Soviet–Israeli jazz musician and composer, born 17 December 1944 in Kraskovo, Russia, USSR. In 1951 his family moved to Lithuania, where he learned to play piano in the music school. Later he studied piano and composition at the Vilnius Conservatory where he graduated in 1968. In 1968, Ganelin formed a trio with percussionist
Vladimir Tarasov and saxophonist
Vladimir Rezitsky. Rezitsky left the trio in 1971, and was replaced with
Vladimir Chekasin. The trio, called Ganelin Trio (or GTCh), combined free jazz with elements of folk and classic music. It achieved critical acclaim in Soviet Union and abroad.
In 1987, Ganelin emigrated to Israel. In 1999 he founded the
Ganelin Trio Priority. He directs the festival Jazz Globus in Jerusalem.
Sometimes credited as: Wjatscheslav Ganelin, Vyacheslav Shevelevich Ganelin, Slava Ganelin.