From Busking Siblings to the World Stage: The Balanas Sisters Sign to Decca Classics
Two sisters who began by busking in Latvia, powered by sibling love and family sacrifice, have risen to some of the world’s greatest stages.
They now bring to Decca Classics their unique mix of Latvian fire, sibling energy, and modern vision, sharing it with audiences in the UK and beyond.
“If one of us succeeds, we all succeed.” – Kristīne & Margarita Balanas
Listen to Castillo Interior HERE – OUT TODAY
Decca Classics is thrilled to announce the signing of the Balanas Sisters, violinist Kristīne and cellist and conductor Margarita. Their journey from playing on the streets of a Latvian town where they grew up, to performing at the world’s great concert halls is one of energy, resilience and the power of sibling love.
Growing up in the small town of Dobele in Latvia, with no family background in classical music, the sisters discovered their gift almost by accident. They grew up singing rock’n’roll with their father and listening to The Beatles, The Beach Boys and Janet Jackson. As children, they staged impromptu “mini-concerts” for each other, and then for passers-by, busking in town squares, and at times earned more in a day than their father could in a month. The coins from the street funded their first big opportunities, with the family moving to Riga so that the sisters could study at a specialist music school, followed by Kristīne’s life-changing masterclass in London that resulted in securing a place at the Royal Academy of Music in London.
At just 17, Kristīne travelled to London alone where she kept busking, even memorising police patrol times so that the music could continue. Margarita later followed her sister to the UK, winning a full scholarship to study at the Purcell School of Music in Hertfordshire aged 15. Kristīne, who is just three years older than her sister, became her legal guardian at aged 18. The sisters studied together at the Royal Academy of Music in London. “We knew nobody” they recall, “but the UK gave us world-class teachers, friends from everywhere, and the belief that anything was possible.”
Kristīne completed military training in Latvia, and during the pandemic Margarita turned her passion for conducting into action, assembling an audition tape that won her a place on a course run by the Grammy-winning Estonian conductor Paavo Järvi’. One of today’s most sought-after conductors, Järvi’ later appointed Margarita as his assistant at the Tonhalle Zürich (one of Switzerland’s leading orchestras) and she has since founded her own orchestra, Anonimi, in London, praised by The Arts Desk as “the latest voice in the dialogue about what the future of classical music might look like” (★★★★).
The Balanas Sisters have since lit up such prestigious stages as Carnegie Hall, the Sydney Opera House and London’s Royal Albert Hall, Barbican, Wigmore Hall and Royal Festival Hall. They have performed as soloists with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and London Symphony Orchestra. Their reputation rests not only on dazzling virtuosity, but also on the magnetic sibling spark that makes every performance feel both spontaneous and deeply intuitive.
The sisters’ work ethic and determination shaped their philosophy as artists. “We are so lucky in the end to be musicians,” they say. “It is a beautiful struggle. Music saved us.” That attitude continues to inform their approach today, whether in concerts, education projects, or in the family-driven minibus that once carried them to performances and competitions across Europe. Together with their brother, cross-over violinist Roberts, they founded Balanas Classical, a platform for bold, imaginative concerts, education projects and masterclasses that bring classical music into new spaces and to the next generation of young musicians.
Now they will release their first recording for Decca, Castillo Interior, a meditative and spiritual piece inspired by the writings of St Teresa of Ávila. It’s a journey of reflection and discovery that mirrors the sisters’ own path in music.
Executive Producer at Decca Classics, Helen Rogers, recalls first hearing the Balanas Sisters in Latvia having followed them for many years: ‘Last winter, I had the privilege of hearing Kristīne and Margarita perform in an intimate recital setting among the snow-covered pines of Latvia. I was utterly captivated from the first note – their performance of Vasks’ Castillo Interior had such pristine clarity and deeply moving humanity. Their story is equally impressive, and we are thrilled to welcome these two formidable women to our roster at Decca Classics.’
The Balanas Sisters commented, ‘We’re overjoyed to join the Decca Classics family. This is more than a signing for us; it is a chance to push boundaries and tell our story through music. For us, music has always been about freedom and finding our own voice, breaking a few rules, and discovering new ways to connect with people from all over the world. Signing with Decca gives us the chance to reimagine classical music for a new generation – full of energy, playfulness and a vision of what’s ahead.’
In 2026, the Balanas Sisters will return to London for a ‘through the noise’ recital, marking their first UK concert as Decca Classics artists.
More on Kristine Balanas here.
More on Margarita Balanas here.
