He was born in May 1961 in the northwestern city of Leningrad (now Saint-Petersburg). In 1991, Alexei Karabanov received his first invitation to perform at international concerts with the band, with his first tour outside of Russia taking place in Northern France at the Fifth International Festival of Military Music in Lille. Since that time, the band, under Karabanov's leadership, has regularly appeared in festivals and concerts and musical classes in the West, such as his October 1993 visit to Brigham Young University in Utah, where he gave classroom lectures and directed the BYU Bands, including the Cougar Marching Band. It was there where the previously "unknown" original Russian band music by V. Barsegian and Vladimir Malgin was introduced. Nine years later, at HMS Nelson, HMNB Portsmouth, the Royal Marines Band performed a Russian music program under the baton of Commander Karabanov. In 2007, in recognition of his service and talent, the Ministry of Defense promoted Karabanov to the post of Artistic Director and commanding officer of the Central Navy Band of Russia, which is the highest musical position in the Russian Navy. At the same time, he was also promoted to the senior naval rank of Naval Captain.^[1][2][3]