Sunday 28 Jan 2007

QuecumBar, 42-44 Battersea High Street , London SW11 3HX ; Tel. 020 7787 2227
Doors open at 18.00. Tickets: £8

The mighty Paprika Balkanicus are back! Magical Balkan and Eastern European acoustic violin and guitars, with a hint of swing and jazz. Apart from being active with their live performances, they are also currently working on their first album.

Paprika Balkanicus are: Bogdan Vacarescu (violin); Vladimir Jocic (guitar); Joseph Sechnick (double bass).

Bogdan Vacarescu was born in 1977 in Bucharest , Romania . He started playing as a 4 years old with Beno Schwartzman. Since 1990, he has continued his studies with Professor Paul Ratz, graduated the George Enescu Music High school , and then the University of Music in Bucharest . He obtained many prizes in national violin and chamber music competitions. In 2003 Bogdan graduated from the Royal Academy of Music, London , where he studied with the renowned professor Gyorgy Pauk. Over the years he had many recitals in Romania , UK , Germany , Switzerland , France , Belgium , Sweden , USA , etc. In 1996 he was selected to be a part of the World Youth Orchestra and in 1997 he was selected to play in a concert in the Verbier Festival, Switzerland , in a septet with the great violinist Nigel Kennedy. Since 2002 Bogdan is a part of the Graffiti Classics string quartet with which he tours. Starting with 2006 he joined the Eastern European group Paprika Balkanicus.

While studying in London Bogdan Vacarescu was supported by the Ratiu Foundation UK .