Renown classical percussionist and vibraphone virtuoso, Andrei Pushkarev, was born in the Ukraine. Pushkarev played piano from an early age and began formal percussion studies at the age of 14, later continuing his studies at the National Academy of Music In Kiev. He won the timpani chair with the Kiev Philharmonic Orchestra at age 22, and began performing around the world as percussionist with Kremerata Baltica five years later. He can be heard as timpanist on their 2001 Grammy Award winning recording “After Mozart”, which also won the prestigious German Echo Award in 2002. More recently, Andrei Pushkarev has made a name for himself with innovative vibraphone performances, compositions, and classical adaptions. His outstanding musicianship and technical prowess have won acclaim from around the world. 2013 will be highlighted with a solo concert appearance at the Percussive Arts Society International Conference in Indianapolis.