1974). One of most unusual Russian musicians, Arkady plays French horn, flugelhorn, alphorn and many more wind instruments that are unusual. From 1978 to 1985 he was a member of the orchestra of the Bolshoi Theatre. With this world-famous orchestra and as a member of the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra from 1985 to 1989, he undertook numerous worldwide concert tours. Alongside with that he started playing traditional jazz with double-bass player Mikhail Karetnikov and avant-garde jazz in Three O project with saxophonist Sergei Letov and tuba player Arkady Kirichenko (1985-1990). Since the collapse of the former Soviet Union Shilkloper has worked independently both as a solo performer and, since 1988, in a duo with piano player Misha Alperin (since 1991, with Alperin and Starostin in the Moscow Art Trio) and in other formations. He played with Lionel Hampton, Elvin Jones, Lew Soloff and Herb Ellis. He also has worked with Pierre Favre, Louis Sclavis, Rabih Abou-Khalil, Jon Christensen, Bob Stewart. Since 1997, he also plays in two Russian trios: one with St. Petersburg's best jazzmen - acoustic bassist Vladimir Volkov and piano player Andrei Kondakov and the other with Volkov and Sergei Starostin. Arkady also participates in international project like Pago Libre and Christian Muthspiel's Octet Ost and records as a guest musician with bands like Vienna Art Orchestra (since January, 1998, Arkady performs and records extensively with this unique formation based in Vienna, Austria). Shilkloper is in demand as a soloist and a teacher for brass instrument workshops and horn symposia the world over. -- From http://www.arkadyshilkloper.com/