Oleg Gitlin is a famous, award-winning balalaika virtuoso who has performed in the most distinguished theatres and concert halls throughout Russia, Europe , America and Israel.

Born in Leningrad in 1951 in a Jewish family ,Oleg Gitlin started playing the balalaika and grew fond of it already in his childhood when his parents presented him with the instrument on his birthday. He studied at the Leningrad Conservatoire with the renowned balalaika player Professor A. Shalov. In 1969 Gitlin came in first at the All-Russia competition of students of musical colleges (Ivanovo) and later continued his education at the Gnessin Pedagogical Institute of Music(class of Russian Artists ,Professor P.Necheporenko.) In 1972, being a student, he became laureate of the All-Russia competition of folk instrumentalists in Moscow. From that moment he started giving concerts around the country, Europe, America and Israel recording at All-Union Radio and giving classes.

Oleg Gitlin became a believer in Yeshua HaMashiah in 1980 after hearing the testimony of his student.
In 2007 he recorded the CD Your Hand on the strings of my Heart with his Jewish believer friend Genady Shlapobersky .Together they performed in Israel and Russia.