Victor Vlasov was born at Shilka Town of Chitinskaya Region in Russia. He inherited his love for music from both his parents: his father played the balalaika by ear and his mother was the member of a local choir. His paternal grandfather played the harmonica, his maternal grandfather the violin.
During the years of the second world war and till 1953 the family Vlasov lived in the Mongolian-People's Republic, within the structure of the Soviet Union. In 1947 they got a two-row button harmonica. His mother's sister played the instrument by ear and she taught Victor how to do it. As she remarked his talent, she advised his parents to buy him a bayan, who has much more possibilities. From 1948 on Victor Vlasov started playing by ear and one year later he started learning music notation from a self-teaching book, as there were no music schools in Mongolia.
In 1953 the family Vlasov moved to the Odessa Region, Bolgorod - Dnestrovsk. There at last Victor Vlasov started studying at a musical school, with Savinkov as his teacher. After he finished Livov's Musical School, he was taught by professor Obertuk.
In 1955 the family moved to Odessa. This city is famous for it's musical traditions and a lot of great musicians do have their roots there. In Odessa Victor got a job in Odessa's philharmonic society as a solo-bayanist. At first he was a member of the Song and Dance company, later of the Variety Jazz Ensemble. After the second world war, the popularity of the bayan was great at the Soviet Union. Together with the accordeon the bayan was esteemed much more than other instruments and it was used during holidays, on festivals and fistivities, in folk orchestras and ensembles, for dances and songs. At that time the academic performances started and great masters like Besfamilnov and Kazakov made their entrance, performing compositions from Chaikin, Kholminov and Shishakov, besides folk pieces.
| In this atmosphere Victor Vlasov too played all these compositions. He discovered the exceptional qualities of the bayan and this knowledge would inspire him to use the instrument to create his own works: from compositions for symphonic orchestra, to jazz ensembles and even operas. For Vlasov the bayan values as much as a piano for any other composer. Also while composing the music for films like "The air seller", "Imprudence", "The port", and many others., he did not use a piano, but his bayan.
Victor Vlasov's works are used for national and international competitions and festivals and are performed by leading bands of Russia and Ukraine. He also wrote a lot of methodological books concerning the bayan playing. Nowadays he gives master classes, is asked as a member of the jury for several contests, gives lectures and performs all over Russia.
The Russian Gnessin Academy awarded Vlasov with a silver disk for his contribution to the Art of Accordeon.
